Loading "Heavy" Stuff on Top of Batteries in Trunk on 2002?

[Linda L]

Hi all -

I've had my 2002 Prius for about six weeks now, and am still in love with it.

So much so, that we are strongly considering getting a tent for our annual camping trip to Tennessee this year, instead of taking the gas guzzling one ton pickup with 2500 pound camper sitting on it. It's hard to justify taking a vehicle that gets 10 mpg vs. one that easily gets 45+ mpg.

I seem to remember reading a thread, back when I was still looking for my Prius, that warned about a problem with putting heavier items on top of the row of batteries in the trunk. But I don't remember if that was just a problem with the 2001, or with all generation I Prius.

Can anyone help me out? I've tried searching, but I must not be using the right criteria.

Linda

[hobbit]

Anything that's likely to poke against the metal battery box
isn't a good idea. Here's what I did to mitigate it in my '04,
when I sometimes carry roadcases [whose wheels like to try to
dive down into the cracks in the carpeting] or heavy/sharp junk
of one sort or another. If I remember right the battery box
in the Classic is set up a little higher in the trunk so it
would be difficult to put heavy things on top of it, but shoving
something pointy forward against it can't be good either. The
steel battery box is reasonably sturdy but it's only sheet
metal, so sufficient force could bend it inward. Putting in
some extra layer to spread the load helps a lot.
.
_H*

[tochatihu]

No problem with bricks there, for example.

The thing you don't want to do is block the air inlets on the rear shelf. They look sort of like two smaller speakers. They must remain open for HV battery ventilation.

[jammin012]

how about a 1990 firebird 305? Thinking of putting some kind of support in the spare tire area.

I have to return it to it's home in Reno.

Not worried about the hills, or mountains, but just the weight.