Ive searched the web and this forum but I cant seem to find the answer to this question? How heavy of an object can I put in the hatch of my 05 prius? I bought 3 - 50 pound bags of sand this afternoon, and was hesitant to put them in the hatch since I didnt know if the floor would support it, or if it would bow inward. I have had some hatchbacks in the past and their floors were cheap particle board, which gave in to excessive weight in small areas. Also, what about hauling a beer keg? I'm hesitant to do this too, but will need to occasionaly after I sell my truck. Thanks!
The floor is fairly sturdy and will easily hold three 50 pound sacks. A beer keg shouldn't be a problem either. Make sure to use the tie-downs in case you stop fast, like hitting the back end of another car. Tom
I had 5 boxes of porcelain tile in my Prius last week. Each box weighed 55lbs, so a combined total of 275lbs. No ill effects on the floor and it didn't feel like the floor was bowing or anything while I was loading it.
I brought 450 lbs worth of garage shelving home a few months back, although the seats were down which carried some of the load. No indication of the floor flexing or complaining during loading or unloading. Rob
I would not be as concerned about the weight as the dispersion of the load. Three weeks ago I carried six boxes of 12x12 tiles plus a few extras, and I had no trouble. About 10 days ago, I carried 8 40-pound bags of salt on the floor of the hatch. I carefully dispersed the weight each time and had no problem with the hatch floor. The car did have an odd look from the curb, though. I have thought about making a sturdier support by cutting a 1/2" plywood support, but with the past performance, I think I'm OK. I would be a bit hesitant about placing any single object greater than 60 or 70 pounds in an area of less than two feet in diameter. There is no engineering behind this statement, just a concern about having to replace the floor!
The Prius hatch floor is not made of particle (cheap) board. It's strong plastic-molded floor (maybe it's ABS plastic or material used for outdoor Kid's playground), very sturdy but still light in weight.
I can say for certain that the hatch floor (at least in my prius) can handle about 220 lbs in an approximate 2' area, dead center of the floor. I just finished installing my sirius antenna in the spoiler, thanks to the wonderful how-to located here on PC, and without even considering the "flimsy" hatch floor, proceeded to place all my weight on it. I did notice that the floor felt a little soft and distended approximately 1 - 2 inches, but it managed my weight without failing. I definitely wouldn't worry about a well-dispersed load of less than ~500 lbs, although I believe that will exceed the "recommended" load capacity of the prius.
As far as the beer keg . . . That should be NO problem IF you: Purchase a 10 foot siphoning hose Attach one end of hose to top of keg Run other end of hose to front left seat occupant Drive home, being sure to make ample use of hose:lalala: By the time you arrive home, you won't care about the hatch area floor support, just the empty keg. Sorry, I couldn't help making the comment!:sorry:
