I made my best efforts to replicate the original accessory that takes the spare tire cover and turns it into a camping or tailgating table. The accessory Honda offered has been discontinued. This makes it very difficult to locate a set of legs. Sometimes you will spot them for sale second hand. Usually the person offering this item knows how rare it is, and the price reflects this. I really liked the idea of creating a set of legs for myself, because I didn’t buy my first Element until late 2016. I was too late to buy any of these accessories new.
I researched the legs, and read a post somewhere that a set of Coleman legs were really similar. They supported the table, but didn’t connect. I hoped if they were close enough I could develop an adapter to solve this issue and at least have a similar set for my own adventures.
You can see the original set of legs, they have a socket where a plastic adapter inserts to secure to the top. The Coleman legs were designed to connect to a pole, similar to a Lego hand. I was pleased to see that the Coleman legs did the movement. 3D printing something designed to go through stress to function is not ideal. My final design accounts for the slight offset as well as allows the legs to connect no matter the direction the ‘Lego’ hand approaches it. I also had to account for a limited height so the adapter would not impede with the final resting place of the table top (covering the spare).
In the picture above, comparing the original clips to the aftermarket adapters I designed you can see how my design does not allow for movement or flex. That is because it is not needed. its a stationary socket that the legs are designed to grip. Because of this, the aftermarket design is superior.
The Coleman legs have a wider footprint. This makes them more stable. They are also constructed with steel. One of the best parts is that they have a pin in place to stop the sliding mechanism when they are fully extended. With the original legs you just have to guess as you line it up. The Coleman legs open so easily too. The original legs are pretty difficult to spread open. You could easily open the Coleman legs with one hand.
So at the end of the day, both legs accomplish the same thing. However, I feel I am selling a superior product.
- Steel vs Aluminum
- Adapter is not prone to snap off
- Reasonable cost (~60 depending on Coleman’ cost)
- Wider stance – Table will be more stable and less capable of buckling under stress.
- Still in production
If you would like to purchase my adapter I sell it on my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/618863326/honda-element-aftermarket-table-kit
To purchase the accompanying legs go here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Compact-Folding-Table/20594119
Because a few of you asked, I also recreated the OEM clips. Those can be found here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/650451190/replacement-oem-element-table-clips
Hi,
I’m interested in purchasing your adapter kit and was looking at the legs you recommended, and maybe I’m missing something here. If I purchase the Coleman table equipped with the legs, which was provided in the link, wouldn’t that eliminate the need to use the spare tire tray as a table?
That is correct. While that may sound crazy to buy a table and use parts of that table to make a table… that is exactly what this does. This was created because there was originally a Honda accessory that did exactly this. People that are buying this adapter are interested in the original Honda Accessory that is nearly impossible to locate. Also, you can just keep the legs in the back of the car at all times, and be able to make a table (they take up way less room than the entire Coleman setup.
Do I need to buy both the OEM clips and the adapter for this to work?
If you do not already own the original legs provided by Honda (very hard and expensive to get) you need the Aftermarket adapters. You will also need to purchase a table from amazon or walmart.com. Here is the link to amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000020279-Compact-Folding-Table/dp/B005G0XFEM