Safe liner to cover donut spare area (after d. s. removal)

[nookandcrannycar]

I want to have the option of carrying my additional steelie and tire with me on a trip (especially through a rural state like Wyoming or Montana), and still be able to keep the package shelf in place and the bench seat back up and secured. I have to remove the lockable load floor (that covers the donut area) in order to do this, and also to maximize space. Leaving it with no liner doesn't generate any noise (at least so far...only tried this on surface streets). However, I'd still like to line this area to the edges of the car. 'Spilling' above the plane representing the removed load floor is fine as well. What type of material should I use? (safest re fire, temperature, etc, and also most pliable to allow for maximum utilization of space).

[CTScott]

I used a charcoal grey indoor/outdoor carpet on mine that I purchased off the roll at Home Depot. I heated the carpet a bit with a heat gun and then worked it into place.


Rear Carpet.jpg

rear carpet installed.jpg

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by CTScott

I used a charcoal grey indoor/outdoor carpet on mine that I purchased off the roll at Home Depot. I heated the carpet a bit with a heat gun and then worked it into place.


Attachment 53171

Attachment 53172

Thanks. Great idea re the material. I don't have a heat gun (and if I tried to use one....getiing it near a car....I'd probably accidently blow the car up ...the thought of getting a source of heat that chose to the gas tank freaks me out). What type of auto business should I search for to have this done (I can buy the carpet) ? An auto upholstery business?

P.S. I'd want to utilize more of the 'donut spare's cave' (for lack of a better description) than you did, both re overall space utilization and I don't know (if I had it the specific way you do) if the steelie/tire from you sitting upright would still clear the shelf (the one that secures to the hatch and meets the top of the rear seat) with the hatch closed. Would this carpet be flexible enough for that? If not.....any other suggestions given what I want to do?

[deathwisher]

Spray plasti dip maybe?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Thanks. Great idea re the material. I don't have a heat gun (and if I tried to use one....getiing it near a car....I'd probably accidently blow the car up ...the thought of getting a source of heat that chose to the gas tank freaks me out). What type of auto business should I search for to have this done (I can buy the carpet) ? An auto upholstery business?

P.S. I'd want to utilize more of the 'donut spare's cave' (for lack of a better description) than you did, both re overall space utilization and I don't know (if I had it the specific way you do) if the steelie/tire from you sitting upright would still clear the shelf (the one that secures to the hatch and meets the top of the rear seat) with the hatch closed. Would this carpet be flexible enough for that? If not.....any other suggestions given what I want to do?

You could lay it without heating it. An automotive upholstery place would be the right place to have do it if you don't want to DIY it. In my case the total cost was about $20.

Because of the slope of that area, if you stood the tire all the way against the back, I think the cargo shelf would clear it.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by CTScott

You could lay it without heating it. An automotive upholstery place would be the right place to have do it if you don't want to DIY it. In my case the total cost was about $20.

Because of the slope of that area, if you stood the tire all the way against the back, I think the cargo shelf would clear it.

Thanks!

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by deathwisher

Spray plasti dip maybe?

Thanks for the thought, but I want to be able to revert back to stock on the fly...or at least minimize the 'fuss' as much as possible when I say goodbye to the car.