Recovery Gear Storage Solution: Mount Case on Roof

[Mick1]

My Recovery Gear and misc stuff takes up a lot of room in the cabin. I have been thinking about building a storage drawer, but think it'll take up even more room.

I started experimenting with a starlight case I have and it fits pretty well on my roof rack.

Here is a link to pictures: http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/pictures/2365

Items I can fit in the case:
Viking recovery rope
ARB Tree strap
Tow Strap
fiskars pruners
Snow&Nealy Hatchet
Sven Saw
Winch line protector
Factor 55 hitch link and ARB shackle
ARB winch Pulley
Wired winch controller
ARB tire repair kit
Big ARB shackle
Glock Shovel

It was a pretty tight fit. I had to get on the roof and sit on the case to get it to close. I would have liked to fit my jumper cables and a rope too, but there just isn't room.

My concern is that I live in a metro area and more often than I like have to go into parking garages.

I consider mounting the case with stainless U-bolts and silicone a permanent install and would like to come up with some way to mount it that would allow me to unshackle the case and pull it off if I have to get into a low garage. However, I also need it locked to the rack so it can't be stolen.

I was thinking one end of the case could have a tab that slides into a plate on the rack and lever down tight, then the other end could latch or lock in place, but I'm not sure how I'll implement that idea.

Any other ideas?

 

[FactoryRide]

I understand not wanting to put it inside due to it taking up space, but I'd be worried about theft being in Atlanta. Maybe that's my cautious side coming out just cause of living in some of the not so nicer areas of Marietta.

I really enjoy my ActionPacker for the rear. I can pack in all of my gear. I still have some a good big of gear left to buy but here is what I keep in mine so far: ARB snatch strap, 30' recovery rope, ARB tire repair kit, VIAIR 400P, 2 ARB shackles, Gloves, 2 Gallons of water, First aid kit, axe, shovel, Trasharoo (when not in use) and some other stuff I can't think of right now. I still have a probably about half of the box left to fill. My B.O.B. use to fit in it as well until I added a sleeping bag to it though.

 

[Titanpat57]

I think putting it on the roof is advertising"hey, something in here"...especially something that resembles a guncase.

I'd put in drawers...I thought like you thought in the beginning, but if there's something that wouldn't fit inside, you have that great roof rack.

my 2 cents..

 

[Davemon]

You might consider a roof box. It may be a bit big for your purposes, and impact your gas mileage a little, but it's roomy, inconspicuous, and secure. Not so great for low parking garages, however. I have the same storage conundrum as you, but I'm even more restricted in that I have a 3rd row seat, and need to be able to deploy that at any time (kids, relatives, moochers, etc). So drawers and ActionPackers just won't do it for me. I'm thinking this roof box, when I come up with the scratch:
Amazon.com: Thule Atlantis 1200 XT Cargo Box: Sports & Outdoors
It'll have my recovery gear, BOB, spare clothes and supplies for me and the kids, and will even fit my hi-lift, when I get one. And be skinny enough for my Powderhound snowboard rack alongside it in snow season.