Designing a Rear Cargo Cover

[XJ408]

I don't know what to decide on using particle board, mdf, or pipe......also making collapsible for the rear seats to be down in my 4 door xj......

[modestmar00xj]

cool, lets see some designs!

[4.3LXJ]

Particle board is cheap, but heavy and will sag if unsupported in the center. Plywood would be better.

[bluedragon436]

You looking at making a false floor/storage type deal??

[XJ408]

You looking at making a false floor/storage type deal??

yea cover some sub-woofers back there and extra storage......


Particle board is cheap, but heavy and will sag if
unsupported in the center. Plywood would be better.

i have a sub-woofer box supporting it.......

[LizardRunner]

how high do you want this box? and how deep? Mdf is about 100 lbs per 4X8 sheet in 1/2 inch thickness. add about 45 lbs for every 1/4 inch added to that. It's great for building shelves and boxes but the weight is just an anchor to any vehicle. Ply wood, while lighter and somewhat stronger for boxes, still is an anchor to any vehicle. See if you can find some aluminum, you can drill and pop rivet it instead of welding it. It's very light compared to wood products, and doesn't rot from moisture. You can get all the shapes that steel comes in. some angle will work for corner forming and top rigidity plus you can have nice slides for drawers.

Cost wise, aluminum isn't as bad as most people I know think either. 20' 3"x3" 3/16 angle is about 20 dollars, sometimes less. sheet aluminum, same thickness is around 100.00 for a 4x8 sheet, here in arkansas. You could build exactly what you want and keep the added weight to under 40-50 lbs total. I did a rear deck for an aluminum boat, complete with aluminum cooler, aluminum gas tank for 125.00 total and that included the aluminum rod and flux (I welded the whole thing, frame, top, cooler with lid and gas tank, together using oxy/ acetel welding.)

[BlueXJ]

Might I suggest that pipe and sheet metal would be lighter and easily collapseable if you have welding and sheet metal skills.

[hookedonxjs]

I made one for the 89 years ago and I made it from baltic birch plywood or some call it marine plywood. It is easy to work with and lighter than mdf and osb. It's available at any home improvement store. It's strength is that it's water resistant glued, multi plies and home built planes are often made out of it. I also painted it with gator gaurd bed liner and it turned out bitchin. I also ran a stringer down the middle on the under side and boxed around the edges about 3" up to add additional strength.