Sw Motech Panniers Rails & Honda Top Box

[DaveS]

I've been fitting my SW Motech Pannier rails and the panniers.
I've run in to a problem with my Honda Topbox. I have the big jobbie, 55 litres I think.
It basically won't quite fit with my panniers on.
Some pics to illustrate are at the bottom.
I need to move my topbox up and backwards a bit.
I'd wanted to move my topbox backwards anyway as I could then fit a full size pillion on without squashing my nuts against the tank.
To do this I think I need something underneath the plate that the topbox fixes to. Although it needs to be reasonably substantial.
So I'm looking for a piece of aluminium tubing that's about 1.5 inches square and a foot long.
Anyone any ideas where I might get that from, and am I going the right way about this?

[miggy]

How about some tubular spacers?

You can get some metal tube preferably aluminium from B&Q or any local metal merchant as large a diameter as possible for the best support with suitable washers to use as bearers and simply cut them to the size needed with longer bolts.

Give us some pics of the crash bars. I've just got some myself but haven't fitted them yet

[Chad]

dave i have some 25mm box section in steel if you want it let me know if thats any good and how much you need and i'll send it through to you mate

[DaveS]

Thanks mate.
I didn't want steel due to the weight and finish. I'll see what I can find in alu first, but thanks.

[Cie]

Does it have to be square?

Aluminium scacffold poles are thick wall aluminium, and 2" diameter, which I have here

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by Cie

Does it have to be square?

Aluminium scacffold poles are thick wall aluminium, and 2" diameter, which I have here

I think so for the strength. Its going to have a top box rack and top box sitting on it so it needs to be strong.
For instance I didn't think I made myself clear, but in the photo's I've already moved the top box plate backwards on the rack.
It only fixes by 4 of the holes now not 6 and it flexes too much. I also want to raise it a bit hence I need to build something solid that fits between the rack and the top box plate.

Originally Posted by miggy

How about some tubular spacers?

You can get some metal tube preferably aluminium from B&Q or any local metal merchant as large a diameter as possible for the best support with suitable washers to use as bearers and simply cut them to the size needed with longer bolts.

I think this is exactly what I want to do. I'm going to have a look round B&Q today to see what I can find.

[Cie]

In reply to that then.. if you have no luck at B&Q, the 2 inch scaffold pole can be cut to the vertical length you require, effectively giving you 2 inch diameter, thick wall aluminium spacers that you can cut to any lenghth you choose, be that 5mm or 5 inches.

Anyway, the offer stands

[Chad]

as you go give us some pics so we can see how it comes out dave

[xrv_jim]

Originally Posted by DaveS

I've been fitting my SW Motech Pannier rails and the panniers.
I've run in to a problem with my Honda Topbox. I have the big jobbie, 55 litres I think.
It basically won't quite fit with my panniers on.

Don't know what the Motech fittings are like but can't the panniers be mounted a bit further down and wouldn't that provide clearance for the top box? I can't see clearly from your pics, but it does look like there's a bit of room to play with and I do remember seeing another post showing the Alphos boxes on the Motech rack and thinking they looked a little high.

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by xrv_jim

Don't know what the Motech fittings are like but can't the panniers be mounted a bit further down and wouldn't that provide clearance for the top box? I can't see clearly from your pics, but it does look like there's a bit of room to play with and I do remember seeing another post showing the Alphos boxes on the Motech rack and thinking they looked a little high.

Unfortunately not. I can't see anyway they can drop down. The panniers sit on a frame that is itself bolted to the pannier rails. To get anything to drop lower would require that holes be redrilled and that wouldn't be easy.

I've had a dig around B&Q, et al, today and come up with nothing.
Don't want to use spacers between the top box plate and the rack as it overhangs at the back, and I need it fixed solidly to both.
So my ideal is a solid lump of alu that bolts between the plate and the rack. One of my major requirements is that it must look good though!
Anyway I'l keep playing and see what I can come up with.