In my V90 wagon I just throw the grocery bags in the back floor and seat. They never fall or move. If I must stop fast the worst that could happen is they slide into the back of the front seat, no problem. I just dont have the patience to deal with tangled nets, ropes and bungee cords for a 3 block drive.
--
David Hunter

Dear kkoch,

May this find you well. I have a 940. If you want to secure items to the cargo tray, Velcro can be attached to a load space cargo tray. You should clean the plastic surface soap and water, and let it dry completely. Attach adhesive-backed velco to the cargo tray. Velcro is available in 2" width at sewing equipment stores and Home Depot. Unless you need to hold down something very heavy, velco should work.


To hold down heavy items, a net can be used. In the load space of a 940 (at least 1993-4) there are four steel loops (two at the front edge of the wheel wells, adjacent to the back of the rear seat and two at the corners near the hatch, just below the rear light access panels).

To these steel loops, a cargo net could be attached. For light- and medium duty security, use split rings. I do not mean the very thin wire rings, onto which freshly-made keys are put. I mean the split rings that are about 1/8" in diameter. For examples, see http://www.worthco.com/rings/spltring.html .

This type of split ring has flat mating surfaces. To put a key on them, one lifts one end with the tip of a screwdriver, puts the end of the split ring through the hole in the key, and works the key around the ring, until it reaches the joint. At that point, the key is fully on the ring. This will take a minute or two for each ring.

Instead of putting the key onto the ring, one corner of the cargo net can be put onto the ring. You then have a cargo net with steel rings on each corner.

The cargo net can be secured to the car, by working the factory-installed steel loop onto the split ring. As this is time consuming, a net so installed will be "permanent", unless you also install snap loops.

Snap loops can be bought at a hardware store or a Home Depot. Snap loops are used to connect ropes to screw-eyes (round steel rings with a threaded shank, which is screwed into wood, concrete, etc.). For examples of snap loops, see http://www.circlegbrand.com/cgb_cat_Hardware01.html.

At one end, the snap loop has a closed steel ring. At the other end, the snap loop has a spring loaded "gate". This is a section of the loop that is hinged and openable by pressing the gate back against spring pressure, or that has a short, straight section of the loop, that is openable by pulling it back against spring pressure.

If the split ring is attached to each corner of the cargo net, snap loops can be put onto each split ring. In this way, the net will have at each corner, an openable hook, the openings of which are kept closed by spring pressure.

The net can be removed very quickly. These hardware items, being steel, should be strong enough to secure 25-30 lb items against becoming missiles.For extra security, two split rings can be used on each corner for each snap loop. Snap loops vary as to their capacity.

If you need a very heavy-duty snap loop, use mountaineers' carabiners (for examples of carabiners see: http://everestnews.altrec.com/shop/dir/0/125/ ). These have an openable, spring loaded gate. As carabiners support climbers' ropes - and so climbers - they are very strong. They are available in different load-bearing capacities and materials (i.e., titanium, for the most demanding applications). Most outdoor equipment stores will have them.

If you need this level of strength, I'd recommend using cargo netting made of 1/2" diameter rope (the kind used in cargo nets for suspending loads under a helicopter).

I would not use an elastic cargo net, except to hold only very lightweight items. Anything heavy is not likely to be held by an elastic net during a rear-end collision or violent deceleration. For such situations, only a rope cargo net will be adequate.


Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

spook

p.s.