Question re: Accessing Fridge and Drawers in your Defender

[Robmacca]

Guys.....

I've only recently got my Defender on the road this year and while I've driving it, I've been thinking of the best way to set it up for Touring with my Wife. I'm about 6" tall where as my wife is only about 5" tall. Our current touring setup is in the missus' 150's Prado where I've made a Fridge slide and drawer system side by side and this setup has done us well over the past few years or so....

When driving my Defender, I suddenly realised that I will have redesign the way we travel and our setup. We can no longer have our Fridge and Drawer system side by side as the door on the Defender is too narrow. By having a platform in the back and the Fridge on top of the platform, the wife is not going to be able to see inside the fridge, little alone get anything out of it......

So, I was wondering what others do in the setup of their Defender when their partner is short and also having a family that includes 3 kids? How do u access everything that you would commonly need to access on a daily basis?


Would love to see photos of other people's setups who are in a similar situation to us......

This is our current setup where the missus can still easily access food out of the Fridge and the Drawers.....

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/492.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/493.jpg

[weeds]

That's the way I had it in my TDI defender except the fridge was on the door side. Although only one draw the height of the wheel arch.

Worked well for many years.

[weeds]

Google works wonder

Here is mine old setup
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/485.jpg

Somebody else's setup in the same thread
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/486.jpg

[LR V8]

I'm getting mine fitted out tomorrow at Drifter. It'll be a side by side fit.... Engel 45 on the left, double stack draws on the right. From memory I think Drifter said the draws are 40cm wide. Heaps of room given the length in the back of a Defender.

Pete

[weeds]

I'm getting mine fitted out tomorrow at Drifter. It'll be a side by side fit.... Engel 45 on the left, double stack draws on the right. From memory I think Drifter said the draws are 40cm wide. Heaps of room given the length in the back of a Defender.



Pete



That's right......hope the fitting goes well, I'm hoping to get some ideas next weekend at the expo for my hardtop......

Keen to see pics.

[LR V8]

Will do. Here's the start... a bit of dynamat by me (its also under the rear mat)

I'll put pics up of the draws either tomorrow or the day after.

Pete

[jon3950]

We are in a similar situation height-wise as you are and I've just gone throught the same process. We went from this set-up in the back of the Disco:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/488.jpg


To this set-up in the back of the Defender:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/489.jpg


I put The two tubs on the right of the fridge instead of using drawers as everything I need quick access to is in the drawer below. It's not as convenient accessing the fridge as it was on the floor, but its not that bad. I can access it without any problem and my wife just stands on the rear step - it doesn't bother her at all. For me the benefit of having a flat floor and being able to easily pack behind and to the sides of the fridge outweighed the slightly worse access to the fridge.

May not suit you of course, but having the fridge a bit higher up isn't necessarily as bad as you think.

Cheers,
Jon

[weeds]

We are in a similar situation height-wise as you are and I've just gone throught the same process. We went from this set-up in the back of the Disco:





https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/488.jpg





To this set-up in the back of the Defender:





https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/489.jpg





I put The two tubs on the right of the fridge instead of using drawers as everything I need quick access to is in the drawer below. It's not as convenient accessing the fridge as it was on the floor, but its not that bad. I can access it without any problem and my wife just stands on the rear step - it doesn't bother her at all. For me the benefit of having a flat floor and being able to easily pack behind and to the sides of the fridge outweighed the slightly worse access to the fridge.



May not suit you of course, but having the fridge a bit higher up isn't necessarily as bad as you think.



Cheers,

Jon



Jon, what fridge is that?

[DiscoMick]

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Rear-Tow-Ball-Tow-Bar-Step-Land-Rover-Defender-DA4070B-Britpart-/191951329040?nav=SEARCH

I've just ordered one of these. Our fridge sits on the left top of our drawers. My wife is short and bruised her leg when she slipped. I would have liked a NAS rear step but they are too expensive so I hope this will be a more affordable alternative. It looks a bit flimsy though only being secured by 2 bolts, so we shall see how it goes.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[masmia]

Rob this was my solution.
also installed door hinge extension
Allan

[Robmacca]

Rob this was my solution.
also installed door hinge extension
Allan

If we didn't have the kids with us, then this is something that would suit...... but we have a few years yet b4 the kids are off our hands....

[Robmacca]

Google works wonder

Here is mine old setup
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/485.jpg

Somebody else's setup in the same thread
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/486.jpg

I like both of these options..... I assume it's just 40ltr Fridge ??

[Robmacca]

I'm getting mine fitted out tomorrow at Drifter. It'll be a side by side fit.... Engel 45 on the left, double stack draws on the right. From memory I think Drifter said the draws are 40cm wide. Heaps of room given the length in the back of a Defender.

Pete


Any idea as to the depth & length and how far they can be pulled out?

[weeds]

I like both of these options..... I assume it's just 40ltr Fridge ??



Yep mines a 40L engel

[nate_110]

I have the same drawers are Jon's, but position the fridge almost hard up against the left side rear window and almost up against the cargo barrier.

My fridge (an Engel MR40F) opens on the left so I can access it fairly easily either from the sliding window or by standing on the rear step. This leaves a fair amount of room on the right side.

The narrow back door rules out a fridge slide and using the space for storage, unless you had gullwing windows?

[jon3950]

Jon, what fridge is that?

It's just an old Waeco 40l.

Cheers,
Jon

[MrLandy]

Rob this was my solution.
also installed door hinge extension
Allan

Fridge behind the passenger seat is a good option. If you remove the single second row seat, a 40L engel fridge will also fit lengthwise.

