Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Bushbound on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 12:38 +0000

I've had a 40 litre Engel mounted in my Xtra Cab for a while now and use it as a freezer with an esky for cool stuff but preparing for 3 month extended outback trip last year decided to go for a second Engel. Image

After many hours of shuffling the Engels around I found that they will fit and are quite useable if both the latches face the middle. There isn't enough room to have both unlatched at the same time, its a tight squeeze to get them both in.

First thing was to strip the rear lining, rear seat belts and all other unnecessary stuff out of the cab and make a 10mm ply wood floor for the Engels to sit on with recesses for the feet to sit in
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I decided to use 5mm plastic coated stainless steel wire and turnbuckles to hold the Engels in place -- mainly because one of my previous sponsors had provided it and it was laying around in the shed.
Make side brackets from 50 x 50 x 2.5 duragal angle that bolt through the ply and seat base with large panel washers and nylok nuts underneath and also pick up the seatbelt bolt at the rear.
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A bracket to go onto the back of the cab - had to use screws as I cant get washers and nuts behind, not 100% happy with this arrangement but had no troubles so far and done over 30,000km off road since they were fitted.
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A bracket to go onto the front of the seat base.
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Remove the original Engel handles on the latch side and replace with these
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and simply sit the 2 Engels in place and tighten down the straps

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They're a tight fit and the outside handlesactually touch the cab lining in the rear corner
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Thats how easy it is,
Geoff
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby packeteer on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 1:13 +0000

looks good mate.

how do you use them? fridge and freezer?
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Bushbound on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 1:17 +0000

packeteer wrote:looks good mate.

how do you use them? fridge and freezer?

Yeah, drivers side as freezer and passengers side is easier to access so use it as a fridge.
Engel make a 32 litre model that is the same footprint but about 150mm shallower, it may have been a better option for access but we needed all the fridge space when we left Kununurra for the Canning so think I made the right choice.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby packeteer on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 1:26 +0000

yeah, the extra space would be nice. I have the Bushman. with collar and high lid it is 53L. with a family of 4, space was tight
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby GeeBung on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 4:39 +0000

That is an awesome setup.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby dwglwc on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 4:55 +0000

Looks good Geoff. Easy access from the drivers seat 2 :-)
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby jogal on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 5:24 +0000

I used to fit to 50l waecos in the back of my extra cab ! They would fit straight in without any mods.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Hellbound on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 5:56 +0000

What sort of battery setup do you use to power both of those?
60% of the time, it works every time
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Bushbound on Wed, 05 Mar 2014 5:38 +0000

Hellbound wrote:What sort of battery setup do you use to power both of those?

Hellbound, I only have 2 X N70ZZ's (heavy duty RAC batteries) and use a constant duty relay as an isolator, with ABR's step up voltage fuse in the alternator circuit. Its marginal but gave no problems except when second battery dropped a cell. I travel everyday so they get charged daily.
A DC/DC charger and deep cycle battery is on the agenda when I can justify the $$.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Newmo081 on Sat, 23 Aug 2014 9:08 +0000

That looks great Geoff.

I am attempting to fit my new 40L Engel soon, which side of the cab would you recommend to fit a single fridge? In regards to convenience.

Cheers.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Bushbound on Sun, 24 Aug 2014 6:57 +0000

I leave the drivers side fridge in most of the time - my Hilux isn't my daily drive so its no problems.
You will have to get used to using the Engel behind the seet as access is a bit limited but I've managed for the last 100k km.
I have the original ply wood base I made to fit 1 engel behind drivers seat, can measure it to save you working out the dimensions.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby nicebike on Sun, 24 Aug 2014 7:16 +0000

I'm also interested in people's thoughts on which side to fit a single.

Access from outside to the rear of an extra cab should be easier on the left because of the passengers seat, but the weight of the fuel load is also on the left. Access from the inside should be no diff left or right.

??????????????????
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby UltraLuxe on Sun, 24 Aug 2014 7:43 +0000

I'm about to embark on a single setup with my ironman 40L however I have a plan to convert the rear window so that it can fully open and reach in to the fridge with out having to open a door. I haven't got the components yet but I think its going to work.

Cheers

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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby UltraLuxe on Sun, 24 Aug 2014 8:10 +0000

BTW sweet as setup in your extra mate, very nice.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Bushbound on Sun, 24 Aug 2014 2:34 +0000

UltraLuxe wrote:BTW sweet as setup in your extra mate, very nice.

Thanks, its a well tried and proven set up.
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby gordona000 on Sun, 24 Aug 2014 7:56 +0000

Hey all, I've set up my Waeco behind the drivers side.. Mainly so I can utilise the other rear seat for passengers..
(They also can grab the bevvies whilst 4x4ing)
Love the functionality of fridge inside the cab..


I've secured mine with some cam buckles and using the seat belt buckle..

You've got a great setup Geoff!
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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Newmo081 on Mon, 25 Aug 2014 8:19 +0000

The measurements would be much appreciated Geoff. Did you use a similar set up securing the single fridge down? As in the turn buckles ect.

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Re: Fitting 2 40 litre Engels in an Xtra Cab

Postby Bushbound on Mon, 25 Aug 2014 6:26 +0000

HOW I FITTED ONE ENGEL.

I used a piece of 20mm Form Ply - probably because it was in the shed when I needed it, I used 10mm Ply to mount the 2 engels and its performed fine.'
I've found and measured the ply base, the dog has checked my dimensions and given aproval --

Image

here's enough dimensions to get you started.

Image

The plastic coated wire and 1 turnbuckle each end I use now is much better than the 2 turnbuckles I used first, they were too hard to adjust and rattled. I tried ratchet straps but couldn't find any that were short enough from the hook to ratchet and clam straps continually came loose on corrugated roads.

Image

Originally I used 50 x 50 x 5 aluminium angle but changed to 50 x 50 x 3 galv angle - it was available in the shed when I needed it, either is good.

Image

Used a 50mm flat bottom drill to put the 4 feet into the ply, the Engel feet are about 60mm so I ran them down to about 48mm in the lathe.
Hope this helps.
Remember --- however you attach anything in the cab, make it strong enough to arrest the object in a head on crash.
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