UTE Fridge box and canopy

hey everyone. i currently own a 2005 mazda bravo. when i was looking to buy a fridge i had two options of where to put it, in the cabin or on the tray. i didnt want to put it in the cabin because it ook up alot of room and i wouldnt be able to fit the 60l ARB fridghe that i wanted. so i went with the tray. only problem with the tray was the exposure it had to the elements and theft.

i searched the internet and couldnt find anyone who had come up with any ideas apart from chaining it to the tray. so my only option was to make a box. when i asked arb about putting one on the tray with out protection they said it would be ok but not recommended. my ideas for the box was to protect it from water as much as possible, protect it from dirt and dust, keep it cool in summer and make it secure so it didnt bounce around and to keep it locked up.

the picture show the steps that i went through to make it. but a quick rundown of what i used is:

1. i went and purchased a box MW Toolboxes. i have one already permanently mounted on my ute and its amazing. i got one with the 'c' locks because they are safer and alot harder to break into. the struts had to be moved further back on the box so the lid could open up more then 90 degrees. this was to ensure that when i opened the fridge it could open up without hitting the box.

2. i used 4 eye bolts to hold the box to the tray. the reason for using eye bolts and not normal bolts is because i used them to attach my fridge tie down straps to. i also used 2 small mushroom head bolts and mounted them reverse so the nuts were on the inside of the box. these are just to stop the theft of the box. sounds like overkill but i like to be safe.

3. for ventilation for my box i cute two rectangles out of one end. using some louvers i found at stratco i pop riveted them to the box. using a small solar panel i directly connected it to a computer fan. i used air conditioner filter behind the louvers to protect from dust.

4. i filled all the sites with sheets of polystyrene to help control the temperature of the box. with he combination of the vents and the foam it managed to keep the box 4 degrees cooler in summer.

5. using two elastic hooks i mounted them to the front of the box and on the lid. with the c locks in place it made it difficult to get to the fridge for easy access. you would have to lock then unlock the box every time. i didnt wanna leave the locks poking out so i installed these just to take the pressure off.

the fridge is powered using an anderson plug that is directly mounted to the spare battery.

i also have some pics of how i mounted my max traxx to my other box. just using 4 loop hooks i just pop riveted them to the top of the box. it adds a little extra weight but nothing the struts of the box cant handle. this was a simple solution to get them out the way.


also in the pictures you can see my canopy. this was another issue for me as i dont have roof racks and i wanted a canopy. in simple its mounted on a gate hinge and swings 90 degrees. its just high enough and at the right angle that i can open my box with out it getting in the way.

you may also notice my shovel holder. it was designed to be put on rhino racks but having it on the tailgate means its easy to access and out of the way so it doesnt get caught while 4wding. it does have a lock built into the shovel holder itself so it cant be stolen.

i like to keep my ute clean and obstacle free. it took time to design and figure out but at the end of the day i have an awesome setup and heaps of space in the cabin.

if anyone has any questions feel free to ask.