Cargo liner idea
 

Part of the reason we bought a FEH was for my wife to take plants (in flats & pots), cut flowers & other craft products to the local farmers market during the summer/fall.

We might give this cargo liner a try - it looks like it could do the job of keeping things cleaner & it is fairly cost effective:

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...51&cat=52&ap=1

H

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

I got a husky liner for the floor mats and for the rear cargo area. I have them in my F-350 crew cab truck and love them they are more money but are ridged some what and have a generous lip to contain liquids.

They come in 3 colors so a close match is likely. They clean up with a damp cloth or a little 409. Very durable but more of a utilitarian look. Hey it is a truck after all so my wife likes them and that's what matters.

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/se...Vh=2008%20Ford

Just another option. If you search you may find them even cheaper.

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

I just use one of the inexpensive blue tarps. It is flexible so I can cover rear seats folded down or just the space behind. And it was only a few bucks.

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Tom, the Husky liner is terrific for most day to day items ( groceries, golf clubs and the like ), but your idea of the blue tarp is an inexpensive home run for the other jobs like mulch from Home Depot ).

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I use the blue tarp with a sheet of visqueen underneath for added insurance. Both are inexpensive and fold up easy. I don't want to ruin the leather. Also have a Pendleton blanket on the back seat for the Chica (our pekingese/chihuahua mix).

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

I went for the Husky liner and it paid for itself within two weeks when a large bottle of dish detergent cracked open on the way home from the grocery store.

Carpet is the only thing covering the battery compartment, so I'd highly recommend some sort of liner or tarp back there.

-todd.

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Good point - when carrying liquids have a plan "B" .

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

The battery is pretty sealed up so electrically I doubt much would happen

HOWEVER When I got mine... I had this horrible image of a gallon of milk spilling back there.... and then going rancid under the battery. And then how much it would cost to remove said, heavy battery to remove the stink that would ensue....

And therefore... I'd say a liner is very recommended in any case!

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

Cool. Never even thought about that. And as much stuff (beer, wine, soda, etc.) as I carry back there on grocery runs, that cargo liner sounds like a great idea, and pretty cheap for the function!!

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I got the husky liner, and I am very pleased with it. I also was afraid of somthing spilling down onto the battery.

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I figure it's just as easy to change the carpet if I ever sell it

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That's all well and good until you spill something like milk and it gets past the carpet and into the battery compartment... That could get pretty smelly...

I think a liner with some type of lip around the edge is a wise investment in the cargo area.

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

The battery pack is water tight on 3 sides.
The side suseptible to spills is the side by the rear window vent where the air comes/goes.

You would need a large spill to harm the battery in any case. Even the side with the air vent is fairly well protected. Ford went into this project to make a "no compromise" SUV.
They expect people to use it for "utility" reasons.

Liquid spills will mark / smell up the carpet perhaps.
Your battery will be fine short of a flood. I promise.
:angel: -John

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

Thanks John;
Since I live in Southern Cal; the chances of a flood are pretty remote...but stranger things have happened, I suppose!
Jill

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Yeah... I'm not that worried about the battery or electronics... just stuff getting down into the well UNDER the battery... that will slowly start to STINK over time. We carry groceries back there.

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What about the strength of the battery compartment - is that a concern at all?

What if I needed to carry a few heavy items, will it hold up or do I need to worry abut denting it? For argument's sake lets say I need carry, oh I don't know - some anvils. Do I need to worry about them denting or otherwise damaging the battery compartment? Do they have to be placed in there very gently?

I know, it's a stupid situation but it's one of those things that you never consider and then whamo! You drop in an anvil and crush your battery.

Thoughts? (aside from the fact that one should not carry anvils around as a matter of course :) )

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

Your concerns about how much weight can be carried in the cargo area should be put to rest. The photos below reveal the before and after views of my FEH with 1000lb :omg: load from 25 bags of 40lb wood pellets. There was just a little compression on the rear suspension.

[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/f...LETSINESCA.jpg http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/f...LLETSINE-1.jpg http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/f...EIWWITHTEX.jpg[/FONT][/FONT]

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Wow! Ok, that's not anvils... but it is helpful to see that the back can carry quite a load.

Thanks for posting those!

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That's awesome...

Now I'm dying to know what FE you got with a load like that... :) Probably not that bad once you got up to speed and then plenty of regen...

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SET.... your anvils back there and you should be fine.

Drop an anvil, and it will dent just about anything!

I'd say, just based on experience, you can put 10 psi.... 10 pounds per square inch back there. A 100 lb. anvil 'probably' has a footprint of 10 sq/in.

Re: Cargo liner idea
 

I live only 2 miles away from the alternative energy store. After loading up, I was able to pull away from a stop in electric mode. Naturally not as long or as far. I was able to climb a 9% 1/2 mile hill at 25 mph while keeping the rpms at or below 2500.

By the way, wood pellets are made from sawdust. A ton will cost (today) around $190. This is a smart move for almost any homeowner to make to save $ (natural gas prices) . There are corn burners that have higher BTU content but.... can you purchase corn today at low price?