Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Custom Corner Custom Hidden Tool Box

Since I got rid of my airbox ive needed a place to stash a couple tools. I figured I'd take some pics through the process to help anyone interested. These 2 tabs under the bike is the spot where I wanted to work with...


Heres all the parts needed...(4" piece of steel drilled with 2 holes to mount and a center hole)


Assemble like this..(1/4" machine screw and nut i forget how long)


Then mount..(The holes on the tabs dont have to be drilled 1/4" screws slide right in. I used lock nuts on the back)


This is the tube I got from home depot, its 2" diameter and yah long, i forget, but it fits under there with no modifications


Then mount using the 2" conduit clamp, washer and thumb screw.


You cant see this thing at all from the sides or anything, i was gonna take a pic but there was nothing to take a pic of. Im gonna paint it black eventually after the "trial stage" I havent stuck anything in there yet, I plan on riding around with it first and see if it melts from the heat or falls off somehow. I really cant see how it would fall out, the clamp holds it tight against the back bracket and theres no side to side movement, and I added some loctite in the thumscew.

Price is between $10 and $20...the thumb screw was $3.50 at ace hardware

Thats a good idea, and looks very professional.

That's using your head! What a good idea, I've been looking for somewhere to relocate my tools as I'm not a big fan of my current fork bag.

thanks fellas

Im not the saddlebag type, but I do like to be prepared.

Great idea but be careful of that canister thing your using. Ive had a few from different vendors and I find that after a while they dry up and crack allowing the contents to spill all over the inside of my tool box.

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Yeah i was thinking about the durability, if/when it starts looking bad, i might try switching the clear plastic for a piece of 2" pvc

Someone makes an aluminum tube similar to that...I just cant remember who or where I saw it...I know...a lot of help eh!

i seen 2 examples of stash tubes, 1 totally made from aluminum and used with a frame clamp thats costs like $200 and theres another tube type thing made by biltwell for $35, but its supposed to be really small and just made for insurance cards and papers i think.

Fantastic addition to your ride!

Great idea, can you reach under and unscrew the cap or do you need to remove the whole tube to access tools?
Mike

The tubes length fits exactly between the 2 bottom frame rails so you cant remove anything until you remove the tube. Which is good cause you dont have to worry about the cap coming off while riding.

I also thought about attaching the conduit bracket directly to the tube with a couple rivets so when youre taking your tools down its just a thumbscrew and a washer to worry about losing. So the tool tube and bracket are one piece.

Oh yeah, I rode 30-40 miles yesterday in 80degree weather and it didnt fall off or melt yet...haha

If you want durable, why not just use galvanized steel pipe?

Great Idea!!!!!!!!! I bet schedule 40 PVC would hold up. It can be painted and it's nice and light.

yeah galvanized or pvc would work pretty good....the idea got sparked from seeing the tube in home depot a couple times, and now that i got the end caps to work with i could definately using any kinda 2" tubing. Of course with pvc the inner diameter is a bit smaller...but im gonna see how long this one holds up for now. Im putting in some cheap tools so if i lose anything its no big deal.

Hmmm...I wonder if this would constitute a "hidden compartment" under the law. I know in some locales having a hidden compartment on a vehicle is illegal and you can get popped for it. In some places they can even confiscate your vehicle. I always wondered about the same thing with the Freak and its toolbox.

Most older bikes came with a tool kit that was usually out of site on the bike somewhere,underseat for example.You could also use a piece of copper tubing or pipe.I know copper is not cheap,but a short piece should not be much and put caps on the ends.It is also thin wall thus allowing more room inside the tube.It is also paintable.

if i was buying copper i wouldnt be painting it..haha...actually i think copper would have a thicker wall than galvanized conduit piping