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CRATE-MATE FAQ


How do I mount a box onto my rack?

Mounting a box is easy, and you can do it with gloves on in a few seconds.

  1. Push the lock lever all the way forward

  2. Pick up the front of your box with your left hand and back of the box with your right hand. 

  3. Stand on the left side of your bike in line with the back edge of the rack.

  4. Align the box with the midline of the bike and rest it on the rack with rear socket overhanging the back edge

  5. Push the box forward until the front of the box drops into place.

  6. There's a safety lockout that stops the lever moving unless the box is properly seated- if this happens, give the box a push and a wiggle and try again. 

  7. Pull the lock lever all the way back. You'll feel it tighten and  click when it's fully locked.

  8. That's it! You, your bike and your box are ready to go places. 

  9. To take the box off, just push the lever forwards until it clicks, lift the front of the box slightly and  slide it backwards off the rack. 

How does it work?

Crate-Mate Box Mounts can be attached to the base of anything you want to carry on your bike.

The Mount is an aluminium plate with two folded tabs that grab the tail of the rack, and a lock body close to the front.

The corners of the plate and the lock body are attached to the box with M6 scews from inside the box.

As the box slides forward, the folded tabs grab the rear of the rack, and the  lock body drops through a cutout in the rack. Once it drops in, the box can't move backwards unless it's lifted clear of the cutout. 

The protrusion is tapered so that it drops through easily but is a snug fit at the top, so the box self aligns and can't waggle. 

The lock protrusion sticks out below the bottom of surface of the rack, and this section has a channel through it.  

The underside of the Crate-Mate rack has a lever operated sliding lock piece that passes all the way through a slot in the protrusion. 

The lock piece is supported by the rack plate on both sides, so the front of the box can't move upwards.

As the lock piece is pushes past the lock body, a wedge pushes the end of the lock piece downwards, which pulls the mount down hard against the rack so the box won't budge, and the lockpiece won't slide out.

Australian and international patents pending on all features.


 


How secure is Crate-Mate?

Crate-Mate Mounts are  strong as any box you'd put on your bike.

  • Tradie Racks are 3mm thick 304 stainless steel
  • Sport, Scooter and Pannier Racks are 3mm Aluminium with a stiffening rib down each side
  • Your box is locked down by a 22mm wide 2.5mm thick stainless steel lock piece that passes through the lock body.
  • Tradie box mounts are reinforced with 3mm stainless steel strips fitted with M6 rivnuts
  • All other box mounts are reinforced with 14mm wide M6 inserts that overlap the lockpiece
  • Kits include wide flat washers or  aluminium plates to reinforce the floor of the box 
  • You can lock the mechanism using a padlock or using a lock pin inserted from inside the box
  • The padlock is easy to reach with a key, but hard to reach with boltcutters or grinders.
  • The lock pin can't be accessed without opening the box