Dog crates for 4 dogs in a Cali Beach

[AlisonF]

Finally my new crates arrived for the Beach Camper. It’s almost a year to the day since I picked up my Eriba and realised the Ocean had to go to allow access to get 4 dogs in and out during stops when towing.
The delivery time was much longer than promised, but the quality is outstanding and (unlike VW) they reduced the price without me asking by way of apology.
I am delighted.

 

[Borris]

Hello Alison,
They look like a proper job. Really well made. I'd be pleased as well.

How are they secured down? And how do you get the dogs into the upper cages? Do you have a ramp?

I love the attention to detail especially the removable dividers.

 

[AlisonF]

@Borris - I need to get a ratchet strap. At the moment stuffed things in the small gap either side and have the bench seat upright and pushed back against the crate.
If you loom at the shot from the rear, there is a wee drawer which pulls out to create a jump board for the younger ones to get up top.
Also they are damned heavy so not likely to move a lot. But don’t want to take risks.

 

[NessL]

@Borris - I need to get a ratchet strap. At the moment stuffed things in the small gap either side and have the bench seat upright and pushed back against the crate.
If you loom at the shot from the rear, there is a wee drawer which pulls out to create a jump board for the younger ones to get up top.
Also they are damned heavy so not likely to move a lot. But don’t want to take risks.

Perhaps you could use a fixing to the seat rails

 

[AlisonF]

Perhaps you could use a fixing to the seat rails

That was my plan but there is nothing on the crate to do this. There are D hooks I can use at the side of the crate.

 

[Borris]

@Borris - I need to get a ratchet strap. At the moment stuffed things in the small gap either side and have the bench seat upright and pushed back against the crate.
If you loom at the shot from the rear, there is a wee drawer which pulls out to create a jump board for the younger ones to get up top.
Also they are damned heavy so not likely to move a lot. But don’t want to take risks.

If I were you I think I'd stand the whole thing on a 5 or 10mm thick rubber pad the size of the foot print with additional rubber buffers either side made of the same stuff. Look online as you can order rubber matting off the roll. The crate box won't damage the floor rails with a rubber buffer underneath and it shouldn't move at all forward, aft or sideways. As it is it may slide on the alluminium floor rails when under heavy braking. To stop it moving forward perhaps you could have someone make up a heavy duty aluminium angle with a security fixing to each of the floor rails. I can see a ratchet strap getting in the way and proving annoying.


This photo shows the front end of my Calicap boot tray. It is held in place by four twist fixings the same as those used on the Multiflex board. There should be a VW part number so it should be possible to order four. So if you had a heavy duty steel or better still alluminium angle going right accross the van with four fixings to secure it to the foor rails the crate box couldn't move forward. Even better still, bolt the said angle security rail to the forward lower edge of the crate box and it won't move at all. No ratchet straps required.

You must have realised you will have to relocate your jack, removable tow bar etc.

 

[AlisonF]

If I were you I think I'd stand the whole thing on a 5 or 10mm thick rubber pad the size of the foot print with additional rubber buffers either side made of the same stuff. Look online as you can order rubber matting off the roll. The crate box won't damage the floor rails with a rubber buffer underneath and it shouldn't move at all forward, aft or sideways. As it is it may slide on the alluminium floor rails when under heavy braking. To stop it moving forward perhaps you could have someone make up a heavy duty aluminium angle with a security fixing to each of the floor rails. I can see a ratchet strap getting in the way and proving annoying.

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This photo shows the front end of my Calicap boot tray. It is held in place by four twist fixings the same as those used on the Multiflex board. There should be a VW part number so it should be possible to order four. So if you had a heavy duty steel or better still alluminium angle going right accross the van with four fixings to secure it to the foor rails the crate box couldn't move forward. Even better still, bolt the said angle security rail to the forward lower edge of the crate box and it won't move at all. No ratchet straps required.

You must have realised you will have to relocate your jack, removable tow bar etc.

Wasn’t planning on stowing the towbar and unlikely to use the jack. But could ‘almost’ access.
I like the idea of the angle, and then connect it to the D rings rear of the C pillar. Or use the twist fittings from the multiflex which is clogging up space in the garage…
As an aside, I wanted the features of a Cali and the flexibility of a Kombi.

 

[The Merle]

Finally my new crates arrived for the Beach Camper. It’s almost a year to the day since I picked up my Eriba and realised the Ocean had to go to allow access to get 4 dogs in and out during stops when towing.
The delivery time was much longer than promised, but the quality is outstanding and (unlike VW) they reduced the price without me asking by way of apology.
I am delighted.

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View attachment 81296

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Great bit of kit, love that there’s doors both sides.

 

[AlisonF]

Great bit of kit, love that there’s doors both sides.

I need that when towing. Plus I wanted escape hatches is ever rear ended.
Put them to use today as the two younger ones had a training camp. And the crates just feel top quality. Very happy.