Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

In order to retain the folding capability of the Trail Kitchen, the sink is not permanently attached to the table - it sets in a cutout in the table and hooks up to the water source with a quick connect fitting. When the sink is not installed, it and its hoses will go in a storage bag.

It might be that sometimes the sink isn't needed (a quick picnic?) so if the kitchen has the sink option and the kitchen is to be used without the sink being installed the sink cutout tabletop can be removed and the solid tabletop reinstalled in its place. This isn't a big deal, the tabletops are held in place with a few screws in a piano hinge.

As an experiment I made another option that doesn't require swapping the tabletops - this is a brushed stainless overlay that sets on the sink cutout tabletop, covering the cutout and turning the tabletop back into a solid tabletop.

This way the sink cutout tabletop can remain permanently installed on the kitchen. If the sink is to be used, it just drops into the cutout. If the sink is not to be used, it can stay in the storage bag and the stainless overlay dropped onto the tabletop, covering the sink cutout.

Not sure if this makes sense as a production option, I just wanted to experiment with the idea. Thoughts?

 

[jscherb]

I've been doing a little reengineering to improve the no-drill mount for the kitchen. Like many other slide mounts, with the original version of the mount there was really no access to the underfloor storage compartment. I've made a change so that access is possible with the kitchen installed.

Because the plastic compartment liner doesn't bend much, it's still hard to get at the jack, so I removed my jack from the stock location and put it in the compartment.

The company is also doing some reengineering on the mount, I'm sure their end result will be a little different from mine but I'm sending them photos of what I'm doing so they know what I'm up to and there's no duplication of effort.

 

[jscherb]

Dometic was an exhibitor at the Easter Jeep Safari Vendor Expo - they were selling fridges in their booth and doing such a brisk business they sold everything they had brought to sell by the afternoon of the second day. I guess fridges are getting very popular. All of the Dometic people came over to the MORryde/Retrofit Offroad stand during the show to see the Trail Kitchen; MORryde is going to provide several kitchens to Dometic for their use in upcoming shows.

The fridge in the Trail Kitchen in the Retrofit Offroad Jeep was mine, Dometic gave it to me last year at the EJS show and that started the whole Trail Kitchen design process. Since last year Dometic has updated their line of fridges; they're now two-tone gray instead of blue and gray and they've got new features such as a WiFi app for monitoring and setting fridge temperatures from a smart phone (https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/apps/cfx-app). Very cool (pun intended ).

Dometic will be an exhibitor at Overland West in May and if things go according to plan they'll have a Trail Kitchen in the Jeep at their stand. I'll be there as well, MORryde has asked to use my Jeep in their stand and of course I'll have a Trail Kitchen in mine too. And I'll also have a new model Dometic fridge, this arrived today:

Dometic would prefer that their new models get featured at shows instead of the old model I've had for the past year so they sent me this one. I'm looking forward to trying out the new WiFi features.

BTW I'm working on a compatibility list of fridges that fit in the Trail Kitchen, I'll post it in the next few days.

 

[rubicon91]

Jeff one fridge I would be really interested to know if it fits is the dometic 70l dual zone. I saw it at Jeepin with Judd and if I do the sear delete it will fit so the question becomes would it for the trail kitchen. Keep me in mind when you compile that list. I would be curious to know. I have really been pondering dual zone and having a freezer as well lately.

Edit just looked and it is this one I was a tad off going off memory from event. Dometic CFX 75DZW Portable Refrigerator

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[jscherb]

Jeff one fridge I would be really interested to know if it fits is the dometic 70l dual zone. I saw it at Jeepin with Judd and if I do the sear delete it will fit so the question becomes would it for the trail kitchen. Keep me in mind when you compile that list. I would be curious to know. I have really been pondering dual zone and having a freezer as well lately.

Donny,
I jiust checked the Dometic site (https://www.dometic.com/en/se/products/food-and-beverage/cooling-boxes/powered-boxes) and the only dual zone fridges they currently list are the CFX 65DZ, CFX 75DZW and the CFX 95DZW. Is the 70 obsolete and replaced by one of those?
jeff

 

[rubicon91]

Jeff one fridge I would be really interested to know if it fits is the dometic 70l dual zone. I saw it at Jeepin with Judd and if I do the sear delete it will fit so the question becomes would it for the trail kitchen. Keep me in mind when you compile that list. I would be curious to know. I have really been pondering dual zone and having a freezer as well lately.

Donny,
I jiust checked the Dometic site (https://www.dometic.com/en/se/products/food-and-beverage/cooling-boxes/powered-boxes) and the only dual zone fridges they currently list are the CFX 65DZ, CFX 75DZW and the CFX 95DZW. Is the 70 obsolete and replaced by one of those?
jeff

No I was off a tad. I edited my comment when I went and looked. It is the 75. Sorry about that Jeff!

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[jscherb]

No I was off a tad. I edited my comment when I went and looked. It is the 75. Sorry about that Jeff!

The 75 is a monster. I won't fit in the current preproduction kitchen as it is, but it can be made to fit - as I'm working on this compatibility list I'm seeing that pretty much all of the popular fridges will fit as the kitchen is designed currently, but there are two categories of monster fridges that will fit with a small option to the kitchen. There's one class of larger fridges that will fit if a larger fridge tray is installed on the kitchen, and these will fit with the JKU back seat still in place. There's another set of monster fridges like the 75 dual zone that can also fit with an even larger tray and the JKU back seat removed. This will all be detailed in the compatibility grid I'll post soon.

I'm recommending to the company that they add these larger trays as options, but Donny if you decide to get a Trail Kitchen and want to support a monster 75 I could make you a one-off larger tray if the company doesn't get to that option in time for you (or decides not to do that option at all).

