drop down fridge slides

[straydingo]

The missus has told me she wants a fridge in the back of the car when we go to the Centre later in the year. We don't normally carry one, just use the one in the van, but F-I-L has a CF50 I can borrow. If I put it in the car, it will need to sit on the drawers and unlikely to be able to open it, even with a standard horizontal slide due to the lift up tailgate. So a drop down slide looks the go, but $700 for an MSA one or $1000 for a black widow !!!!

Are there any other brands anyone knows of? Any experience with them - other than the simple convenience, are they really worth as much as a new fridge again....?

Another option is a box on the drawer bar - with the spare already on the back of the van the intention is a steel box anyway, so could potential fit the fridge...just. But it will need to be ventilated, (also for the gas cylinders if I put them in there) so am I going to be getting too much dust in there and then into the fridge mechanics on dirt/gravel 'roads'?

Any other suggestions? Prefer not in the van where I then need to put it under the annex when stopped if I can avoid it.

Further option is I buy a single drawer unit, (another $430) and have the fridge on a standard slide next to it, and sell the double drawers to even out in the end.....

 

[Ben Stanford]

I had a MSA fridge slide that dropped down and it was fantastic. It had the 80 litre waeco on it and was the only way we could reach to get into the fridge. Unfortunately it died and untimely deatch when I was hit by a truck and ended up on my side on the side of the road. I bounced of 2 trees before landing and luckily the fridge and slide took the brunt of the hit, saved the roof coming down on me, but fridge and slide died. They are a great idea, in my opinion!

 

[Moto Mech]

We have a MSA drop slide for our 60lt Engel, fantastic thing but very pricey.
One option is a tilt slide, instead of the sissor action the whole slide tilts and allows easy acsess. I built one for previous vehicle but believe you can buy them now

 

[TACA]

We also have the MSA drop slide on our drawers, but as @Moto Mech said, fantastic but pricey.
One thing I will give MSA a wrap for is that a bolt did shear off on ours about 2 years after buying it, and when I rang to try and source another, they had no hesitation in sending 2 down free of charge. Great customer service.

 

[Moto Mech]

Yeah, ours broke 3 weeks into its first trip, the locking lever pin pulled out meaning it didnt latch automatically. One email and new slide assy. was waiting for me when we got home. Noticed that they dont use the pin set up any more, they use a bolt and nyloc nut.

 

[chartrock]

I had a MSA fridge slide that dropped down and it was fantastic. It had the 80 litre waeco on it and was the only way we could reach to get into the fridge. Unfortunately it died and untimely deatch when I was hit by a truck and ended up on my side on the side of the road. I bounced of 2 trees before landing and luckily the fridge and slide took the brunt of the hit, saved the roof coming down on me, but fridge and slide died. They are a great idea, in my opinion!View attachment 21821

OUCH!! That would have hurt. I hope all are OK.

 

[Marv_mart]

I had a MSA fridge slide that dropped down and it was fantastic. It had the 80 litre waeco on it and was the only way we could reach to get into the fridge. Unfortunately it died and untimely deatch when I was hit by a truck and ended up on my side on the side of the road. I bounced of 2 trees before landing and luckily the fridge and slide took the brunt of the hit, saved the roof coming down on me, but fridge and slide died. They are a great idea, in my opinion!View attachment 21821

Ouch and Ouch again. All OK with you though?
Hank

 

[dagree]

Triple Ouch!!!!! Luckily you are here to do a "show and tell" ..... The car, fridge and slide can be replaced. Your lives can not.

I had a MSA fridge slide that dropped down and it was fantastic. It had the 80 litre waeco on it and was the only way we could reach to get into the fridge. Unfortunately it died and untimely deatch when I was hit by a truck and ended up on my side on the side of the road. I bounced of 2 trees before landing and luckily the fridge and slide took the brunt of the hit, saved the roof coming down on me, but fridge and slide died. They are a great idea, in my opinion!View attachment 21821

 

[Ben Stanford]

Would you believe I ended up with a jarred right shoulder, and a couple of scratches on my hands from glass, but I walked away! So am extremely lucky, wallet was lightened dramatically as I had to replace a great car, but in my line of work I have learnt you can replace cars, but I still haven't worked out how to clone people! Waeco market their fridges by saying you can park a 4wd on them, well that is testament to the quality of the fridge, I don't think they wanted to test it out at 100km/h and having a truck hit you, but all good!

 

[straydingo]

thanks for the thoughts.
I need to the get the fridge off F-I-L, but that won't be for a couple of weeks. But now that I've put the newly carpeted drawers back in and measured proper-like, there should be enough room for a straight slide and lid up under the tailgate. Drop the air suspension down, and access should be easy enough for she and me. Kids not so much, but...ehhh....
I did look at the tilt ones on ebay Moto, but I just wouldn't feel comfortable with that...looked scary.
MSA...so what you're all saying is they are good...but break (even if it takes a truck to break it)...and have good customer service....
And Ben, Ben, Ben....:jaw: thats a nice to walk away from!!!

 

[Drover]

I found standing on a milkcrate was more economical.

 

[ShaneT]

I had a MSA fridge slide that dropped down and it was fantastic. It had the 80 litre waeco on it and was the only way we could reach to get into the fridge. Unfortunately it died and untimely deatch when I was hit by a truck and ended up on my side on the side of the road. I bounced of 2 trees before landing and luckily the fridge and slide took the brunt of the hit, saved the roof coming down on me, but fridge and slide died. They are a great idea, in my opinion!View attachment 21821

Did you go back and turn your lights off so you didnt get a flat battery? Flat batteries always put a damper on your trip

 

[ShaneT]

Cheaper option, not as fancy as a drop down but at less than half the price....

 

[bigcol]

so many options...........
how many kiddlettes do you have? 3 your buggered, if 2........ maybe sit in between them on the seat?????

tilt ones are just as good as the drop down ones......... either either

or yes, change your draws setup for 1 draw and a spot for the fridge (thats what I have)
day trips, touring, camping - the 40L goes in the back..........