by David Peck
On camping trips the luggage compartment of Subaru vehicles are usually full of gear and when you stopped for a cuppa it would be helpful to have a little table that fits on to the back of the car somehow.
So here is my design. The little table hooks on to the metal ring of the tailgate latches and does not need any other support; so it’s lightweight and easy to store.
It’s made from 25mm x 2mm aluminium bar. Cut to length - make two of them.
Drill the 6mm hole first – if you then bolt them together using this hole they come out as a matched set that looks nicer.
Drill the 8mm holes
Open them out and mark the slot on the inside of each - so when they are closed again the holes will line up.
Separate and cut the slot.
File all the rough edges smooth.
For the table I used a piece of 6mm ply 300mm x 300mm, although you can adjust the size to suit yourself. If you put a curve in the edge that fits up against the car that matches
The important bit is to put the metal supports and the table in position on the car, then adjust the angle of the table until its horizontal. Then mark the 6mm hole position in the table.
Drill the hole in the table.
Bolt together, I used a 6mm gutter bolt and a nylon lock nut which allows the tension to be adjusted until just right. Most of the load will be on the bottom so be sure to use a washer on the bottom under the nut to spread the load from the wood.
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The suggestion was made that if the end by the 6mm hole stuck out a bit further, but was not the full width on each of them or had an angle
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