Flimsy cargo floor - any suggestions?

[sphere]

Hey all,

I recently bought an '09 Fit Sport & noticed the cargo area floor (spare tire cover) is rather flimsy. I'll be shuttling my 60lb pup around in the cargo area, and am somewhat concerned about the integrity of the floorboard. Has anyone reinforced the underside of the spare tire cover with plywood or any other material? I was considering trimming a thin piece of plywood or particle board and mounting it underneath with screws, but I figured I'd ask the pro's here first, in case there's an aftermarked replacement cover available out there.

Thanks in advance.

[Type 100]

I don't think anyone makes aftermarket cargo area floorboards. On the older GD Fits/Jazzes, at least where I come from, the floorboard is supported by the rubber of the full-size stock spare wheel (mine was sized 175/65 R14), so if the board is to be laden the wheel will support most of it.

I'm not sure if the GEs like yours have an inch or two of clearance between the spare and the floorboard.

If you're really concerned about your pup crashing through your cargo area floor, you could probably reinforce it like you said.

[sphere]

It is supported by the tire somewhat - there's a 1 inch gap between that's filled with four foam stoppers (attached to the underside of the cover, rest on the tire when closed). The problem is the corners away from the center, where it's not supported. I'm pretty sure the corners will get warped or bent from bearing weight for any length of time.

I was planning on soundproofing the rear, so I may just fill around the tire with bags of insulating foam or batting. That may help with the structural issue as well.

Thanks.

[solbrothers]

you could trace out what you want and cut it out with mdf or plywood

[SteveInNC]

Another option might be to buy a box of Swiftlock flooring from Lowes, HD, et al, and lock several pieces together to bridge over the spare/cargo area. Cut a piece of cardboard as a template to fit the area, then use that to cut the Swiftlock to fit. A handheld jigsaw cuts it pretty easily (I installed a bunch of it in my house).

Swiftlock is really stiff and comparatively thin, roughly a quarter-inch, so it would probably fit unobtrusively under the existing carpet/cover. You could also just put it on top of the carpet. It's very scratch and stain resistant too. My 86-pound Golden Retriever never scratched the stuff.

Since it snaps together with a locking tongue-and-groove, it would be easier to install or remove piecemeal than you'd get trying to manipulate a single solid sheet of plywood or similar material.

[Nighthawk_GD3]

Im not sure about the GE Fits but i carried over 300LBS in the back of my fit. If i had to guess over the cover i had atleast 100LBS with no problems. It kept its shape with no problem. All you gotta do is try it out . Put some weights back there till the cover starts to bow and you know your limit

[JoeBob]

I carry two 100 pound plus German Shepherds to the dog park each day with no problems with the spare tire cover. In my case I have a beach towel and jacket stuffed in the gap between the tire and cover so there is very little give when the dogs get in the back.

Joe

[kenchan]

^^ smart idea indeed.

was going to suggest that or sol's idea of cutting some MDF.