Broke the Rancher in yesterday with work. Hauled two chain saws (on the rear rack), gas & bar chain oil, and side loppers (on the front rack), another set of gloves, and a bottle water, then headed for the woods.

Can't believe Honda didnt plan any other storage capaiblities in the 420 Rancher. I was only able to store that 16 ounce bottle in the storage box, and not even my insulated gloves could fit after that.....if I tried, I might have gotten my cell phone it it.

Anyone have any storage intergration Ideas besides "add a large box to the back, or trailer behind"?

 

There are also rack extenders, sometimes with a little basket kind of thing that hangs down below the back of the rear rack. I've also seen chain saw scabbords that attach to the rack.

There are also tank bags for golves or other small items you need requently.

 

chain saw scabbords...Now that sounds helpful.

Theres got to be plenty of spaces that could have been converted to storage compartments, even if it was only small enough for a set of gloves..what the heck. Honda wasted space in the only storage compartment by inserting the rear light within the stinking cover!

 

I strapped a 4" round section of schedule 40 pvc (plastic) pipe underneath my rear rack with radiator-type hose clamps threaded through the rack (I have an aftermarket rack with expanded metal). Glued threaded cleanout plugs on each end and painted the whole thing black. You could even use 6" round if you don't mind blocking your tail light.

 

Koplin makes a saw carrier. It looks like Montana Jack's has a really nice (expensive) one.

Cycle country makes a mesh rack extension with a drop...

 

Now that PVC tube, under the extended rack for storage sounds like a good Idea. Now I thinking If I look things over, I could find a few pocket locations for smaller PVC tubing storage locations [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Keeping the black paint on the tube might be a challenge though.

Is it an aftermarket extended rack you now have in the rear?

 

A tank bag could be handy. I thinking, for aleast trail riding, finding a low profile, composite plastic material storage box, to fit on the rear rack to be a carry all (carry most anyway) easy to access, install/remove and to be light weight. I have seen some taller, but prefer something like this to be 4-7 inches tall, and the length of my rear rack.

 

I bought a plastic Stanley FatMax watertight tool box from Lowes for about $20.00 or so. It's 27" long and about 11" wide. I just so happens my chain saw is a perfect fit. I have room for a winch strap, gloves, hat, short hand axe, machete, and other trinkets even with the chain saw inside. I used a couple of 5/16" u-bolts to fit up around the bars in the rear rack, and drilled holes in the bottom of the box for them to come through. On my rancher, there is a hole on a flat surface of the rack on one side. It must be for a flag or something. I drilled a hole on the other side to match. I used a couple of bolts through those holes, and drilled the box for them. On the inside of the box I placed rubber washers underneath the metal washers and nuts to fasten it down. It stays dry inside, and only takes about 2 or 3 minutes to remove if I need to.

 

qstottionNC

But how tall, and what color is the Fatmax tool box?

 

It's about 12" tall, adn it is black with a yellow seal between the lind and box.