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DIY Fridge Drop Slide


tuko

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Last years adventure to Nordkapp with the landy has exposed a fault where I placed the Isotherm TB31 fridge in the back. I had it all the ways in to the right side, which forced us to having to climb into the back to get anything out of the fridge. So for this year I've decided that I will build a fridge slide or even a drop slide. I've already ordered a 100kg extendable slide and have plenty of steel to build a frame, but searching the internet I've not found any real good plans/diagrams for a drop slide. I should add that I'm leaning more towards a drop slide because the wife's a short lady, lowering the fridge will make access for her much easier.

I'm looking for advice and tips for making a drop slide, does anyone have a diagram that I could follow? As I wrote earlier, I've not found anything on the internet that really answered my questions, so knowing that many here have taken several long adventure/ road trips I'm thinking that there is a mountain of information to be had. ;)

The list of questions which start with, where do you place the pivot points for the drop, how long are the extensions for the drop, how long is the handle, if a folding handle does it matter where it folds? ....and on and on......

Thanks in advance, 

Todd.

 

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I built a simple frame from alloy tube and made the slide from the same tube with gal steel rods for the fridge to sit on, i used a couple of 125kg rated ball bearing lockable slides so that once is slides out it locks in position as well as locking when closed. Have since added  carpeted plywood to the top and yet to add a couple of drawers in the right hand side.

 The tube and fitting are from the hard ware and just push together, quite sturdy but i added  rivets to help hold it together.

 

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Edited by hangover
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The extending slide came in the post today so the project over the Easter long weekend is hopefully a drop slide. The below image is the best that I could find in the interweb. That coupled with the few videos on youtube I hope to make something that actually works......fingers crossed!

 

Todd. 

 

DFS.thumb.jpg.41a915a5987d706b337b6eee93274397.jpg

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Made some progress today on the fridge drop slide, the tray took no time to knock out, it was much easier before welding that I created the holes for the securing straps.

DSC_0203.thumb.jpg.44ac0b1b32bbbb41b6116dd75c876836.jpg

 

For strength and simplicity I'm using a side plate that is bored and taped which attaches to the slider, from that all the moving parts are attached. Also in the final image you can see the drop, which is 20 cm from bolt to bolt. It took some time to figure out where to drill the holes so that it cleared the floor in the landy and also got full movement in both directions. 

DSC_0213.thumb.jpg.742c23c16ad13b32314a04904a2bea5c.jpgDSC_0210.thumb.jpg.a8910a9f0a303a2dee1e3958d8141c08.jpg

 

Tomorrow I'll continue with the folding handle. 

 

Todd.

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A few more hours in the garage today and I now have a fridge drop slide to install in the back of the hybrid. 

DSC_0233_tuko.thumb.jpg.4173cf5d9ae94b3b664df91ccd9fd70a.jpgDSC_0238_tuko.thumb.jpg.ac75c0924b9b16fee96d57ae1be97563.jpgDSC_0240_tuko.thumb.jpg.160777e88b438ff238e9f6ff60bb51a9.jpg

 

The handle is folding as you can see in the images, I can have it on top of the fridge when it's in the up position of I can leave it fully extended as I have plenty of clearance to the rear door. 

Whats left to do now is some final sanding, trimming, a latched welding some wheres on the front to lock it in place when driving then a coat of paint. 

In the mean time here is a small video of my DIY fridge drop slide in action, which I'm very pleased with, enjoy.

 

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1 hour ago, Tobias said:

Wow! That was quick!

are you going to the SLRK meet in stockholm in August? I'd love to have a look then...

 

T

Ja, already booked/paid & semester approved. Not missing SLRK 30th anniv. gathering. ;)

Thanks!

Todd.

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4 hours ago, Mo Murphy said:

Excellent work Todd, that looks the dogs danglies ?

Did you draw up some plans ?

Mo

Sorry Mo, I drew nothing. 

I broke it down today so that I can begin trimming, sanding then paint. One final bit of welding to the side plates and the tray so that I can secure the tray in the back of the landy. It's going to be a simple lock, I'll post a picture when I get it done. 

Todd.

 

CM170416-tuko.jpg

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It'll be a waste of a wheel arch Mo..... You'll be forever moaning about the wasted pace on the wheel arch, you'll not be able to carry anything near half the weight you have in the drawers at the moment elsewhere in the back and you won't be able to use the space behind the fridge......

But it is your totally standard 90 with it's relentless 200tdi torque. :)

You could consider carrying less things most of the time and packing more for the trips using the drawers.... Maybe move them towards the rear of the truck and make use of the space behind them between the drawers and the bulkhead?

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On 15/04/2017 at 1:51 AM, tuko said:

With my fat clumpy fingers ???? an angle grinder of course! LOL 

I thought that you had a template for laser cutting but your design looks a lot simpler than i expected, looking good.

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Slowly making progress with the fridge drop slide, got a cold from the kids, back to work and the boss working night shifts, only a hour here and there the past few days but it's nearly done. One mistake I made was the securing pin, I was securing two moving parts together.....LOL Now that I see what I did wrong I will weld 2 tabs tomorrow that will secure the fridge tray to the platform in the landy. 

This short video I made myself, one hand with the cell phone and the other running the drop slide through it's paces which was secure and easy enough to do with just one hand.

Later in the week I'll tear it all down again (must be the 20th time so far) to give it a final coat of paint.

In a nutshell, that's it, my DIY fridge drop slide is done.

 

Todd.

 

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