Unique fridge mounting suggestions needed

If I'm reading you right the fridge has handles on either side much like a locker and you want to remove the handles ? If this is so, why don't you try making up a u-section from like 1.6 mill gal so you can slide the fridge down into it tightly and pick up the handle screw holes. Then just bolt the u-section to the floor slide the fridge in and screws to the handle holes, Would something like that work ?

Could you use a bit of 5/8 ply say 50mm bigger than the fridge (all round or even just the 2 ends) fasten fridge to this first using the threaded feet and then fasten ply down.? U will have to countersink holes for fridge bolts.Wow! am I cute
Richard

Thank you both! Those are good ideas. Vulture... you may be onto something there. I like the idea of being able to slide it in and out with the removal of those screws, while leaving the sheetmetal base intact. The odd part is, I have to remove one of the seats completely, just to get it back there, and if I had to slide it in squarely from the front (to go between the sheetmetal uprights) I would probably need to take out both seats...

so... Richard, maybe your idea would be better suited to allowing the fridge to come in from an angle (only removing one seat), but I would somewhat lose the ease of leaving the base in place as Vulture's method would allow. I had also thought of building some sort of base to bolt the feet to before putting it in the vehicle, but I was thinking of steel flat stock... I didn't think to use plywood. That's a great idea with the countersunk bolts.

Thanks again! Very helpful :o) If anyone else wants to brainstorm... feel free to hop into the mix

Baja,

I have a 2000 hilux extra cab and I've been looking at mounting a fridge behind the front seats (on the fold down dickie seat)... I havent done it yet but I've decided the best option would be to weld up a frame similar to the existing dickie seat frame (or get a dickie seat base from the wreckers)... when you want to have the fridge in pull the pins out of the 2 hinges holding the seat in and put in your custom fridge base unit... put the securing split pins back in and away you go. this gives you the advantage that you don't do any mods / drill any holes... sell the car and take the fridge with you... like it was never there.
However, I've since started thinking about access to the fridge if it's behind the front seats... as the xcab window doesnt open enough to be useful you would have to be bending around and over the front seats to get to the fridge... do the tacoma rear windows open more? or does it have suicide doors? have you considered putting the fridge in the tray?

cheers,

KG

CirclingVulture - yet another great idea. That would indeed allow it to slide in from an angle, and I was tempted to go with that. However, something I realized is that there is no way to fasten the screws into the side of the fridge that will be up against the side of the xcab. My little 90 degree phillips scewdriver won't even work because the screws are pretty far down from the top of the fridge.

KG, your idea might work for the next size smaller fridge. For the large one that I have, it will BARELY fit behind my drivers seat, with the seat in it's normal driving position. In order to get my fridge to fit, I had to remove the backrest that spans the back wall of the cab (it was too thick to allow the lid to open), and I had to remove the seats and center seat belts. To utilize the seat hinges, the fridge would have to sit forward too much. This might work with a smaller unit though. Also, I am not sure of difference from the Tacoma to Hilux, but the seat hinges are individual (2 per seat), and have a special welded hinge, with a spring lobe that "snaps" the seat in the upright or down position. So, there really is no removable hinge pins on the Tacoma.

As far as acessing the fridge, the Tacoma is no different than your Hilux. The side windows only open partially (pivot out for venting) and there is no suicide door. I have loaded and unloaded food and bevarage during the testing phase, and it's really not so bad. I would much prefer the easier access from a slider off the back of the tray, but that is not an option for me. I already have a cargo deck system back there that is built-in and we sleep on top of it. All of the space below the deck is already accounted for, so accomodating this big fridge would mean upsetting my perfectly working system that I have been really happy with for almost four years now. Also, if we sleep in the camper with the fridge slid out the back, there is no way to close the camper up during a storm or when the mossies are attacking :) It's kind of nice to have it in the cab because the weight distribution is excellent, (whereas it would be aft of the rear axle if mounted on the tray, in my case anyways) it's well protected, and once it's in there - I don't have to mess with it.

I am working on the project today, and now I'm thinking about some slider tracks mounted across the bench. I don't really need it to slide, but that might be a viable way to get it mounted good and solid, while allowing for a little bit of versatility, allowing the fridge to be accessed from both doors. I'm going to hardware store to see what they might have...

THANKS AGAIN!!! It's fun to mull over the options and ideas :)

Vulture...

"My friend I've been a metal and general fabricator for many a year..."

So that explains why you've got the clever ideas :)

"... this is starting to turn out like going cloths shopping with a woman ( a nightmare )."

HAHAHA - you've got me laughing... because you're right! (no offense ladies) I do appreciate all of the input folks have offered though. It has helped me expand my thinking on the matter.

I ended up deciding on a design. I picked up some really nice slide rollers today. I think they'll work well - we'll see! I will come back and post some photos when I'm done.