My xB is all about being PRACTICAL, and when there was one thing I noticed that it couldn't do that my old clunky Grand Voyager could do, I had to fix that . . . with a mod.

With the clunky minivan I could, with a bit of a struggle, take out the rear seats and then load a 4x8 sheet of something: plywood, paneling, sheetrock, whatever. The xB wasn't quite up to that.

I got me a Yakima Rack(ima) so that I could improve the hauling capacity, but I quickly realized that it wouldn't handle THIN 4x8 sheets of whatever very well, so I made this:



that can haul two sheets of 4x8x1/2" plywood:



and it's attached like this:



and the plywood or paneling or sheetrock or whatever is held down like this:



Then when I'm done, everything unbolts and disconnects and I can store it all in the garage, hooked to the ceiling over where the xB is parked . . . leaving the xB unmolested.

It works pretty well. Yakima sez not to carry over 100 pounds, so I haven't carried more than two 1/2" sheets of plywood, but with a few trips I've hauled enough to roof a shed I'm building out back . . . and it'll handle any other 4x8 sheets of whatever else I'll need for future projects.

Whattaya think?

 

cool deal i like it

 

COOL

 

Probably a little more involved building that than just buying a beer for a buddy with a truck to haul it for you, but it's pretty slick, good idea.

 

holy sheets! =P

pooder, that looks awesome! now you can safely haul sheets rather than tying it to the roof and holding onto it while driving! trust me, i've seen that! =]

A++++++

 

Looks good; last time I hauled lumber, I was getting 2x4s also so we could just strap all of it together. Oh, and no worries about the weight, Yakima says up to 165lbs.

 

That is freakin' awesome!
Nice job!

 

very cool! i love seeing little home made inventions like that to inspire myself to create as well. i am working on making a tool chest to fit in the back of the xb with the spare and other accessory compartment taken out. i just have not had the time to actual get any work done. any way, look cool!

 

I like it...Great idea!