Tow Bar, Back Box And Bikes

[Benzim]

Good evening all.

New to the camper game and recently took delivery of our T6 highline with tailgate.

Just about to have a tow bar fitted and unsure as to what combination I should have for the extra storage and bikes.

So far I've seen the Westfalia cargo box as well as the Thule easy base and backup box. Both of which offer the option of a bike rack instead.

The Westfalia has the benefits of the tilt whilst the Thule is bigger though apparently restricts access to the rear.

Also does anyone have either of these as well as another bike rack? ie would a Fiamma T6 Pro tail gate bike rack fit when the Westfalia / Thule back boxes are in place.

Thanks for any help as want to avoid an expensive mistake!

Ben

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Depends what you want to carry. I've got a westfalia detachable towbar, Atera Strada DL3+1 bike rack . Usually plenty quality roof boxes appear on ebay at considerably lower prices than new. I use this combination for 3 sets of snowboards, boots, clothing and kit. As when carrying bikes, gives full access to the tailgate. Just a suggestion.

 

[Oldrat]

I’ve got the Atera too, great bit of kit, one of the few that genuinely clears the tailgate
I recommend the Roof Box company who sold it to me, not only great VFM but excellent customer service.

 

[James1000]

Does anyone know if this would clear the barn doors?

 

[Pete C]

Does anyone know if this would clear the barn doors?

I would be interested in knowing this too.

Pete

 

[BeckieJade98]

Good evening all.

New to the camper game and recently took delivery of our T6 highline with tailgate.

Just about to have a tow bar fitted and unsure as to what combination I should have for the extra storage and bikes.

So far I've seen the Westfalia cargo box as well as the Thule easy base and backup box. Both of which offer the option of a bike rack instead.

The Westfalia has the benefits of the tilt whilst the Thule is bigger though apparently restricts access to the rear.

Also does anyone have either of these as well as another bike rack? ie would a Fiamma T6 Pro tail gate bike rack fit when the Westfalia / Thule back boxes are in place.

Thanks for any help as want to avoid an expensive mistake!

Ben

Hi,

I am also new and was planning on buying one from Van Accessories by Vanbitz does anyone know if they are any good?

TIA x

 

[Markymark]

I looked in the Altera website and at the reviews. One was from a guy had a T5 with barn doors and the rack that slides out then tilts allies him to open his doors.

 

[Oldrat]

Give the roof box company a ring and ask. They were very knowledgable and helpful when I purchased mine for my tailgate, they were very alert to
clearance issues on a T6

 

[Critch]

Depends what you want to carry. I've got a westfalia detachable towbar, Atera Strada DL3+1 bike rack . Usually plenty quality roof boxes appear on ebay at considerably lower prices than new. I use this combination for 3 sets of snowboards, boots, clothing and kit. As when carrying bikes, gives full access to the tailgate. Just a suggestion.

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Hi I a really curious how this is mounted to the bike rack ?

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Hi I a really curious how this is mounted to the bike rack ?

I just removed the top ratchet bars from the from the vertical back bar. Then fold the back bar down flat. Position the wheel receivers as far outboard as possible and remove them altogether from the extra 4th bike carrier. I had to drill an additional set of holes on the underside of the box, but spaced as per the factory holes. But after that you can clamp the box down with the factory brackets or I found using simple hook bolts made the rear a little easier to clamp down.

 

[DXX]

Depends what you want to carry. I've got a westfalia detachable towbar, Atera Strada DL3+1 bike rack . Usually plenty quality roof boxes appear on ebay at considerably lower prices than new. I use this combination for 3 sets of snowboards, boots, clothing and kit. As when carrying bikes, gives full access to the tailgate. Just a suggestion.

View attachment 46398

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Looks like the perfect sleeping pod for an unruly 6 year old!

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Looks like the perfect sleeping pod for an unruly 6 year old!

And if it wasn't made of plastic, a handy BBQ.

 

[Daffy]

Funny enough, I’m sat in Rownhams services on the eastbound M27 and have just seen a white T5/6 with a box mounted on a towbar mounted cycle rack, looked really good.

It was gone before I could get a proper look though!

 

[Dieseldonkey]

For carrying 3 snowboards, boots, helmets and clothes around Europe, it was a God send to be honest. Needs a little effort to find longer parking spaces or spaces that you can park the box over or beyond the marked space but wouldn't hesitate taking it again. As its not a trailer, doesn't cost extra on the Eurotunnel either.

 

[Benzim]

For carrying 3 snowboards, boots, helmets and clothes around Europe, it was a God send to be honest. Needs a little effort to find longer parking spaces or spaces that you can park the box over or beyond the marked space but wouldn't hesitate taking it again. As its not a trailer, doesn't cost extra on the Eurotunnel either.

View attachment 47093

Thanks for all the posts DD - a big help and this seems the way to go. does it still feel secure once locked on given the curved bars?

I can't believe there isn't a factory solution to the T5 / 6 tailgate issue. Surely Thule, Atera, Fiamma etc must see a gap in the market and produce a specific product. Not like VW's are rare.

I've also been thinking of buying a secondhand Thule 903 but not convinced that the tilt will be sufficient.

Anyone got a fiamma ultra box as an alternative? I've wondered whether I could use that for storage and a separate atera for bikes.

 

[Dieseldonkey]

Thanks for all the posts DD - a big help and this seems the way to go. does it still feel secure once locked on given the curved bars?

Yip. Rock solid for the whole two weeks we were away with it. Even when tilted back for access to the tailgate it didn't slip. Did hairpin after hairpin in Switzerland, 130kph on french motorways for hours on end, and eh....also a stretch of german auto bahn. We arrived at our destination with it still securely in situ everytime. Thankfully along along with all the other bits I've stuck on the van too. It's out of the airflow as it's almost exactly the width of the van, so negligible drag with it.

 

[Benzim]

Yip. Rock solid for the whole two weeks we were away with it. Even when tilted back for access to the tailgate it didn't slip. Did hairpin after hairpin in Switzerland, 130kph on french motorways for hours on end, and eh....also a stretch of german auto bahn. We arrived at our destination with it still securely in situ everytime. Thankfully along along with all the other bits I've stuck on the van too. It's out of the airflow as it's almost exactly the width of the van, so negligible drag with it.

Nice one.

 

[DooLad]

Does anyone know if this would clear the barn doors?

Good clearance with the barn doors in the T6

 

[Daffy]

I thought I would give my own impressions of the Altera bike rack, on my van it’s fitted to a Westfalia detachable towbar and is (IMO) just the job of you want something easy to use that isn’t permanently attached to the van/doesn’t increase the height.

When tilted the tailgate clears by approx 25mm although I do rotate the bars on the bike closest to the tailgate, it also gives a good amount of room to get into the back of the van. That’s my size 10 in the downward view of the tilted rack