Customise Hard lid

Hello All

This is my first post - the search button has answered all my other questions

Q: Has anyone got a fridge and kept their hard lid

Explanation: I have just bought a Evakool fridgemate 70L to go with my recently purchased 2006 D22 Navara.

The problem is that the fridge doesn't fit under the hard lid with the stupid reinforcement ribbing. There is only about 15mm in it! I knew this before I bought it but I bought it anyway.

Options:
buy a canopy - too much $ and too difficult to take off/on

Buy a soft tonneau - possible but i like the look of the hard cover and also worry about security and dust getting under a flapping tonneau. I could have both but it means I'll sometimes have a hard cover on with lugs running down the side of the car.

Modify the hard lid - cut out the ribbing to get the extra height and leave it OR cut out the ribbing and get it plastic welded in a higher spot. Might be possible - anyone done it?

Buy a new hard lid with out the ribbing - a far as I know the Nissan hard lid is the only 3 piece where i can keep my roll bar and lights.

Does anybody have a solution or suggestions to fix my dilemma

Cheers!!!

Nathan

Mate I have been wondering the exact same thing for ages. I have no idea what to do as I also quite like the look of the hard lid, the security it provides for my tools and stuff is great. The only real way around it is to buy a canopy and only put it on when camping which doesn't really appeal to me too much as they are bloody expensive and take up a bit of room when storing it in the shed. I have a genuine hard lid and it also has plenty of reinforcement under it so I don't think that will be a solution. The only other thing I thought of doing was selling my 40L engel and go out and buy 2 x 29L engels as I think they are a bit lower and would fit. Not really a cost effective solution though. At the moment every time I go camping I remove the hardlid and everything gets covered in mud and dust and I have to keep a close eye on everything when dropping in at the shops, not ideal at all. A mate of mine has a hilux and he made a lid himself out of aluminium sheet with some bracing and then cut a suitable rectangle for the engel to pop out from. Kind of defeats the purpose of having it lockable and relatively dust free IMHO.

Its always anoyed me how much the bracing ribs sit below the tub height.

Ive seen a few aftermarket a lids that dont have this problem.

I recon it would be fine if you cut a section out. When its closed the tub would be supporting it anyway.

You could always bend some flat aluminium and fit if it caused a problem.

I bought the fridgemate 70L because i reckon it was the best fridge out there PLUS it was long and low rather than short and deep.

From memory the only other fridge that was lower was a 32L engel.

I have spoken to a plastic welder and it would cost apx $500 to reweld the same section back in (up higher) once I had cut it out. I think there must still be a better and cheaper solution - I just haven't thought of it yet ;-)

But that option is available to anyone who is happy to spend those $.

Those with soft tonneaus how much dirt/dust gets in while 4x4/touring/camping?

Also has anyone got close up photos of how the D40 tonneau is attached?

Waiting for that light bulb.......

I also forgot to say with the evakool sitting on a 10mm rubber mat there is still 40mm between the top of the esky cabinet and the bottom of the ribbing

This means you could make your own lid - 40mm is still pretty good insulation.

I'm not a fan of this idea either - but it might tickle someones fancy

nathan96 said:

Those with soft tonneaus how much dirt/dust gets in while 4x4/touring/camping?

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FARKIN HEAPS on the D22, but I just blow out the fridge with a bit of compress air occasionally, I'd say on the D40 its probably better due to the way they clip over rather than just using bungie loops like the D22, but I still wouldn't count on it being dust free.

I might look into cutting some of the ribbing out and use a two part epoxy like araldite or something to glue some ally back in place to strengthen it back up. Have to take a few measurements and see if its possible. I still get a fair bit of dust in the back even with the hard lid on though.

I wouldnt bother trying to glue it Jon. I have used self tapping screws in the bracing of mine and as the plastic is so thick they bite in realy well.

I screwed a tarp to the inside back of mine as the damn thing leaks when it rains.

Yeah I don't know of any other option though, If I screw something in for strength the screws will protrude through to the top of the hardlid. It probably doesn't even need it anyway. I'll look into it a bit more if I get a chance.

I was thinking bend the ends of the metal support over and screw to the remaining underside bracing.

How often do use guys use your fridges ?

I was thinking of buying one but am thinking now if Kev gives me the money I might get a set of Cheezy slider's and brush bar's. Probably have to upgrade the torsion bars when they go on.

Dave.

I haven't used mine camping yet - still getting the pieces together to complete the dual battery set up.

But I have been using it at home as all fridge, all freezer and fridge/freezer to get used to the thermostat control etc.

Jon, when do you reckon you start slicing and dicing - I would much prefer you to be the guinea pig

Haha, yeah bit strapped for time at the moment. Actually packing to get ready to assist with the fires in Vic. I'm not all that keen on the idea just yet, it is an option but I still need to do some more thinking in regards to how I am going to setup the tub area for camping.

Dave STR I use my fridge pretty often mate but it just isn't secure in the back so I can't leave it there like I used to with my patrol. Once you start using a fridge you'll wonder how you ever got by without it! If you do a fair bit of camping it would be a good purchase. Engel has brought out a cheaper plastic fridge now too which looks pretty good.

Dave_str said:

How often do use guys use your fridges ?

I was thinking of buying one but am thinking now if Kev gives me the money I might get a set of Cheezy slider's and brush bar's. Probably have to upgrade the torsion bars when they go on.

Dave.

Click to expand...

I use my 2 Waecos all the time, when not in the camper trailer or in the car, one is a 2nd freezer, and the other is the beer fridge on 240v at home.

i use my fridge all the time, its great not worring about ice.

I dont have an issue with dust/water getting in under my soft tonneau cover. some gets in but not enough to cause grief.

So does anybody have photos of the D40 fixing system for their soft covers?

Any more opinions of dust being a problem with soft covers?