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Rear luggage rack and box for towbar

G

Gavin

Active Newbie
South East
E51 Owner
Messages
16
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Location
Maidstone
First Name
Gavin
Elgrand
E51
Region
South East
In preparation for first road trip, I needed to sort some storage space for our converted E51 to fit all our stuff for transport. After some research I have decided a towbar based solution is best for us So I need a tow bar and have chosen:

Nissan Elgrand (Import)(E51) Detachable Towbar 2002 to 2010 from Just Tow website - c£250

Then a rack - CRUZ Rear Cargo carrier system: base platform no. 940-535 from www.roofbox.co.uk c£200 - tips to allow access to boot
Then a box - CRUZ Rear Cargo carrier system: Apex 400 litre box 940-540 from www.roofbox.co.uk c£300

There are other solutions but I think for us this is a balance of practicality and cost as the box will also house skateboard/scooter and is the size of a typical hatchback. For example our A6 estate is 400 litres below the boot cover.

Also noticed the engine is not heating up. Not good for economy, in van comfort conditions or carbon deposits in the engine Quick text to BMR (https://bmr-automotive.com/) for a thermostat (in stock) for my local garage to fit with the help from the workshop manual https://www.allcarmanuals.com/factory-service-manual-319-Nissan-Elgrand-E51.html . Great service from BMR as a multitude of members can astest to.
 
Did you bite the bullet with the Cruz Cargo carrying system? That's the exact combination I'd come up with - maybe I'd go for the fixed tow bar to make adding a bracket so it can fit under my bumper easier. I wonder if the back door can open with the Cruz base tilted down? (roof box website thinks not)

I've currently got a large roofbox, but is a pain to get to anything out of and it blocks the view of the sky while laying in bed. Although I'm not totally sure these are £700 worth of problems 🤔
 
Ulysses said:
Did you bite the bullet with the Cruz Cargo carrying system? That's the exact combination I'd come up with - maybe I'd go for the fixed tow bar to make adding a bracket so it can fit under my bumper easier. I wonder if the back door can open with the Cruz base tilted down? (roof box website thinks not)

I've currently got a large roofbox, but is a pain to get to anything out of and it blocks the view of the sky while laying in bed. Although I'm not totally sure these are £700 worth of problems 🤔
Click to expand...
I did and the back door cannot open with the tilt -grrr. The margins were wafer thin which was a pain, an inch lower on the bar may have done it. Anyway the box can fit a load of stuff in so good news. It doesnt cover the lights so I didnt bother with with the electrics to save a few bob. Its easy to use although a two person job to fit and remove if you dont want to separate the box from the rack first.
 
Which tow bar did you get? Did it fit OK? What bumper do you have?

Handy about the lights being unaffected. Shame about not being able to get in the boot.
 
Ulysses said:
Did you bite the bullet with the Cruz Cargo carrying system? That's the exact combination I'd come up with - maybe I'd go for the fixed tow bar to make adding a bracket so it can fit under my bumper easier. I wonder if the back door can open with the Cruz base tilted down? (roof box website thinks not)

I've currently got a large roofbox, but is a pain to get to anything out of and it blocks the view of the sky while laying in bed. Although I'm not totally sure these are £700 worth of problems 🤔
Click to expand...
Slide bars on the roof rack make loading the roofbox loads easier, can even slide it far enough over to access it through the sun roofs if you have them20210705_181348.jpg
 
I have this rack for my bikes and you can adjust the tilt angle so maybe there are other racks with this feature?

Atera GENIO PRO Advanced bike carrier (2 to 3 bikes) no. 022780

It tilts far enough that even vertical tailgates can be opened - ideal for vans like the VW T5 and T6 and the Mercedes Vito Foldable so it's very easy to carry and store Takes heavier and wider bikes (up to 30kg each) - great for eBikes or larger mountain bikes but equally suitable for small...
www.roofbox.co.uk www.roofbox.co.uk
 
Ulysses said:
Which tow bar did you get? Did it fit OK? What bumper do you have?

Handy about the lights being unaffected. Shame about not being able to get in the boot.
Click to expand...
I have the standard bumper. The detachable towbar from the just tow website fitted without the need to cut into the bumper
 
Nevillerover said:
I have this rack for my bikes and you can adjust the tilt angle so maybe there are other racks with this feature?