If you remove all second row seats or fold the other two down, can you sleep in the back? ...Does anyone have a pic of this setup, leaving sleeping room for two in the back of a 110?

[Surrufus]

Would you be able to run a drop slide off the top of a full width drawer?

[El Rey]

Fridge behind the passenger seat is a good option. If you remove the single second row seat, a 40L engel fridge will also fit lengthwise.

If you remove all second row seats or fold the other two down, can you sleep in the back? ...Does anyone have a pic of this setup, leaving sleeping room for two in the back of a 110?

Not sure about what the fridge does to the space, but Drifta sell an extension to their storage platform that slots in where the back row seats were, or over the folded down ones.
? BED BASE EXTENSION $300 ? Drifta Camping & 4WD (http://www.drifta.com.au/bed-base-extension/)

[lump_a_charcoal]

Would you be able to run a drop slide off the top of a full width drawer?

That's what I've done. Haven't got any pics of it though...

[weeds]

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/142821-vehicle-rear-set-up.html

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/453.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/454.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/455.jpg

[LR V8]

Any idea as to the depth & length and how far they can be pulled out?


Hi Rob,

I can't find my tape meaure, but they look to be a meter in depth and come out about 70 cm. I can confirm that whrn I get home tomorrow. Also, they look to be 30cm wide.

Here's some pics fresh from the factory :)

Pete

[LR V8]

Sorry.... having iphone issues...

[LR V8]

You can option a drop down slide if you want.

[LR V8]

Side compartments.... same on both sides. They have lid inserts with a finger hole.

[alien]

We run our fridge across the shelf.
Access is easy when standing on the fold down rear step.
This allows us to use of the top of the drawer unit to place any items we want to put in/out of the fridge.
114142

[Michael2]

Here's some pics of my homemade unit.

(1) don't use oky straps for anything, I nearly lost an eye.
(2) the ammon box has the draw sliders riveted to the bottom, so it can function as a tool box and a draw.
(3) the area betwen the fridge box and the window is a good recess for parts boxes, or oil containers that need to stay uright.
(4) the flat area on the RHS matches the wheel arch, and has a rubber mat, optimising cargo space.
(5) the area behind the fridge holds a spare battery and an air tank for the compressor.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/405.jpg (http://s197.photobucket.com/user/konstantinoufamily/media/Rear%20Draw%20System/IMG_2759.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/406.jpg (http://s197.photobucket.com/user/konstantinoufamily/media/Rear%20Draw%20System/IMG_2767.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/407.jpg (http://s197.photobucket.com/user/konstantinoufamily/media/Rear%20Draw%20System/IMG_2758.jpg.html)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/408.jpg (http://s197.photobucket.com/user/konstantinoufamily/media/Rear%20Draw%20System/IMG_2755.jpg.html)

[DEFENDERZOOK]

Has anyone got pics of their fridge mounted where the single back seat should be in a fender.......?

[gromit]

I found that if you mount the fridge slide to the rear of the vehicle there was a big space in front that was difficult to get to because of the cargo barrier.
Decided to set the fridge further forward, disadvantage is that you sometimes need to remove the drawer above to get stuff out. Would make it difficult if you're short in stature.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/153.jpg (http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/cradley/media/Defender%20Tanami/DSCN3271_zpsdf3f2390.jpg.html)


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/09/154.jpg (http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/cradley/media/Defender%20Tanami/DSCN3272_zps2af33df0.jpg.html)

To get to the fridge the washing up bowl (which contains frypan, billy etc.) is removed and tucked under the vehicle.

We had some bags made for clothes that can be 'posted' up on top of the storage system. Works OK (well I've got used to it after nearly 15 years !) but if I built it again I might set it out differently.


Colin

[numpty]

I don't have a pic with the fridge in, but this is the shelf I made for my 110 when I had it.

40 litre Engel fitted perfectly and opened to the rear.

[MrLandy]

I don't have a pic with the fridge in, but this is the shelf I made for my 110 when I had it.

40 litre Engel fitted perfectly and opened to the rear.

Nice work Numpty. Looks great. Try doing that in a well-floored SUV!

[Robmacca]

With all these setups, how many of you guys rely on access via the rear side sliding windows to access some of your gear? Especially those that have cargo barriers in theirs?


Also anyone with a quick setup whereby u can have your gear and what not in the vehicle but also can sleep in the vehicle as well for quick weekends, etc?

[MrLandy]

Also anyone with a quick setup whereby u can have your gear and what not in the vehicle but also can sleep in the vehicle as well for quick weekends, etc?

Good question Rob. It would be great to see some Defender 110 sleeping set ups...

[LR V8]

With all these setups, how many of you guys rely on access via the rear side sliding windows to access some of your gear? Especially those that have cargo barriers in theirs?


I sometimes do, it just depends what I load and where. The cargo barrier is 3-4 inches further to the rear than the window latch, so opening the window isn't an issue.

Cheers

[weeds]

With all these setups, how many of you guys rely on access via the rear side sliding windows to access some of your gear? Especially those that have cargo barriers in theirs?





driver side only....our fridge enclosure extended all the way to the cargo barrier.......therefore making a big space the full length of the cargo area.....the rear half under the fixed window had a water tank (available) and we access other stuff thought the sliding window


didn't really open the passenger side sliding window

[DiscoMick]

The wife is short so we dont use the side windows at all.

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[DieselDan]

Has anyone got pics of their fridge mounted where the single back seat should be in a fender.......?

This is mine.

Here's a pic of my rear drawers too.
The second level of storage is removable and only lives in the car when we're on a trip.
Cargo barrier means it's a bit short to sleep on though!

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