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Ski pass through, anyone?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by tegenwind, Oct 2, 2018.

  1. tegenwind

    tegenwind Junior Member

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    I was wondering if anyone ever tried to create a ski pass through in his Prius Gen 3.
    I do skiing trips with my wife and two kids. I have my own ski's.
    Now I looked at the backseat and I'm hesitant to take up a saw and cut out part of it. It has a metal frame.

    I know that people did it with other cars as well. And I was thinking you could retrofit one from a Saab or Audi. It just feels a bit too drastic..

    Has anyone had the courage.
    Or what is the alternative besides the coffin on the roof method...

    Cheers Marcel
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    So you're saying you want to haul skis while having two passengers in rear seat? That sounds like more of hassle than just flipping one seat down and only having one passenger in backseats. But if someone hired me to do it, I'd buy a used rear seatbackb from a wrecked and strip the upholstery off them and cut out the hole and weld a new reinforced seatback frame to compensate for the hole, then put modified seat upholstery back on. It'd be expensive and not worth the effort.

    Alternatively if the length of your skis aren't too much longer than the width of the car, you could install a trailers hitch and a hitch haul to carry your skis without too much aerodynamic loss of MPGs.
     
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  3. VFerdman

    VFerdman Senior Member

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    Roof rack.
     
  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I've easily fit 4 large adults with luggage and skis (ski gear for 2 owned, rented 2 others) in the Prius.

    Fold the 60% seat flat. Insert skis from the hatch into the passenger compartment footwell behind the driver and infront of the not-folded down 40% seat. It will fit with the bottoms on the floor and the tops between the headrest and the wall of the vehicle in a slanted upright. I have 180cm skis and they stick out into the hatch area. But when I close the hatch, they barely touch the glass. No problem. Then the void made between the skis and seatback can be used to store boots which are the right angle and poles go in with skis but can be loaded via the side door. luggage and ski clothes fit in the hatch. 4 adults in, done.

    If you're going with 3 adults or 3.5 people you can just fold the seat down. It is usually just the 2 of us going up skiing so we just fold the seats down and throw the stuff in the back. Hatch closes with the skis lying flat.
     
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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I was thinking along the same line, then thought "two kids", yeah maybe a good idea: you gotta keep 'em separated...
     
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  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Yes, but why not just use the space above the seat backs instead of spending big money to put a space between the seat backs?
     
  7. tegenwind

    tegenwind Junior Member

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    I actually did manage to get the skis in in the upright way above the rear seats.it is managable but they are not very stable this way and also if they are wet, they will ruin your seats.
    Nice thing about a ski pass through is (when a plastic sleeve is attached at tge passenger side) it will only drip on the trunk floor and is pretty stable and probably safer in case of an accident. Although a roofrak or hitch haul would still be safer. I also like the idea to have a spare back seat with a hole, just for the skiing season..
     
  8. Usle

    Usle Active Member

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    As an Alpine snowboarder I put the right seat down and lay the board-boards on the right side, one is 202cm, it sticks into the front alongside the front seat, 4 sets of skis would fit, the two rear passengers on the left in the rear, boots and gear wherever.
    A roof pod ( closed, keep the salt out) would be a good move.
     
  9. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    I've found that on most good skiing days it's cold enough even at the foothills that the snow doesn't melt or get "wet" on the skis. So before we pop them in the car, I just run my gloves over them quickly and all the snow/ice buildup just falls to the ground. Sure there is a bit left in the bindings and stuff but meh. If you're worried about it I'm sure a little tarp would protect it.

    When we start skiing late season and the boots become muddy, I just layer the back with extra cardboard boxes from all my Amazon crap.
     
  10. Sloth.Power.Prius

    Sloth.Power.Prius Active Member

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    In the past, when I did not have snowboard racks. I usually have either 4 adults or 3 adults and a teenager in the car along with 4 snowboards (2 are owned and 2 are rented at a nearby rental place to the ski resort). Most of the time 3 boards would lay across the middle part of the rear seats and the other board would be held by the rear passengers or put on the floor of the back seats.

    After boarding, I would rinse the boards and dry them as much as I can with microfiber towels and just store them in the snowboard bags.
     
  11. tegenwind

    tegenwind Junior Member

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    It is sort of doable to fit a pair of skis like this. Skis are 1.75m.
    It is not really hindering the kids, although I did not really ask them yet.

    The passenger front seat should first be moved forward, then put the skis and make sure you protect your seats. The hatch door closes without touching the glass.

    The 1.35m poles just fit in the trunk without a problem.

    I doubt if a ski pass through would really solve anything with 1.75m skis. You really would still need a lot of trunk space to make them fit.

     
  12. Sloth.Power.Prius

    Sloth.Power.Prius Active Member

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    I would put bags in the middle seat and stack them as high as the height of the seat and then do the same in the trunk and just lay the boards over the bags and middle seat. Two rear passengers would have no problem sitting or putting seatbelts on at all.
     
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  13. tegenwind

    tegenwind Junior Member

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    A pile of bags as high as the back seat with the skis on top, sounds like a plan. You just have to make sure they are not going to move forward when braking.

    Thanks! I can put my plan to saw a hole in the back seat to rest.
     
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  14. Sloth.Power.Prius

    Sloth.Power.Prius Active Member

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    Pretty much that's what I did back then. But now I got racks, it's so cool looking and better for long drive as well.
     
  15. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Until a ski flies off the top at 80mph! I've seen way too many boards and skis work themselves loose from above and fly towards me to know my skis will never ride on the roof.
     
  16. Sloth.Power.Prius

    Sloth.Power.Prius Active Member

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    Oh what ?! :eek: maybe they didn't secure the racks properly.
     
  17. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Between user error, fatigue of the rack, and dirt/ice/whatever making it appear tight when you start but as it warms due to driving friction it becomes loose. And a ski or board at 80mph makes a great sail, there's quite a bit of lift force there waiting to break something.

    With the skis in the car, they aren't going anywhere.
     
  18. Sloth.Power.Prius

    Sloth.Power.Prius Active Member

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    I never liked the idea of having my belonging outside the car, but with 4 people plus the gears...It's definitely a must for the racks. I just have to make sure the racks are in good condition and use them properly.
     
  19. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Why not just play it safe and put a trailer hitch on with a hitch-haul on the back of the car? That way in the unlikely event the load isn't firmly secured the 75mph winds won't have such an easy time of prying it loose and you'll get much better MPG than having it on the roof?
     
  20. Sloth.Power.Prius

    Sloth.Power.Prius Active Member

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    MPG is definitely not my concern at all. So, I went racks because of the look and it looks more stable when the boards are in compare to the hitch with stuff sticking out of the car. Also without the trailer hitch I can access the trunk easier. This is just my preference.