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| Cargo Storage |
| Cargo Barrier In 2000 the Kia Sportage grew up. A 305mm extension to the load area turned the Sportage into a far more practical family four wheel drive. The cumbersome and awkward tailgate mounted spare wheel carrier was done away with and the spare tucked under the floor. The huge 2220 litre load area cannot be match by a similarly sized, or for that matter much larger 4WD's. Suddenly it was practical to take a family camping without having to tow a trailer or overload the roofrack. However stacking a load up in the back, particularly above rear seat level may have safety issues. Sudden braking, awkward off-road angles, boucy off-road tracks and even a car accident can see objects from the back land on top of passengers specially in the back seat. This has caused serious injury and death in the past. The physics of a jerry can, suitcase or esky being catapulted over the back seat into the back of an occupants head are quite startling and the effects very real. A simple device called a 'Cargo Barrier' will just about eliminate such risks and even provide additional structural integrity should you have a rollover. They're basically a strong cage like screen that puts a physical barrier between you and the cargo area. When installed properly they won't rattle or shake and most models can be removed in minutes should the need arise. I've fitted a Milford Cargo Barrier which complies to the necessary safety standards and allows the cargo area to be easily and safety stacked above rear seat level with no danger from falling objects to the kids in the back seat. Personally I think they should be a factory fitment to station wagons but alas isn't the case. Its a good investment and well worth the money. |
| Roller Drawers Having a large load area is a good start but being able to use it in a practical way is an art in itself. I use those large plastic bins with hinged lids which makes life easier when we decide to go camping etc; basically everything is pre-packed and ready to go. However it still remains a challenge to stack everything without it falling about and damaging the windows etc. A roller drawer system goes a long way to solving this. They've been available for popular 4WD wagons for a long time (ie Land Cruisers and Troop Carriers) but aren't as widely available for smaller 4x4's. I've been searching for such a system for a year or two without much success. Until now. Black Widow are an Australian company that manufacture high quality roller drawer systems to suit most four wheel drives. I emailed them after seeing an advertisement and quickly recieved a response from Mark Oliver. Although there was no 'off the shelf' drawer system available at the moment, he suggested I see TJM at Enoggera so they could have a look at the Kia, make a few measurements and see if there was a practical solution. John Norris, the owner of TJM Enoggera was only too happy to help. A few minutes in the car park with a few measurements was all it took to conclude that 'YES' it was do-able. Basically there are 'pre-made' cargo drawer 'pods' and then a surround is made to ensure a neat and flush fit in the back around the drawer system. With no cargo barrier a 900mm deep two-drawer cargo system pod would fit and then have the appropriate surround made to suit. However the cargo barrier as fitted to my Kia wouldn't quite allow the 900mm to fit so an 800mm 'BW800' system with the aforementioned custom surround would be a perfect solution whilst retaining the very practical cargo barrier. The BW800 is also recommended for other vehicles including the Holden Jackaroo. There is a 3-4 week lead time from ordering to delivery; once the drawer system is firmly in place then a carboard template is made and sent to Black Widow for a matching surround to be made that ensures a neat, matching fit. This takes about a week to manufacture and only minutes to fit. The price for the BW800 is (AUD) $1999 plus $88 for 8 optional flush mount tie down points in the top of the drawer system. Whilst $2087 may sound like a lot of money the practical advantages it offers outweighs the initial outlay. On top of this it can be transported to your next vehicle when the time comes and only a new surround has to be made. A range of other options are available including sliding car fridge trays etc. Take a trip down to TJM and check out the units on display. |
