Anybody made a rack for throw-over panniers?

[bandsawman]

Hi all!
I use throw-over panniers occasionally, but I'm paranoid about them scuffing the paintwork on the tail unit.
I bought another tail unit to swap to when using the panniers, but there're still some drawbacks - the main one being that the bulge from the tail unit pushes into the pannier and makes packing awkward.
I fancy making some kind of framework that squares the back end off, then the panniers can hang straight down, with more precise anchoring points also.
Just wondered if anyone's already tried this?

[tony.mon]

Gaffer tape.
Mine's still on from last August's Bulldog Bash camping trip.....

Got used to it now.

[Whoa Nelly]

Thought about making up a rack last year - plumped on beefing up the tail unit instead.The tabs on the tail unit had been poorly repaired by the PO, so I was a bit concerned about putting much load on it. Made up some ally tabs bolted through the underseat tray and under the tail unit with stainless marine bolts:


To pad out the pesky bulging flanks of the tail unit so the loading from the flat sided panniers wasn't concentrated on one small area, I made a sort of die out of layers of kayak buoyancy foam (easy to carve), lined the concave inside with non-slip rubber sheet and gaffer taped everything else:






Small bungy cord hooked round the bottom of the tail unit & up to under the seat, and the weight of the pannier holds them in place. Panniers stay clear of the bodywork - no rubbing. Tis good.

[AMCQ46]

To stop the tabs breaking I have a length of broom handle cut just wider than the widest part of the tail plastic, put some top hat plastic fittings on the end so it has about a 3" diameter where it will touch the panniers. I bungy this under the mudgaurd as far back as it will go, where the mudgaurd drops downwards for the numberplate.

Then when panniers are fitted, the majority of the compression load is now reacted by the broom handle from LH to RH pannier, and the plastics dont take the pressure.

perhaps a picture would be more helpfull but I couldnt be bothered , if you want more info I will get off my butt and take some, but it might be a bit low tech for what you are thinking

To stop any scuffing on the paint, I use masking tape to cover any contact points, and take it off after the tour.