Just Downsized to a Renegade (build and trips)

[Renegade Camping]

That looks incredible...I'll take it...send me an invoice please.

Which Dometic is that? I was leaning towards a Truma C36, but am also considering a Domestic CFF 35 or 45.

 

[jgaz]

I can’t say cooking smells have ever been a problem either on the WK or the Renegade, so not something I’ve been concerned with so far, When loaded up the parcel shelf has crates on it that pretty much block the interior off anyway.

I got the new draw pretty much finished this weekend. It was mostly prepping and painting and making the lid for the drawer, but I also enlarged the cutout on the LH panel to give a bit more clearance around the second burner control. Just still need to tweak the alignment of the drawer runners and some tidying up of some details, like a catch to lock the drawer in place. I might also modify the draw lid into a flip our tray. Hopefully it won't be too long before the lockdown is relaxed and we can get back into the great outdoors!

Great design. Excellent execution!

 

[crossed-up]

Thanks both, I really was to get out and use it - maybe I'll have to go for a 'staycation' in the drive

Which Dometic is that? I was leaning towards a Truma C36, but am also considering a Domestic CFF 35 or 45.

It' a CDF 16, so pretty small compared to the units most people on here use, but I don't think you would want to anything much bigger in the Renegade unless you don't want to run rear seats/passengers. It actually takes up pretty much the whole of the '40' side of the 60/40 spit rear seat width, and runs from the seat back to the tailgate. My brother has the smaller CDF11 which travels on the middle seat when he uses it. But when travelling with the two vehicles we generally only use mine and rotate product through it too cool bags as required, and tend to buy fresh stuff to consume each day if possible.

You may be able to fit a bigger model in but this is how the CDF 16 stacks up in my setup.

Control panel almost butts up to back of rear seat and take almost full width. (Only just switched it on hence the high temperature!)

Other end is almost flush with the tailgate when closed.

There's space above to the parcel shelf though.

Not the biggest in side (just <16 litres but you can can get a surprising amount in there if you get rid of unnecessary packaging and don't just fill it with drinks bottles etc. A litre carton of milk shown for comparison.

 

[Renegade Camping]

Thanks both, I really was to get out and use it - maybe I'll have to go for a 'staycation' in the drive



It' a CDF 16, so pretty small compared to the units most people on here use, but I don't think you would want to anything much bigger in the Renegade unless you don't want to run rear seats/passengers. It actually takes up pretty much the whole of the '40' side of the 60/40 spit rear seat width, and runs from the seat back to the tailgate. My brother has the smaller CDF11 which travels on the middle seat when he uses it. But when travelling with the two vehicles we generally only use mine and rotate product through it too cool bags as required, and tend to buy fresh stuff to consume each day if possible.

You may be able to fit a bigger model in but this is how the CDF 16 stacks up in my setup.

Control panel almost butts up to back of rear seat and take almost full width. (Only just switched it on hence the high temperature!)

Other end is almost flush with the tailgate when closed.

There's space above to the parcel shelf though.

Not the biggest in side (just <16 litres but you can can get a surprising amount in there if you get rid of unnecessary packaging and don't just fill it with drinks bottles etc. A litre carton of milk shown for comparison.

Thanks for the description and pictures...helps a lot! I'll have to bust out the tape measure and kick around just how much space I'm willing to devote to such an item. They've got a CDF-11 (entirely too small) and a CF-18, which I guess is the closest in size to yours. No CDF-16 that I could find.

 

[jeepgc]

Good work - looks really good!

You are just showing off with your "real" cutlery and "real" wooden spoon.

You should be using a 12" multi tool with a fold out wooden spoon instead.

 

[crossed-up]

Good work - looks really good!

You are just showing off with your "real" cutlery and "real" wooden spoon.

You should be using a 12" multi tool with a fold out wooden spoon instead.

I've always used proper cutlery, much more civilised - I do draw the line at silver candelabra's and cut-glass decanters though!

 

[crossed-up]

Nearly finished but the quality inspector is casting a critical eye...

 

[Renegade Camping]

What's the weight when fully loaded?

 

[jeepgc]

Nearly finished but the quality inspector is casting a critical eye...

That looks fantastic, amazing work to get all of that in the space available and looks to be a quality application - will be surprised if you don't end up receiving some orders.

Being a dog person, am not sure about the bird scarer ornament and whether it would actually keep aggressive seagulls away from your dinner .

 

[borison]

Amazing packaging, great looking work.

 

[crossed-up]

What's the weight when fully loaded?

I'm not sure without weighing it all. I've tried to keep it as light as possible though with most of the weight coming from the actual kit rather than the build itself. The runners are probably the biggest individual contributor though. I’ll weigh it at some point.

