Why plano cases on roof?

Because the owner wanted then. Why obsess so much about what others want?

 

That truck is bad a$$.

 

Thanks Michael! I was born and raised in San Diego. Family is still all there.

 

Possibly, I purchased the V730 double rifle case because of the 6.3" height so I hope it's original Pelican. I screwed 4 holes to line up with the forward rail and the rear rail on my roof rack and used small carriage bolts with large 2" fender washers and nyloc self-locking nuts. Perhaps I need to bathe them in RTV and reinstall but I wanted to avoid a more permanent install with gasket maker but I may just have to weigh my options and choose the lesser of two evils. Right now I just have my boots and recovery straps up there so nothing metal. I believe I stated in my initial post that the lid gasket was serviceable but it did have a crease through it that may affect the water resistance. Ill need to jump back up there and confirm whether or not it is the seam where the gasket ends were glued together to complete the loop or something else.

The valve is a pressure relief valve. It should be a pressure relief valve to prevent over-pressurization. Say that you load and close the case at sea level then fly up to a mountain top, the pressure inside the case would be greater and cause the case to pop. Same thing if you closed it at the top of a mountain and opened it at sea level, the case could be sunken in. Perhaps this is the reason? Maybe. But since it is staying at the same pressure both inside and out, the valve shouldn't be opening. However, the case is black and could be heating excessively but my thinking is that the valve would allow outflow of that heat and prevent moisture from being sucked back in. I dunno. I'll look at replacing that seal and applying excessive RTV beneath the fender washers and nyloc nuts.

I have enough desiccant to dry up a swimming pool but I'm trying to prevent having to constantly replace and refresh the desiccant packets up there. I'd like to basically set it and forget it.


-J

 

Narcotics stash, I always follow the guy with 2

 

mamma always said if you wanna make friends pass the...utensil.

 

yeah I didn’t realize they’re pressure valves and may have warped my thin lids.

I bet having them closed meant normal air inside. At night this contracted sucking the lids down. In sun it warms the lids first to soften and take shape. Maybe they’ll return to normal now that I opened the valve all the way so it’s open and doesn’t rattle.

grease helps seals work and last long
You could probably do that
The only problem is the mess it makes. There’s many to choose from

if it was me I’d use whatever hydrate product they make to put onto door seals. After cleaning, I’d put that on the case seals.
And assuming the fender washer is rubber you could put some rubber save grease on that. Like Dow Corning. Or the above.

One way to prevent that grease from making a mess could be to temporarily seal over top of it.
Like using a big circular tire patch that’s also rubber (sealing) and adhesive backed. Hopefully removable in the future.

that would create another barrier of sealing and provide a smooth surface atop the nut/bolt to not catch on anything

 

I used a rifle case because it's the best way to get a long/low weatherproof box made from UV stabilized plastic that's lockable (both built in and with a padlock). Can't speak for anyone else, but I use it to keep items that aren't heat sensitive, and don't need to be accessed often but when I do need them, digging is undesirable. Jumper cables, cargo straps, tire chains, sometimes a wool surplus blanket.

 

Same reasons. They're handy. One holds tools for fixing the bikes on any cycling related trip. Again, stuff I generally don't access, but there if I need it. The other holds camping stuff like extension cords, a tarp, etc etc.

 

would probably have em by now for recovery gear/assorted crap but then i couldnt pull into my garage (~.5" clearance)

 

anyone know if this works
or if more strength to secure is needed, such as layer in a piece of flat bar and use longer bolts

 

Cautionary tale for those considering a rifle case up top:

I walked out of Cabela's with one and was subsequently followed from the store, to REI nearby, to the city where i live 10+ miles away by someone (two individuals, dark grey honda odyssey) without a front license plate (illegal in OR).

This included a last second lane change from a freeway offramp to lose them, and doubling back past my exit on the interstate back to the exit where the police station was, all the way to the police station parking lot at which point they continued on.

I then parked and went inside and filed a police report. Video footage from the police station wasnt good enough for any kind of positive idea.

Immediately after this experience, i returned the case to Cabela's and also told them about what happened and gave them the police report # and sheriff's contact.

 

Don't we have enough violence on our streets without you shooting kids?

 

I think this is less about the pelican cases and more about the west coast being a complete shithole

 

maybe some larger flat washers or flat stock to make the contact patch wider on the case bottom. id also recommend some rubber washers, or some RVT smeared all around the holes

 

I see people driving around with shit bolted to the outside of their truck around here in CA, does it not get stolen? Do they just bolt on in the morning before they run their errands, never leave it unattended, and take it back off or park it in their garage when they get home?

My truck was dusty and covered with pollen, and I had not tried to open the cap liftgate, and in the morning, in my own driveway, there were fentanyl goblin handprints where somebody had tried to jiggle the top open to get to nothing on the inside.

 

Looks like it'd work to me. Idk your entire mounting setup, but it looks like your nuts would be exposed (pun intended), so someone could just unbolt the entire case and make off with it if they wanted it. Depending on what you're actually mounting it to, if running the bolt through in the opposite orientation (with bolt shaft and nuts inside the case), an honest thief can't take it as easily (assuming the case is locked, they can't get to the nuts to unbolt from inside the case).

Also, FWIW, Instead of washers, I used a piece of flat bar to increase the contact area for the extra strength/fear of ripping nuts/bolts through the plastic.

 

It's hard to say with 100% certainty without knowing what those bolts are attaching to or what kind of weight you're considering putting in the box.

I mounted mine to a Prinsu rack, and went with a rectangular pattern, two bolts near the sides, connected to one crossbar in the front and one in the back. I also installed a 2 foot length of E-track into the bottom of the case so that I'm able to snap in some tie-down points so I can lash down heavier gear inside the box to prevent it from shifting.

If those bolts are connecting some kind of strap/D-bracket to hold the box onto a OEM/cross-tube style of roof rack, you're probably fine to carry camping gear (tent, blankets, folding furniture) up there or something like jumper cables, tire chains, and ratchet straps or rope. I'd add large diameter fender washers under the heads of those bolts at the very least even for that.

You;d get a lot more strength putting the connection points closer to the edges of the box, and from having at least a triangular set of attachment points (two points toward the rear of the box), and the best way to go would be to have the connections as close to the corners of the base of the box as possible (allowing room for large washers). Whether or not you'd need that much strength depends entirely on the amount of load you;re looking to carry

 

Because it completes the overlanding look that's popular now days... aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It's where you put your weed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKOc6hXMDhc