Thread: Ideas for securing camping fridge.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

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I don't know where you obtained this info but it caused me to recheck the shear strength of pop rivets and I was incorrect in my recollection......

Oh I just calculated it Philip, its not hard... I just used your estimated weight of a packed fridge of 40kg and substituted it into a "scenario".

If the rivets are indeed in excess of 3kNewtons then that's ALOT better than when you said they could take 400 and something, wasn't trying to call you out on anything was just providing you with some further information. Other factors can come into play in an accident though, various ones that can reduce or increases the forces being thrown around....

I did the false floor as well, but then built a box that would fit the fridge when it's on the slide. This allows us to pack stuff on top of the fridge and still access it. Sorry, I'd supply a pic but it's not in this house atm. I think you can get the idea. The box is made from ply... one day I'll get atound to sticking the carpet on it

Hi Damo, I have been chasing tie down kits for my Engel 40 but couldnt get the turnbuckles as seperate items.
I found these guys in WA Welcome to Engel Land - Engeland - a World of Engel Portable Fridges & Freezers - Australia
The Engel dealer and repair outfit in Alice claimed you cant get this kit without the Engel slide.

Now to mounting th slide in the D2.

I built an alumium "chassis" from 50mm x 25mm x 3mm wall
Extrusion.2 off and
50mm x 50mmx 3mm angle, 3 off
It is light and strong. This chassis also supports my drawer system.

The 25 x 50 extrusion channel is cut and bolted to the original tie down point brackets (accross the car)
The 50mm angle is bolted (longitudinally) to the channel using "spring nuts" Redirect Notice

The fridge slide is bolted to the extrusion channel also using "spring nuts"
I used the longitudinal angles as mounting for the drawer slides and vertcial panels of my drawer system (but thats another story)

cheers

Unless you particularly want the fridge to slide out, i wouldn't bother.
I have an 80l and secure it by the 2 tie down points on the passenger side.
I used Just Straps, Fridge straps.
they go aroudn the handle and secure it as well as anything.
I can open the fridge inside, access is easy - it's not going to move at all - and they have a quick release buckle.

I still can use 6 seats, when the firdge is in, or 7 seats when its not in there, and I don't have a frame of a slide sitting on my floor.

Hey fellas, thanks for all the input.

I was having a poke around just before and I cant work out how to remove the tie down rings.

I removed the little plug of carpet under the ring but there is no bolt head there??

Where abouts is the bolt head? Is it on the other side of the ring, meaning i have to cut away carpet to get at it?

Originally Posted by damo_s

Hey fellas, thanks for all the input.

I was having a poke around just before and I cant work out how to remove the tie down rings.

I removed the little plug of carpet under the ring but there is no bolt head there??

Where abouts is the bolt head? Is it on the other side of the ring, meaning i have to cut away carpet to get at it?

Push it back a bit and you'll see it...

Ok, so i pulled back the carpet on the opposite side of the ring to where the pre-cut plug of carpet it and found the bolt.

So i will need to cut away the carpet after all!

In my "other" car I did the false floor thing. I removed the tie down points and used these holes to secure the false floor. I then built a box for the fridge, made my own slide (using high quality runners off ebay), and covered the whole lot with a shelf and secured it all again to the cargo barrier.

It takes about 20 minutes to remove the whole lot if I want to put the 3rd row of seats back in.

This setup should work just as well in a Disco and only costs about $300 to build.

Note: The sides of the fridge box are secured to the false floor before the false floor is placed in the vehicle. Half of the cargo barrier end of the box is left open for ventilation. Can't be fully open due to the need for strengthening / bracing.

Pajero fridge slide (5).jpg

Pajero fridge slide (1).jpg

Cheers
Martin