| Practical Considerations The main problem of the roller drawer system in the Sportage is access to the spare wheel under the floor. Whilst the drawers are fairly easily removed for access under the floor it would be a problem to get the tyre out. I see a couple of solutions to this. When around town you don't need the drawer system in place to begin with; it can be stored at home until needed for the trip away. Otherwise keep the spare tyre on top of the cargo drawer system using the tie down points to secure it. When it is time to go away put the spare up on a roof rack. I've found that the factory well under the floor won't take a spare tyre much larger than the factory 205/15x75. If you're running 30" tyres like me then its not an ideal solution to be using a 205/15 as the spare should it be required. Admittedly I keep a can of 'instant tyre repair' with me as well as a puncture repair kit and the compressor but a proper sized spare really is a must particularly whilst off-road. When the drawers are fitted I'll be storing the full sized (matching 30x9.5/15) tyre and wheel on the tie down points in the cargo area. When its time to go off-road the spare will be secured to the rola roof rack freeing up the entire cargo area for luggage etc. A small advantage is the the now vacant spare wheel well under the drawer system can store 'occasional' accessories and can be accessed by removing a drawer. The vacant area under the custom made surround also offers further storage 'bin' space. which is accessed via hatches in the surround. A couple of ideas I'll be looking at will be putting a second gel-cel battery in there for an idea dual battery system and a fixed compressor system and reservoir to regulate the pressure of the Polyairs but also for tyre inflation after a day on the beach. Simple and practical just as it all should be. I've been told that a 235/75x15 tyre will still fit in the well under the floor providing it is partically deflated though the board that covers the well will sit marginally higher. I'm not sure if the drawers will fit over this but still poses the problem of being able to gain 'ready access' to the spare when needed. |
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| It is also worth considering that modifications such as this certainly adds more to the Kia's mass. As I've mentioned in the 'suspension' pages of this site, the Kia gets very saggy in the rear end when loaded. Whilst the roller drawers add more wieght on their own there is also a greater ability to carry more which will further add to the sags in the rear. If you've come this far I'm sure you would already have a decent set of aftermarket springs under the back and even perhaps a set of Polyair inserts. If not I'd certainly recommend it before getting to carried away ! |
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| This is a picture of the BW800 (800mm) roller drawer kit as fitted to a Discovery which also fits the Sportage (longbody) as well as a range of other 4WD's. With a custom surround from Black Widow it should be a perfect fit. Black Widows website can be found at www.blackwidow4wdstorage.com |
| TJM is an authorised distributor for Black Widow and have a number of sizes on display to suit a wide range of vehicles. If you're in Brisbane, drop in and see John Norris and the boys at TJM in Pickering St, Enoggera otherwise give them a call on 07 3855 4444. When everyone else wasn't interested these guys rose to the challenge and made a 'too hard' into a 'can do' ! I'll post pictures of the Sportage fitout when completed toward the end of 2003 ! TJM Enoggera's website is at www.trailer-ute-4x4.com.au |
| Roof Racks The Kia Sportage has been fitted with recessed roof rail recesses since the longbody was introduced in 2000. Later models also came equipped with roof rails which combined with optional crossbars are quite useful. For the rest of us who don't want to spend a fortune on genuine Kia accessories then Rola are one such brand that have a solution to suit the Sportage. The options are very comprehensive with a range of crossbars and basket sizes available. All are easily fitted and removed in minutes. The basket sizes range from 1180 x 920 x 95mm (13kg) up to 1600 x 1200 x 150mm (19kg) Crossbars are around $300 depending on type and load rating and another $200 to $400 for the basket. |
| Rhino also have a reputation for solid roof racks which are also a combination of crossbars and baskets. However if you want something a little stronger than a conventional basket then Rhino's extruded aluminium roofrack tray is ideal. For more information on styles and sizes check out their web site at www.rhinorack.com.au |
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| 19 Sept 03 UPDATE ! After a lot of hassles I've finally got the roof rack fitted. Theres a lot more to it than meets the eye so get everything in writing as far as part numbers and quotes are concerned ! Basically I've had the RT14 1400mm roof tracks fitted to the roof turret which is what the crossbars slide along. The crossbars I've ended up with are RAB1120 (1120mm wide) which is whats needed to allow a fairly big AT1510 (1500 x 1010mm) Rhino tray to be fitted. The 50mm legs (you have a selection of leg heights to choose from are RLTP's x 2 pair. The tracks and crossbars were professionally fitted but I opted to assemble and fit the tray myself which isn't too difficult at all. However I was supplied with the wrong fitting kit and it was more hassles to get the right kit. It's all worked out in the end though. All up it cost about $900 but the rack looks good (as roof racks go !) and is a very practical size. It allows 2 x 30" spares to be mounted up there or , as in my case 1 x 30" spare plus camping table, chairs etc which all fit in the tray. Here's a couple of quick pics I took tonight; they're not very good but I'm off on holiday for a few days and will get some better pics posted soon ! |
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