Everything you need to know about the 50L & under tilting fridge slide
The heavy duty 50L & under tilting fridge slide is ideal for camper trailers, 4WDs and Ute canopies. It’s the perfect solution for situations when your fridge is installed too high in your vehicle for kids to access easily or when there’s not enough height to open the lid fully inside your vehicle. Essentially, this slide allows you to pull the fridge towards you and then easily pivot it downwards on a tilt. This reduces its height while keeping it locked in place, making it easy to access the contents of the fridge.
What sizes are available?
The Dunn and Watson tilt slide has a volume of 50L & under, however, we also sell other tilt slides in the following sizes, as shown below:
The length of the 50L & under tilt slide is 725mm and the total width is 515mm (445mm for the internal width and 2 x 35mm for the tilting arms), however due to the addition of the locking feature at the front, you’ll need to add an extra 25mm to your measurements. This means that the space you need available in the back of your vehicle is actually 750mm in length, whilst the width is unchanged. We suggest that you carefully measure the size of your fridge to make sure that it will comfortably fit the dimensions of the internal tray, but also make sure that you have the additional 25mm of space available to account for the locking mechanism. All of these titling fridge slides work well with the majority of fridge brands, for example Engel, Evakool and Waeco.
Gas struts make a world of difference!
Not all fridge slides come with gas struts, because if they move horizontally, there’s no need. Tilting fridge slides, however, would be extremely difficult to operate without the assistance of gas struts. That’s because some fridges are very heavy, particularly when they are fully loaded. It’s difficult to imagine trying to tilt the fridge down without gas struts and nearly impossible to lift it back up into the closed position. Our gas struts are made from a nitro carbonised shaft and a black carbon coated body, so they contrast well with the 50L & under tilting fridge slides.
Features of 50L & under Tilting Fridge Slide
Manufactured from lightweight 3mm aluminium, this 50L & under tilt slide is not only stylish, but it’s also strong, durable and corrosion resistant. This makes it ideal for anyone who lives in a coastal area or spends time travelling or camping in these areas.
This slide opens up to a full extension and since it’s gas strut assisted, it’s very easy to lower your fridge to access the contents. As these tilt slides are also combined with our 227Kg locking drawer slides, they lock in the fully open and completely closed positions. This is a safety feature that prevents the fridge sliding back and forth and injuring someone when the fridge is in use. These locking drawer slides also lock the fridge in the fully closed position, so that it won’t slide open when you’re driving. Since the slides lock in the fully open and fully closed positions, it’s important that you ensure that the slides are in the completely closed or open position to engage this locking feature.
- Manufactured from lightweight 3mm aluminium
- Can be customised to your exact dimensions
- 100% Australian made in Brisbane
- 227Kg lock in/lock out mechanism
- Gas strut assisted lift
- Easy DIY installation
Tilting fridge slide vs drop down fridge slide
Whilst having a similar functionality, these two slides operate differently and are used for different situations. For example, our Platinum Drop Down Fridge Slide has the same locking feature, but it doesn’t tilt. Instead, this fridge slide pulls the fridge forwards towards you and then drops it down 300mm in a horizontal position. Whilst a drop down fridge slide also allows you to access your fridge at a more manageable height, it’s designed to be installed on top of a drawer system or false floor. In these situations the tilt feature wouldn’t be suitable, nor would a standard pull out fridge slide.
As you can imagine, there are many scenarios when a tilting fridge slide that pivots the fridge down towards you wouldn’t operate correctly, particularly if it’s installed on the top of a drawer system or false floor. Both types of slides are designed to give you more access options than standard fridge slides, however, the option you select depends on your situation.
What if my fridge doesn’t fit the tilting slide?
As mentioned above, the 50L & under fridge tilt slide measures 725mm x 515mm. If your fridge doesn’t match these dimensions then you have two options. You can either select another of our tilting fridge slides that matches the size of your fridge (links shown above) or we can custom make a tilt slide that perfectly matches your fridge dimensions. If you prefer the custom option, then simply give us a call or enquire about our custom fabrication services.
How do I use the 50L & Under tilt slides?
These fridge slides are easy to use with the gas assisted lift. All you need to do is to unlock the front locking trigger by pressing down on them (there’s one attached to the front of each drawer slide) and pull the fridge towards you. When it reaches its fully extended horizontal position it will lock in place and then you just need to pivot the fridge downwards. When you want to replace the fridge back inside your vehicle, just pivot it up to the horizontal position again (easy with the gas assisted struts), press the trigger levers to unlock the slides and then push it back inside your vehicle, making sure that the slide is in the fully closed position and the locking mechanism has engaged.
So to sum up, this 50L & under tilting fridge slide is made from 3mm aluminium and installed with 227kg locking drawer slides. It’s also gas strut assisted so that you can easily lower the fridge to see what’s inside and then quickly raise it again to store it away safely. Most camping fridges will fit this tilt slide, but if not, we have other sizes available, as well as custom options.
Why Purchase the Dunn and Watson Tilt Fridge Slide?
One of the biggest benefits of the Dunn and Watson Tilt Fridge Slide is that it’s designed by us and manufactured in our Brisbane factory. So with everyone on the team being ardent 4WD and camping enthusiasts, we road test all our gear to make sure that it lives up to our expectations. If all the boxes are ticked, then we add it to our range, because we know our customers will also love it. This means that this Tilt Fridge Slide has been road tested and deemed perfect for the job.
Why do you need a fridge slide that pivots your fridge downwards? Well, it’s ideal for situations when your fridge is too high to allow easy access from the exterior of your vehicle and when there’s not enough head space to open the lid completely. Essentially, it moves your fridge forwards so that it clears the canopy or rear doors of your vehicle and then pivots it downwards. However, our Drop Fridge Slide also extends your fridge outside your vehicle (although it doesn’t pivot it), so what makes a tilting fridge slide better than a drop fridge slide?
Well, the Drop Fridge Slide is designed to be located on top of a drawer system, letting you extend the fridge outside your vehicle and drop it down an additional 300mm for easier access. However, it can just as easily be located on the floor of your Ute or canopy (only if the tailgate isn’t in the way). On the other hand, whilst the tilting fridge slide also extends your fridge outside your Ute or canopy it also pivots it downwards. It’s designed to be fitted on the floor of your Ute or canopy, not on top of a drawer system. So, if you don’t want to install your fridge on top of a drawer system, then either option is good, it’s just down to your preferences.
Do you actually need a Fridge Slide?
If you’re just going on a short trip that only lasts a couple of days, then you can most probably get away with an esky in the back of your truck, 4WD or Ute. Which means that you don’t need a fridge or fridge slide. However, for longer trips or if you just like the idea of having your own fridge on the road then a fridge and fridge slide are essential pieces of gear!
In fact, you don’t even need a fridge slide if you’re happy to hop in the back of your vehicle to open the fridge or you’re tall enough that you can lift the lid and find what you want without standing on something. Most people, however, find it a struggle to reach inside their fridge because it’s too high. This is where a Tilt Fridge Slide or even a Drop Fridge Slide can make a huge amount of difference to life on the road.
You can also check out our 50L and Under Sideways Tilting Fridge Slide for people who want to load their fridge sideways instead of front facing. This fridge slide is wider than it’s deep to allow for this type of installation. Options are always good!
For more information on our Tilt Fridge Slide, call us on 1300 210 549 or send us an email enquiry. We are always happy to chat.
If you are looking for a full fit out you may be interested in the following products:
4wd Cargo Drawers
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