VW mods - Roof storage
When we decided to live in the van for a year, we knew space was going to be a major
concern. We had a Yakima RocketBox already, so I did some research to see if the
Eurovan Camper could accommodate one.
The short answer is yes, one can be mounted to the roof, but it's not without its
drawbacks. The biggest is that it makes the pop top much heavier. Even when completely
empty, the struts can no longer hold up the pop top. Because of the added weight,
I built a brace. See below for more information. The other disadvantage is that
it's difficult to access. I'm 6' tall, and I have to open the sliding door and stand
on the floor or jump on the rear tire to be able to reach into the RocketBox. It's
downright impossible to get at when the top is popped.
We treat it as an "overflow" area, where stuff that won't fit in the van goes. For
obvious reasons, we try to keep infrequently needed stuff up there. Typically, that
means warm clothes for cold weather, extra food, soda, dog food, Camelback, frisbee,
kite, hair cutting kit, and other small items.
We try not to put heavy stuff up there, as I read about one guy who bent the scissor
hinge by overloading his roof storage.
Installation
There are at least three ways to mount the RocketBox to the roof. One is to use
side rails, like you would on a pickup truck top. Another is to use tracks attached
only to the thin roof material, like are often used on the metal roofs of minivans,
SUV's, and some cars. I wasn't sure if this was an option for the Eurovan camper,
since the roof is molded plastic. A third option is to somehow secure tracks directly
to the tubular metal frame inside the roof.
I personally like tracks better, and my existing hardware was based on a track system.
I talked to a couple shops in the area about what they recommended and how much
it would cost. One place had no qualms mounting only to the plastic; the other insisted
on disassembling the roof to determine the exact location of the metal frame. I
called Winnebago to get their opinion. They said they designed an indented channel
on each side of the roof specifically to handle tracks for cargo carriers, and it
was not necessary to attach to the metal frame.
Woo hoo! I had it straight from the manufacturer that it was ok to mount tracks
to the plastic, as long as they were in the channels. I bought a set of tracks and
installed them in a couple hours, setting them far to the back to minimize the height
I would have to lift the RocketBox every time I raised the roof. It was a bit scary
drilling holes in the roof, but the instructions were clear. It's been several months
and there have been no signs of leakage or damage to the roof.
Pop top brace
The added weight of the RocketBox meant the pop top would no longer stay up by itself.
I built two braces - one for each side, but it turned out I only needed one brace,
on the side where the RocketBox is mounted. The other one is now a spare.
The brace is a 33 3/4" length of 3/4" outside diameter electrical conduit. I flattened
about 2" of one end with a hammer, and drilled a hole in it large enough to accommodate
the L-shaped pin at the front of the roof. I placed a rubber plug in the other end
so that the conduit wouldn't scratch the van.
To use it, first I raise the pop top. Grunting loudly helps. Once extended, I grab
the brace, which is stored in the roof channel just above the sliding door. The
rubber plugged end is placed in the corner of the metal channel, just above the
front passenger seat. The other end - with the drilled hole - slips over the pin
in the roof.