Amazing packaging, great looking work.

Thanks borison, I’m still working out the optimum way to repack my kit as the extra drawer has freed up some space in the other areas.

That looks fantastic, amazing work to get all of that in the space available and looks to be a quality application - will be surprised if you don't end up receiving some orders.
Being a dog person, am not sure about the bird scarer ornament and whether it would actually keep aggressive seagulls away from your dinner .

Thanks jeepgc, it’s amazing how dogs suddenly appear when you get the stove out in the middle of nowhere

With time on my hands during the current lockdown I had been thinking about producing a kit. If I was doing it from scratch then I would make the base frame follow the entire perimeter of the loadspace and fit the main drawer to that, hinged at the back (of the drawer box) edge. That would simplify the bracketry and allow it all to lift up to get better access to the wheel well. It may also be possible to allow the drawer box to be slide sideways to accommodate different configurations with and without the fridge. I’m back at work now though, so haven’t been able to put any more time into it.

Speaking of the lockdown, my brother sent me this yesterday - he's had time on his hands too...

 

[crossed-up]

With the announcement that we're now allowed a bit more freedom to visit the countryside, I ventured out in the Jeep on the local lanes this afternoon. I only went few miles but it was great just to spend a few relaxing hours in the out in the sunshine with the camera...

 

[crossed-up]

I went out to the local market town today to have a walk around and get some maps and travel books from the book shop there, now that the lockdown has been eased somewhat (big trip planning ahead!)

Although it’s been raining heavily here on and off for a couple of days, the sun has been out all weekend and everywhere seemed pretty dry, so I decided to make my way home via a small stretch of the old Roman Gartree Road. Much of this ancient road has now been adopted into the main road network in and around the city but there are still a few unpaved sections like this that remain legally drivable. These sections vary from a pleasant gravel track to a full-on impassable quagmire and water crossings depending on the season and state of maintenance, but thankfully today it was lovely and dry apart from some large puddles, and the ford was only just over half-wheel height. So it was a pleasant half hour taking in the scenery.

I have had may adventures on the track over the years so when I got back to look at the pics, out of interest, I also dug through some old pictures for comparison.

I only ran a short section of the track, joining about half way along the legally drivable route. This is a few hundred yards in to the section.

...before it opens out to the view across the local lush countryside.

Many years ago (early 90's) I dropped my Lada Niva into the ditch on this section travelling in the opposite direction. We were out night laning and just slid embarrassingly into the ditch whilst climbing the hill. It was just a mud track in those days and the soft edge just broke away very slowly. This was the following morning when we came back to retrieve it

Arriving at the ford.

Thie entry and exit to this has been considerably flattened over the years. This is how it looked in about 1990 when we regularly drove the Niva and Panda 4x4 through it. I'd forgotten how rough the track was in those days; completely unsurfaced and deep tractor ruts. It was just at the top of picture where the Niva ended up in the ditch.
In those days it wasn't unusual for the water to be up to the brick bridge arches after heavy rain!

Exiting the ford today.

There's still a few muddy sections, but there's rock below it.

Towards the end of the section. The green wheat crop in the fields looked almost surreal today.

Weather permitting I may decide to run the full length of the road in few weeks. In the meantime I think I may dig out and scan some more old pics.

 

[crossed-up]

Today I spent some time on a little fabrication project to make the most of the folding plastic crates I use as my ’storage solution’. I like these crates as they are very space efficient, lightweight, cheap, and can be collapsed or opened as required. I carry two permanently; one for general vehicle stuff like emergency spares, fluids etc, and another mostly empty one for a general place to put stuff like shopping other things that would otherwise just be chucked it the luggage area when required. There is then room for a third that tends to be used for something specific to a particular outing, such as rallying gear, boots/clothing. camping gear, biking kit, or food etc.

The job was simply to make some ali lids. As well as the obvious function of keeping the contents covered and contained, they also allow the crates to be stacked more easily and also allow them to be used as light duty tables at camp. The lids can also double as work trays/surfaces.

Not the most exiting of projects but I think it has made a big difference to usability.

Getting started by measuring out the 1.2mm ali sheet.

Air shears made short work of all the cutting. I made three lids in total.

Folding the edges. I was going to go weld up the corners, but in the end went for a simple open corner design.

Crate folded flat with a lid top and bottom takes up little space.

Crates stack much easier with the lids in place

General vehicle care crate, and photo gear crate packed with pick ’n’ pluck foam.

There is still quite a lot of space either side of the crates on the parcel shelf for kit, and room for a duffle bag next to the lower crate.

 

[jgaz]

Very nice!