 

[rubicon91]

The 75 is a monster. I won't fit in the current preproduction kitchen as it is, but it can be made to fit - as I'm working on this compatibility list I'm seeing that pretty much all of the popular fridges will fit as the kitchen is designed currently, but there are two categories of monster fridges that will fit with a small option to the kitchen. There's one class of larger fridges that will fit if a larger fridge tray is installed on the kitchen, and these will fit with the JKU back seat still in place. There's another set of monster fridges like the 75 dual zone that can also fit with an even larger tray and the JKU back seat removed. This will all be detailed in the compatibility grid I'll post soon.

I'm recommending to the company that they add these larger trays as options, but Donny if you decide to get a Trail Kitchen and want to support a monster 75 I could make you a one-off larger tray if the company doesn't get to that option in time for you (or decides not to do that option at all).

Jeff

Thank you and I will most definitely let you know the plan a little further down the road. It is funny about the not fitting part. I didnt think it would either with the seat however the rep at JWJ said it will fit in the rear with seat up but when I mentioned the goose gear floor plate he said no that little bit of height increase and the rear seat angle would not allow it to fit. I agree it is an absolute beast. It is something I have been pondering since I saw it. Figured if you were putting a list together lets see if it would fit or not. Other dual zone ones could work as well. The Snomaster 56L for instance. I was looking at the dometic one for what he quoted me at the event for show price. I am not set on that one especially to worry about any redesign. Here are the dimensions on the 56L below.

• Size: 28.1496 x 17.7165 x 20.6693" 715 W x 450 D x 525 H mm
• Capacity: 56 Liter (32/24 Split)Weight 59.5 Lbs

There is even the National Luna 50 and 60L dual zones also but more pricey.

Thoughts on any of these?

Thanks again Jeff.

Donny

 

[MattJ]

I really liked the Low Profile series that Snomaster offers, but I had real trouble trying to find a reliable dealer here in the US. So I ended up with a Dometic CFX-50. I use it underneath a cargo rack, just like Donny does:

https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/just-five-bolts-fridge-slide-and-cargo-rack.184396/

Jeff - if you can design a Trail Kitchen that fits a dual compartment fridge/freezer, I bet the Snomaster Low Profile series would be a great option since it is only 18.5" tall. But it sure is expensive! Maybe if you have an ice cream addiction . . .

https://www.snomasterusa.com/product/classic-series-bdc-65-stainless-steel-acdc-fridgefreezer/

 

[jscherb]

Jeff

Thank you and I will most definitely let you know the plan a little further down the road. It is funny about the not fitting part. I didnt think it would either with the seat however the rep at JWJ said it will fit in the rear with seat up but when I mentioned the goose gear floor plate he said no that little bit of height increase and the rear seat angle would not allow it to fit. I agree it is an absolute beast. It is something I have been pondering since I saw it. Figured if you were putting a list together lets see if it would fit or not. Other dual zone ones could work as well. The Snomaster 56L for instance. I was looking at the dometic one for what he quoted me at the event for show price. I am not set on that one especially to worry about any redesign. Here are the dimensions on the 56L below.

• Size: 28.1496 x 17.7165 x 20.6693" 715 W x 450 D x 525 H mm
• Capacity: 56 Liter (32/24 Split)Weight 59.5 Lbs

There is even the National Luna 50 and 60L dual zones also but more pricey.

Thoughts on any of these?

Thanks again Jeff.

Donny

I'm working my way through all the fridges I can find to add them to the compatibility list, so far I've checked Dometic, ARB, Black Forest, Smittybilt, Engel and Norcold, haven't gotten to Snomaster or National Luna yet. Anyone have a fridge brand I haven't mentioned? I'll add it to the compatibility list.

 

[jscherb]

Jeff - if you can design a Trail Kitchen that fits a dual compartment fridge/freezer, I bet the Snomaster Low Profile series would be a great option since it is only 18.5" tall. But it sure is expensive! Maybe if you have an ice cream addiction . . .

With the minor tray change I mentioned in my reply to Donny, a bunch of dual zone fridge/freezers fit just fine. Still working my way through the list.

 

[rubicon91]

I'm working my way through all the fridges I can find to add them to the compatibility list, so far I've checked Dometic, ARB, Black Forest, Smittybilt, Engel and Norcold, haven't gotten to Snomaster or National Luna yet. Anyone have a fridge brand I haven't mentioned? I'll add it to the compatibility list.

I think you have the majority of them covered now Jeff!

 

[jscherb]

I fired up the new fridge to test the WiFi app. In the first photo the app is showing the status of the fridge:

You can change the temp with the slider on the screen, and also set all the configuration parameters from the app. The app also shows an indication when the lid is opened, notice on the fridge image the lid is raised. Maybe an exclamation point or some other more noticeable sign would be helpful, but I won't quibble, the app should be pretty useful for monitoring the fridge from the driver's seat or from the roof top tent.

 

[jscherb]

I've been working on a fridge compatibility list for the Trail Kitchen. Here's the current draft, it's still a work in progress. Most of the popular mid-size fridges fit, and several of the larger fridges would work with a larger tray. I've suggested to the company that two larger tray options I've listed in the notes at the bottom of the grid be made available as options.

If I've missed any fridges you think are important let me know and I can check them out add them to the list. Also if you think I've made any errors in the list or there's something you don't understand please bring it up.

 

[rubicon91]

I've been working on a fridge compatibility list for the Trail Kitchen. Here's the current draft, it's still a work in progress. Most of the popular mid-size fridges fit, and several of the larger fridges would work with a larger tray. I've suggested to the company that two larger tray options I've listed in the notes at the bottom of the grid be made available as options.

If I've missed any fridges you think are important let me know and I can check them out add them to the list. Also if you think I've made any errors in the list or there's something you don't understand please bring it up.

Great job Jeff!

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