Ammo can saddlebags..

[Anonymous]

I was cruising around trying to find a cheap yet durable alternative to buying hard saddlebags, and i hit on a bike on ratbikes.org that had ammo cans as bags.

I started thinking about it, and i remember seeing some 20mm cans that were about 17" by 10" by 7, which is almost the perfect size for what i was looking for.

I figure, i paint them gloss black, and i attach them somehow.

That's the problem... attaching.

My first thought is to install some bolts, and either use washers, cotter pins, or nuts to keep them on. not easy to take off tho

Any ideas? How are real hard saddlebags installed?

[Anonymous]

just a quick brain storm idea, nothing professional or that great, but since your using ammo cans in first place it would be cheap. IF you have a way of geting two bolts on your bike, have them extra long you could drill a hole in each one of the bolts enough for some type of cotter pin, or one of those other clip pins they make those nice ones that slide through the hole with one leg and the other slides over the bolt.. THis way you could drill holes in ammo box, slide it over botls and then put pins in. To make it better you would want some type of rubber bushings , to make them nice and snug. Then a questino maybe how to get the bolts on to your bike. IT really depends on the bike and id have to see the bike to get some ideas. but maybe this will get you started.

[Anonymous]

funny, the cotterpins were my first thought. The problem i have with that is in order to remove the bags, i'd have to remove the contents.
I'll probably go with that as a first shot, store stuff i don't need to access from a hotel room or too often (i think one would make a great laptop case )

What about something that I could lock in place, and could unlock, and walk off with the cases? They have handles afer all

[Anonymous]

Keep away from the 50 cal ammo cans, they have a dangerous residue in them. You should definately bleach and wash the heck out of anything that you buy as the cans could have had God knows what in them. I don't know whether or not they government would sell cans that had depleted uranium in them or not but I wouldn't be surprised. I've seen some fairly big blue ammo cans that would be perfect but I didn't buy them...I've been searching for them for several years now wishing that I bought them we I'd seen them first.

As for mounting, do a search on Aluminum Paniers. It's late at night so I can't think of the names of the companies. There are a couple ways to mount them without removing the contents.

Steve

[Anonymous]

I was thinking about doing the same thing on my bike. If I do I'm going to use .50 cal cans, since I already have two good ones. I haven't figured out how to mount them yet ether, but I have thought of one possible way. I was thinking about getting some light steel or aluminium strap and makeing some holders and brackets. You know kind of like the battery holder. Like this sort of:

I I
I I
I I
____ I____I____
I I
I I
I_____________I

Then mount to the bike somehow, that is the big part you know,Ha. Then
you just put the cans in the holder. To hold them in place attach a couple of lock hasp things to the holders and cans and put a lock on one side of the holder and a pin in the other. Of course this is just an idea, and would take a little work, but it might help you out.

Moonshine.

[shaftzuki]

I can understand the challenge, but ... I found a really nice set of "soft sided saddlebags" on E-bay for $40US - they attach quickly and when removed there aren't any dangerous projections left.

[Clone]

There is a type of fastener that the slalom racers used to hold the fenders on their beetles when on the streets. You would push on the end and retract the retainers. But that was about 15 years ago and I have not heard the name again.

[lhanscom]

Don't know if this would work or not, but...

They sell Strap Locks for Guitars, they consist of a knob that you would attach to the bike, and a locking mechanism that you would mount to the box. You pull a knob on the locking mech to un lock it. If you get the right type, they actually hook on to the knob before locking. I think the capacity would be fine for everything except for maybe ammo, all that lead is pretty heavy.

Here's the type: http://www.stringitup.com/schalstraplo1.html

[Anonymous]

Maybe you could try the quick releases found on bicycle seats and tires.

Steve

[shaftzuki]

Don't know if this would work or not, but...

They sell Strap Locks for Guitars, they consist of a knob that you would attach to the bike, and a locking mechanism that you would mount to the box. You pull a knob on the locking mech to un lock it. If you get the right type, they actually hook on to the knob before locking. I think the capacity would be fine for everything except for maybe ammo, all that lead is pretty heavy.

Here's the type: http://www.stringitup.com/schalstraplo1.html

If they can hold the weight of Gibson Les Paul, they will probably do the trick!!

[Dark Jedi]

Keep away from the 50 cal ammo cans, they have a dangerous residue in them. You should definately bleach and wash the heck out of anything that you buy as the cans could have had God knows what in them. I don't know whether or not they government would sell cans that had depleted uranium in them or not but I wouldn't be surprised. I've seen some fairly big blue ammo cans that would be perfect but I didn't buy them...I've been searching for them for several years now wishing that I bought them we I'd seen them first.

As for mounting, do a search on Aluminum Paniers. It's late at night so I can't think of the names of the companies. There are a couple ways to mount them without removing the contents.

Steve

just an FYI: blue ammo/ ammo cans in the US military are inert training rounds. This would be a great option for anyone unsure of the contents.

I have a bunch of valuable books that I carried around while in the USMC. Not trusting the military shipping methods, I always packed them in a pair of .50 cal ammo cans. Nothing they could do would hurt the contents of them puppies! Bonus of being waterproof, and with a very small mod, lockable!

Note: to make cans lockable, just put the loop part of a padlock hasp under the latch handle, with a corresponding slit in the handle. Padlock it when closed, and it's secure. (larger cans like the 40mm grenade and .50 cal cans have a latch on either end, and need two locks.)