Fridge fitting dilemma in tacoma

[Loober]

I currently have my 02 xtra cab tacoma bed setup pretty well for sleeping. All the things i bring on my trips fit in about four bins so it take about 10min to empty the bed completely in order for me and my gf to sleep back there. I am currently using just a regular old cooler that i also take out in order to sleep back there, it fits nice right before the wheel well on either side so its easily accessible.

I want to get a 12v fridge in the near future, I obviosuly do not want to take it out every time like i do with my ice chest. If i put it where my ice chest is now I am afriad it will be too cramped in the bed for the both of us.

I do not like the idea of putting it inside the cab like some have, just looks too cramped to access all the time.

Anyone have any idead

 

[djrez4]

Are you sleeping on an elevated platform or just in the bed itself?

 

[Loober]

yea just in the bed itself no platform, thought about that too, but dont want to add all that extra weight. We basically just roll out 2 of those rei foam pads and good to go, works pretty **************

 

[Wonderland]

Fab up a bumper with a swing out for the spare tire. Build a sunken box through the bed where the original location of the spare was. Drop the fridge in there.

Or in put it in the cab.

Or find a gonga deal on a Wildernest or Flip Pac, so you don't have to remove anything to sleep.

Or can the fridge idea...we have no need for one. Dry Ice and a cooler works great.

 

[dustboy]

Fab up a bumper with a swing out for the spare tire. Build a sunken box through the bed where the original location of the spare was. Drop the fridge in there.

Or in put it in the cab.

Or find a gonga deal on a Wildernest or Flip Pac, so you don't have to remove anything to sleep.

Or can the fridge idea...we have no need for one. Dry Ice and a cooler works great.

Hmm, I have the same question as Loober. Good ideas Wonderland.

Unless you have the access cab with rear doors, the fridge in the extracab is too hard to get to. Besides that's my dog's territory.

Never thought of sinking the fridge thru the bed floor, with my sleeping platform that could work. But the idea of cutting thru the bed floor..that's a big leap.

If you use dry ice, how do you keep it from freezing all your food?

 

[Martinjmpr]

Platforms don't have to be heavy or expensive. If you have a shell you can make one like I had in my taco:

1. Cut 4 2 x 4s to go across the width of the bed, resting on the lower "lip" of the shell that sits on top of the bed:

2. Measure some plywood so you can put two plywood boards on top of the 2x4s. You could use a single piece, but it would not fit as well and would be more difficult to put in and take out. With two pieces you can fit it around the topper clamps for a tight fit that goes all the way across.

3. Leave enough extra space in the measurements to allow you to put indoor/outdoor carpeting on the plywood pieces.

4. Now you have a surface to sleep on....

AND you have room to slide your gear boxes and cooler underneath!

Best of all, you can install or remove this whole setup in just a few minutes.

If you live near Denver, I actually have this setup sitting in my garage and you can just come and get it. I have a 4runner now and can't use it.

 

[Wonderland]

If you use dry ice, how do you keep it from freezing all your food?

Big cooler! :elkgrin:

Dry Ice on one side for the frozen goodies, then use a divider for the not so frozen goodies. Pack what you want to stay frozen directly on top of dry ice, anything else that doesn't need to be frozen but cooled, can go on top of those products.

The dry ice will make your HO2 ice longer too, I have gone 2 weeks in the mountains before with little loss of ice.

I try to keep my setup as simple as possible, no fridge, no water pumps, try not to use batteries. I don't like gadgets. Just something more to break.

Or go even simpler, bring non-perishables.

.

Never thought of sinking the fridge thru the bed floor, with my sleeping platform that could work. But the idea of cutting thru the bed floor..that's a big leap.

Eh, it is only a vehicle. Toyota built thousands of them. You could find a donor bed at a scrap yard, if you are leery of cutting up your own. I am actually debating on ditching mine for a flatbed. I want to run toolboxes the length of the bed, then bolt a Wildernest or FlipPac to the top of the boxes. Use the boxes for easy access to tools and such.

It probably won't look pretty, but I am kinda going for that look. I go to Baja a lot, I don't want a pretty rig down there. I might go as far as going to salvage yard and getting different colored hood and doors, make it "look" like a POS.

 

[KG6BWS]

http://www.bajataco.com/bajataco.html

Check out his install. He mounted his fridge inside the xcab.

 

[toy_tek]

Martin, I don't think you can fit a fridge under that sleeping platform! This is the same dilemma 4Runner owners face: where to put the fridge. Its sort of a PITA.

SOAZ cut his floor a little where the fridge sits, dropped it down and sleeps over top on the sleeping platform.

I opted to build a 12" high platform in the back 30" of my truck and mount the fridge to a slideout on the platform. I sleep underneath the platform on the floor.

 

[Ursidae69]

You do lose space if you put it in the interior, but you adjust and get used to it.

Here is mine with my homemade platform to secure the fridge.

 

[Wes Craiglow]

Mine's on a slider. Its rides tucked up "inside" the sleep platform while I'm rolling, then when I get to a place for the night, I slide it out. Once the fridge is in the out position, I have a panel which fills in the gap, that way I end up with full sleeping room for two.

(During construction and uncarpeted. However, this is how things look during movement with the fridge slider in.)

(Here you can see how it looks ready for sleeping with that drop-in panel in place behind the fridge.)​

I'm very pleased with how this works for my needs. I must say, though, that this big/fancy platform is quite heavy, so be prepared to do some suspension changes if you're riding factory springs.

 

[Connie]

We have the Waco 25 for our Range Rover, we chose it because space is an issue. It's pretty slim, if it were mounted at the foot end of the sleeping area, you might not notice it much. It holds a lot even though it is one of the smaller fridges.

I like that set up 6string, nicely laid out.

 

[Wonderland]

6String:

Do you throw a tarp over the back also, to keep out the elements? Keep the heat in?

 

[Youngunner]

The is another guy here who fabbed up a cool diamondplate shelf in the extended cab for his fridge. Kind of what I'm looking to do. Also, I plan to make one of the side pop out windows hinge all the way open as a reach-through to my fridge. I'll post a thread when that project is under way.

 

[Wes Craiglow]

6String:

Do you throw a tarp over the back also, to keep out the elements? Keep the heat in?

Depends on the weather. If it's nice out, then everything stays open. If it's cold and/or very windy, then I'll usually pull down all the hatches and just bundle up in my appropriately-rated bag. As evidenced by my platform/fridge configuration, the tailgate must stay down, though.

I will put the tarp up if things look rainy:

(So far so good in moderate wind. I just guy it out real well... the rain is channelled to each side of the truck,
so everything stays surprisingly dry. Not perfect, nor permanent, but I like this setup so far. Was cheap, too!)
​

Also, I plan to make one of the side pop out windows hinge all the way open as a reach-through to my fridge. I'll post a thread when that project is under way.

Like the sound of this! Please keep us posted as it happens!