Atera GENIO PRO Advanced bike carrier (2 to 3 bikes) no. 022780

It tilts far enough that even vertical tailgates can be opened - ideal for vans like the VW T5 and T6 and the Mercedes Vito Foldable so it's very easy to carry and store Takes heavier and wider bikes (up to 30kg each) - great for eBikes or larger mountain bikes but equally suitable for small...
www.roofbox.co.uk www.roofbox.co.uk
Click to expand...
The Cruz rack can also accommodate 3 bikes so useful from that perspective also. The bimble to Cornwall was at 65 ish and the combo was rock solid.
 
Paddlindazza said:
Slide bars on the roof rack make loading the roofbox loads easier, can even slide it far enough over to access it through the sun roofs if you have themView attachment 87379
Click to expand...
Just bought mine so catching up on old posts. I love this idea. Dont suppose you remember what I need to do this? I do not have a roof rack at all on my 05 E51
 
Gavin said:
I did and the back door cannot open with the tilt -grrr. The margins were wafer thin which was a pain, an inch lower on the bar may have done it. Anyway the box can fit a load of stuff in so good news. It doesnt cover the lights so I didnt bother with with the electrics to save a few bob. Its easy to use although a two person job to fit and remove if you dont want to separate the box from the rack first.
Click to expand...
I found the CRUZ box and tilting rack would't clear the tail door on our E51 conversion. I was lucky enough to have a mate with this set-up who lent it to me to try it. Our E51 has a Tow Trust bar with detachable ball. I managed to buy a second detachable, with the straight coupling from an Ebay seller, that was a few inches longer and lower. This allows the clearance for the door to open when the Cruz box is tilted. I am hoping this may help other E51 members at some point.
 
gregm said:
I found the CRUZ box and tilting rack would't clear the tail door on our E51 conversion. I was lucky enough to have a mate with this set-up who lent it to me to try it. Our E51 has a Tow Trust bar with detachable ball. I managed to buy a second detachable, with the straight coupling from an Ebay seller, that was a few inches longer and lower. This allows the clearance for the door to open when the Cruz box is tilted. I am hoping this may help other E51 members at some point.
Click to expand...
Sweet, have you a link to the ebay site to see if it's compatible with the detachable tow bar I'm using?
 
Gavin said:
Sweet, have you a link to the ebay site to see if it's compatible with the detachable tow bar I'm using?
Click to expand...
Hi Gavin,
The Tow Trust detachable ball I bought from an Ebay seller was listed as used. It didn't really look used, and it came in the original blue cloth bag with both keys. I paid £99 for it. It was the same class, A50-X I believe is the number, meaning it is rated at the same capacity as the original ball supplied with the new Tow Trust tow bar which I fitted. I do know the unit I have purchased from the Ebay seller is longer and lower. In the next few days I will get an opportunity to photograph and get the parts numbers of both detachable balls and can post them on here if it is any help to you. Let me know on this.
Additionally, if you do not already know and something you should be aware of, I have found out that while the CRUZ box has not changed since launch, the mounting rack has. The rack I tried, belonging to my friend, was part number 940-535, and had a long push-down locking bar, running from the ball coupling across the back of the vehicle, towards the offside, to lock the rack to the ball. The latest rack is part number 940-544. I have ordered/purchased my own CRUZ box and rack today from The Roof Box Company, Cumbria. It will be the latest design rack as the earlier version has been discontinued. I will try this latest rack on my Elgrand next week when it arrives, to see if it still clears the tail door with the box tilted. I do have a way out of the problem if it does not, as my friend has offered to swap his earlier design rack for my new one which will solve any issue.
Let em know if you require the info.
 
DSC06393.JPG
 
In further reply to Gavin's issue, whereas the CRUZ tow bar rack and box does not allow the E51 tail door to open, this was my answer to the same issue. These are the Tow Trust detachable balls in the picture. The shorter/higher assembly is the one supplied with the tow bar specifically for the E51. The lower/longer unit is one I pick-up from an Ebay seller for £99. This allows the rack to fit approx 4" further away and 4" lower than the standard bar. This works with the old style welded tube tilting rack with the locking lever as you will see if the following photos, although it cannot be used with the upright bar fitted. Additionally, I tried it this with the latest Cruz rack, which has a bolt-type locking mechanism and instead of a one-piece welded frame like the earlier version, has plastic corners with steel tubes which bolt together to assemble it. The later rack will not work when tilted, even with this extended ball attachment. The tail door fowls the locking hooks. I have included a photo of this also. I hope this answers a few members questions relating to this issue.DSC06394.JPGDSC06395.JPGDSC06398.JPGDSC06401.JPGDSC06402.JPGDSC06403.JPG
 
This is the later CRUZ rack as explained previouslyDSC06406.JPGDSC06408.JPGDSC06409.JPG
 
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