Cargo Restraint for '04 Sienna...?

Howdy,

I would love to get some sort of cargo restraint for my '04 Sienna.

We sometimes carry lots of camping and kayaking gear and the thought of having it all come forward in the event of an accident, well, you can guess the rest...

Does anyone make anything that would (really) do the job?

Thanks for any help,

Reply to
Kenneth
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Have you checked with the dealer?

Toyota does make cargo nets for the vans.

In addition, if you go to autozone, jcwitney.com and other aftermarket places, you should be able to find what you want.

Reply to
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

The last time I checked with a dealer they had only an extremely flimsy net appropriate for keeping stuff from rolling around on the way home from the super market.

I will certainly check again, and will check the other sources you suggested.

All the best,

Reply to
Kenneth

They can also order other nets and accessories. I suspect that what they have is more for organizing your soccer balls and groceries than for a trip into the woods.

Also search google with the term "cargo net" and "cargo net sienna".

I did and found this:

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which seems to be more what you're looking for. And cheaper than Toyota. Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

You might take a look here:

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Reply to
dbu,.

That's a valid concern, and the primary reason why mini-vans don't beat some mid-size sedans for hauling stuff. Are there any sort of metal tie-down things on the floor of the cargo area? If so, you could pick up a strong canvas tarp and a grommet installation kit (boat or hardware store), cut the tarp to size, and get creative with rope.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

Duct Tape works well, my neighbor uses them to hold the front bumper and grill too.

Reply to
EdV

Sure. Put down the MD 20-20.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

Go to

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click on the "Auto and ATV" link, then in the Automotive Interior section, click on the "Automotive Pet Accessories" link, then look at the Dog Barrier and Wire Barriers.

Or, go to

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click on the "Pet and Home" link and check out the pet barrier.

Or, get a set of motorcycle tie-down straps or bungee cords to secure the cargo to the hooks on the floor where the seats attach.

Reply to
Ray O

"Kenneth" ...

You might want to look into those animal restraint cages, those grid walls that set up behind the rear seat.

What I have done in my Sienna in real life is sometimes tie the stuff up that is over the top of the rear seats so it does not fall forward. Tomes

Reply to
Tomes

Howdy,

The animal restraint stuff I have seen is not up to the strength needs I have. In the event of an accident, the forces generated by stuff flying around are of significance.

We very rarely use the third row of seats, so tie points on the floor are available, but, I can't see any tie point opportunities high up behind the second row of seats.

I know that there are structural roof pillars at that point, but I don't want to mess with them too much because they contain curtain airbags.

If I knew that there was something in there (such as a seat bolt mount) all would be golden: I would just make an appropriately strong nylon net and clip it to the lower seat mounts and the upper attachment points in the pillars.

I'd certainly welcome any further thoughts,

Reply to
Kenneth

Hi Ray,

I very much appreciate your suggestions, but...

The pet related stuff is just not up to the task. I have called a number of suppliers and have asked each "Would this thing stand up to a push with my shoulder?" They always say no.

The tie down idea is the direction I will probably go, but it would certainly be much easier to implement if I could find a way to find a way to support a "tie up" as well as a "tie down."

Thanks again,

Reply to
Kenneth

OK...let's reexamine this. First of all, it's good that you're thinking this way. But, you're quickly heading into absurdity.

1) Forget the nylon net. You sound as obsessive as I am. So, you do NOT want something that's already full of holes. You want something that's already up to the task of handling lots of force. You want boat sail material. Not a tarp from Home Depot, but boat sail material, professionally cut, sewn and seamed, with grommets to handle the right rope. Not near a place that makes sails? Post a message in rec.boats and ask for info. Someone's bound to know a place that will work with you over the phone. All you need, basically, is a rectangle. Make a template out of an old bed sheet and send it to the sail maker. 2) You want real rope, at least 1/2", but preferably 5/8" or 3/4", nylon. Forget clips, clamps or other bullshit. You'll use the right knots for whatever tiedown points you have available. If rope will hold a large boat in a storm, it'll hold your cargo in place, assuming the tiedowns don't rip out of the metal. You will learn to whip the rope ends (wrap in waxed string) to keep them from fraying. Then, you'll dip them in special stuff made for sealing the ends, available from
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No burning the rope ends with a lighter. That's for cub scouts and adult idiots, although it's acceptable just for the time it takes to get the rope home from the store. 3) Concern yourself first with holding the cargo down tightly. If the cargo's moving upward in an accident, it means you've rolled the vehicle and you have much bigger problems. 4) Get under the vehicle and see if there are any flat areas where you could drill holes to mount your own serious tiedown "devices". You might be able to add a metal plate underneath to reinforce the thin metal of the car. Boat makers do this (using wood or metal as a backing reinforcement) when they mount cleats to fiberglass. Use boat hardware - the expensive kind whose edges have been rounded so you don't rip your skin if you bump into the while unloading groceries.

If this is all too much, get a roof box from Thule. Not Sears. Or, dump the silly van and get a Crown Victoria, which has a trunk the size of Montana. It's an old person car. Old people are dying all the time. Watch for good deals on used ones. Install air shocks. Problem solved.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

ROFLMAO

Surely you jest.....

Reply to
Scott in Florida

Tell us about your military service.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

Tell us how many returning soldiers you have spat on.....

Reply to
Scott in Florida

Tell us about your military service.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

Tell us why you loath the military.....

Reply to
Scott in Florida

Drilling holes in the undercarriage is not such a good idea. First, drilling will break the protective coating on the metal, and rust will form around the holes. Second, adding a reinforcing place without properly rust-proofing the plate and sealing the seams will trap moisture between the plate and underbody, and if the plate is not the correct material, you can get galvanic (sp?) corrosion.

I have both the Sears clamshell and Thule boxes, and the Thule or Yakima are the way to go. Thule also makes a box that attaches to a trailer hitch so that you do not have to lift stuff up on to the roof, and there is no additional drag from having a box up on the roof.

Reply to
Ray O

"Kenneth" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Are you looking for something more heavy-duty like this:

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or try searching "van partition" to see what comes up.

If the cargo loaded behind the pet barrier is piled from the floor to the ceiling, then cargo moving forward at the top, above the seatbacks, would be counter-acted by the stuff on the floor, which is stopped by the seat back. For a little extra security, you can run some webbing from the top of the barrier back at an angle to the third row seat anchors. 1 inch tubular climbing webbing, available at places that sell climbing and spelunking supplies or at REI.com, has a breaking strength of 2,000 lbs. Do not use the flat webbing that people normally use to lash stuff unless it has a breaking strength of at least 2,000 lbs I would get 2 climbing carabiners (the real ones, not the keychain type) which have a breaking strength of at least 22 Kn (around 2,000 lbs). Double about 8 inches of the end of the piece of webbing over itself and then tie an overhand knot in the doubled section to form a loop (climbers call this a water knot). Slip a biner through the loop and clip it to the seat anchor. Thread the webbing up to the top of the barrier, across the other side of the car, and then back down to the seat anchor. The barrier will keep the stuff from coming forward during normal driving, and the webbing may help restrain the stuff during an accident. Non-locking biners can be had for under $10 each, and locking biners range from $12 to $20. Locking biners have a mechanism to keep the gate from accidentally opening, while non-locking biners do not. For your purposed, non-locking should be good enough. Webbing us usually around 35 to 40 cents per foot. Get about 20 or 30 feet .

Reply to
Ray O

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