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Cargo Bin Tie Downs

jeffwhip

Well Known Member
I've searched this and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations on which cargo bin tie down rings to buy instead of the ones Vans sells? It would be nice to have some that are detachable if need be, but also not rattle around when flying. Please show pics!
 
No real recommendations other than you can get the same tie down ring a little cheaper from other sites like this one: http://pitposse.com/tiedohoandtr.html

Oh and I guarantee you will never hear any tie down ring rattling in flight.

I have some of the non-Van brand. They were heavy and bulky, so just doubled some 1" webbing and melted a hole suitable for a #8 screw. Added a buckle snap. I tested one and it held 150 lbs. I got the webbing and other "hardware" at a local camping store. 8 were installed my 7. These don't rattle either.
 
I pulled the cargo tiedowns from a couple of wrecked early-2000's Toyota Matrix cars. They are installed with a screw into a nut plate, with a penny washer under the screw head to ensure there was no chance of a pull-through. Very overkill solution in terms of strength. Folds flat to the mounting surface so they are not in the way when needed.

Price? The wrecking yard didn't charge me for them nor for the factory Toyota adjustable tiedown straps. All I had to do was grind a little spur of metal of the back of the mounting plate; Toyota uses it as an anti-rotation tab. If you planned ahead you could likely keep these little spurs and slot them into matching holes in your aircraft structure.
 
Fairleads

I used some stainless steal "fairleads" from West Marine. Not nearly as strong as Vans version, but very light weight and unobtrusive. John
 
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