Where to locate a fridge in a 110 Wagon?

[The Cone of Silence]

I'm trying to figure out the pros and cons of the various fridge positions in the Defender.

Having just spent a quite wonderful hour searching the various threads and looking at peoples' fridge location choices, I thought it might be time to consult the forum with the specific question: Where should I put my fridge?!

Requirements/ considerations:
Only likely to be one or two people in the car
Don't need a massive fridge
Passenger seat slide extensions get used!

I don't really want to take up heaps of space in the cargo bay so this leaves me with the rear seat options.

Will the fridge be as easily accessible? Is it worth trying to mount a slide so it can extend out?
Assuming any mountings take up existing seat attachment points, are they fairly quick to changeover if I needed to put the seats back in?

Removing the two seats behind me seems like overkill and it's not exactly handy for giving a lift to a couple of people but it does allow for a nice big unit and passenger comfort.

Removing the seat behind the passenger seems like a good option but...

1) If I put a fridge here, will the passenger still be able to slide their seat back or tilt their seat back?
2) Will I only be able to use a tiny fridge? Having never used one, I'm not sure how much space I need. I'd have thought a few days of meat, dairy and drinks would be fine. 40l unit?
3) Are there off-the-shelf mounts and brackets or do people simply fabricate their own?


As ever, I'm enormously grateful for any advice, tips, photos, links to useful threads etc.

[oldyella 76]

I pulled my r/hand rear seat out and made a steel frame that bolted to the seat mounts and the seat belt anchor, then covered it with a 5 ply and marine carpet.This is the same height as the false floor that sits over the drawer system, that makes it level with the top of the wheel wells. I made it L shaped with a vertical piece going up at the front of the fridge area probably 300 mm then horizontal for about 175mm towards the back of the front seat. This measurement will depend on how far your seat comes back. I use this shelf for cameras ect. The width of it extends to the single seat on the passenger side and gives another small area to put junk on.I use a 50 litre waeco and there is sufficient room for the fridge and air circulation. It takes about 15 mins to pull the seat out and put this in.
If you want to mm me I can take a photo of it and email it to you as I don't know how to do it here.
Lindsay.

[chook73]

I have my fridge in the rear on top of the drawers on a drop slide, I like it on the drop slide because you can get into the fridge easily and find what you want. I would think a decent size fridge (i.e. above 40lt) would be a bit hard to navigate around when behind the front seat.

Regards
Iain

[Drover]

On a drop slide on top of the drawer system







if you remove the rear seats and install a false floor at the same height as the drawer system there will plenty of room for a fridge of up to 60L.

[dullbird]

as you know rob ours is behind the front passenger seat..now Ian has rebuilt the mount I can extend my seat back although when in this position I can't recline too far..not a drama for me though as I dont like to recline to much.

I'm only an inch of 6ft so I guess it depends on how tall your passenger is. if there is only the two of you and space isn't to much of an issue I would def put the fridge in the back, and even better on a drop slide.

The reason ours is where it is because we have to fit 3 large dogs in the back oif ours and the fridge takes up to much of their space on long journeys for it to be reasonably comfortable for them, Also we can not get the back door open fully with the camper on due to the front box of our camping this would also make it awkward getting to the fridge to get stuff out especially as it would be taller so def wouldn't be able to see in it

It can be a pain getting stuff in and out the fridge but Ian manages OK and he is a short arse, remember the fridge is not as high as you would think because it sits on the seat box so when your trying to visualise you have to take the seat out of the equation.

Like I said though put it in the back. if your trying to maximise space putting it behind the passenger..

[numpty]

Mine sits behind the passenger seat on a custom mount that I built. The single seat remains out all of the time. My travelling companion and I are not large, so seating in the front isn't compromised. It's a 40 litre Engel and I have never seen the need for a larger fridge, even for trips of 6 weeks or more in some very remote country.

[oldyella 76]

As I stated before I have mine in place of the rear seat. It will depend on what sort of trips you go on We generally go remote for lengthy time and if the fridge was in the rear area we have found it takes up too much valueable space as you need air space around it and you can't stack stuff on top. If you have a slide out device you will need a guard around it as when you pull the fridge out stuff will fall in and then you have to clean the area out. If you are travelling on good roads and have plenty of storage space then the rear fridge slide would probably be the go,
Lindsay.

[Nero]

Rip out the front passenger seat and replace it with your fridge I mean really whats the point of having one of these wonderful devices that keeps beer cold if its not in arms reach, especially whilst driving.

Your passenger then has the entire rear seat to stretch out on.




PS: for those who haven't had their coffee yet this Sunday morning I am joking.

[Drover]

Really, it not such a bad idea.
I started with 7 seats…..
Reduced that by 2 with the drawers…….
Then by 3 more seats with extended floor to the rear…….that only leaves 2 seats now.
With each reduction if seating capacity the interior noise seems to be reducing by the degree…..
If I can rid of one more seat that would mean……………………now I am joking or am I.....

[rangieman]

Behind either the front seats is the best position infact anywhere infront of the rear axle , You will find out if you fit your fridge in the rear cargo area behind the rear axle that everything ends up tossed and damaged in your fridge on rough roads
Nowhere near as bad if mounted in front of the rear axle