ARB Fridge Install

[Lou3.6]

I plan to keep my ARB fridge in the bed when we take it with us. Of course, I don't have my JT yet, but that's the plan for now. I don't have that cover for mine, was hoping it keeps the weather out of the compressor areas??

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[Rokon]

I plan to keep my ARB fridge in the bed when we take it with us. Of course, I don't have my JT yet, but that's the plan for now. I don't have that cover for mine, was hoping it keeps the weather out of the compressor areas??

The cover is added insulation, primarily from the sun. The compressor vents are mesh so it really doesn't help with weather. I don't really see rain as a problem but you don't want it in standing water. I have always kept it in my vehicles. Can't walk away and critters can't mess with it.

 

[Pion]

I plan to keep my ARB fridge in the bed when we take it with us. Of course, I don't have my JT yet, but that's the plan for now. I don't have that cover for mine, was hoping it keeps the weather out of the compressor areas??

Yeah, I did some research on that and it was a resounding - don't put a standard fridge out in the bed without being in an enclosure. Now, lucky for all of us, ARB makes an outside fridge called "Elements"....basically $1500. That's a lot of scratch, but when a normal 63qt fridge is $900, one just has to decide if (a) 63qt is big enough and (b) if it costs as much in time and money as the $600 difference to build/buy/install an enclosure. I'm still in debate mode on it.

 

[Moabite]

Here are a couple of photos of what I had in my '13 JKU. I will remove the rear seat and do something similar in the JT and will mount my 63-qt ARB back there.

 

[smlobx]

Here are a couple of photos of what I had in my '13 JKU. I will remove the rear seat and do something similar in the JT and will mount my 63-qt ARB back there.

That’s sweet!

Did you make it or buy it?

 

[Moabite]

That’s sweet!

Did you make it or buy it?

A friend made it...same guy who also ordered a nearly identical Gladiator from the same dealer. He plans to make something similar for his and mine whenever the vehicles get here. Mine has been shipped...his got stuck in JB. We both plan to remove the rear seat.

 

[WhatExit?]

Great thread @Rokon and everyone - thanks for your posts!

I'm interested in being able to remove the back seats too. Is there a thread on that? What can you tell me about removing the seats - is it 4 nuts per seat and what about the seat belts? Did you need a breaker bar to loosen the nuts?

I'd like to be able to take the seats out and put them back in again

And I'll likely build a platform to flatten the floor and hold my fridge/freezer.

 

[Rokon]

Great thread @Rokon and everyone - thanks for your posts!

I'm interested in being able to remove the back seats too. Is there a thread on that? What can you tell me about removing the seats - is it 4 nuts per seat and what about the seat belts? Did you need a breaker bar to loosen the nuts?

I'd like to be able to take the seats out and put them back in again

And I'll likely build a platform to flatten the floor and hold my fridge/freezer.

You need female Torx sockets. Comes apart very easily. Seat belt stays with the truck. No breaker bar needed.

 

[WhatExit?]

You need female Torx sockets. Comes apart very easily. Seat belt stays with the truck. No breaker bar needed.

Thanks! Any more info you can provide? How many nuts for both seats? Any idea what size female Torx sockets? How long will it take to get them out (and back in) of the Gladiator?

Sorry for so many questions but better to ask someone with experience than having to figure it all out the first time

 

[Moabite]

You will need an E14 torx socket. I could not find one anywhere in Moab but was able to locate a set of the female torx sockets at an auto parts store in Grand Junction.

I bought an impact wrench strictly to remove the bolts on the back seat in my JKUR, but the bolts on the JT seats were much easier to remove...no breaker bar needed. A 10-12 inch wrench should do it. There are 4 bolts for each seat (if I remember right) and 2 bolts that hold the sections together. Total weight on the seats is about 90 pounds. The seats are quick and easy to remove and I'm sure would not take long to put back in.

My 63-quart ARB took up too much space in the back, so I bought a 40 qt. Dometic. It fits perfectly. I've had several Dometic/Waeco fridges in the past and they were all great. The controls are easily accessible from the passenger door and there's plenty of room for the lid to open all the way. Plus I can control and monitor it with an app on the iPhone.

I installed a dual battery system in the JKUR to power the fridge but went a different route this time. I picked up Dometic's PLB40 Lithium power supply. It's only 17 pounds and easily powers the 40 qt. for a full day (maybe 2) in temperatures well over 100 degrees...MUCH longer when ambient temps are lower. It can be re-charged via solar or from the vehicle's DC power port when running, or from AC.

 

[WhatExit?]

You will need an E14 torx socket. I could not find one anywhere in Moab but was able to locate a set of the female torx sockets at an auto parts store in Grand Junction.

I bought an impact wrench strictly to remove the bolts on the back seat in my JKUR, but the bolts on the JT seats were much easier to remove...no breaker bar needed. A 10-12 inch wrench should do it. There are 4 bolts for each seat (if I remember right) and 2 bolts that hold the sections together. Total weight on the seats is about 90 pounds. The seats are quick and easy to remove and I'm sure would not take long to put back in.

My 63-quart ARB took up too much space in the back, so I bought a 40 qt. Dometic. It fits perfectly. I've had several Dometic/Waeco fridges in the past and they were all great. The controls are easily accessible from the passenger door and there's plenty of room for the lid to open all the way. Plus I can control and monitor it with an app on the iPhone.

I installed a dual battery system in the JKUR to power the fridge but went a different route this time. I picked up Dometic's PLB40 Lithium power supply. It's only 17 pounds and easily powers the 40 qt. for a full day (maybe 2) in temperatures well over 100 degrees...MUCH longer when ambient temps are lower. It can be re-charged via solar or from the vehicle's DC power port when running, or from AC.

Great post - great help, thanks!

Thanks for the info on the Torx E14 socket and the bolts and weight estimate.

I assume the pics are all of your JT Gladiator. It looks like you built a platform and covered it with black auto fabric.

Any info on the platform you can provide to us?

Thanks again!

 

[Moabite]

Great post - great help, thanks!

Thanks for the info on the Torx E14 socket and the bolts and weight estimate.

I assume the pics are all of your JT Gladiator. It looks like you built a platform and covered it with black auto fabric.

Any info on the platform you can provide to us?

Thanks again!

The floor is half-inch plywood with some 1x4 along the bottom of the back edge to bring it up to the right level and along the driver's side edge for bracing. There are three 2x4 legs attached with metal L-brackets...two near the front corners and one near the center. This is the carpet I used, but when I click on the link now, it only shows a tan color available: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071SG24KY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I removed the locking storage box that came with the Rubicon but left the bolt storage box and cut the plywood to retain access to it.

 

[WhatExit?]

The floor is half-inch plywood with some 1x4 along the bottom of the back edge to bring it up to the right level and along the driver's side edge for bracing. There are three 2x4 legs attached with metal L-brackets...two near the front corners and one near the center. This is the carpet I used, but when I click on the link now, it only shows a tan color available: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071SG24KY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I removed the locking storage box that came with the Rubicon but left the bolt storage box and cut the plywood to retain access to it.

This is super helpful! I'm planning on doing the same thing.

If you have more info and/or pics on the bolt locations and what the bottom of your platform looks like please do post them.

In your previous post you said, "There are 4 bolts for each seat (if I remember right) and 2 bolts that hold the sections together."

Did you take the seat out in one piece and then unbolt them or did you unbolt the seats from the floor and then unbolt the seats from each other and take them out one at a time or ???

I put my fridge/freezer in back on top of the folded seats and it emphasized just how much space is lost when the seats are still in the Gladiator folded (or unfolded)! I've got to get them out.

 

[expfinn]

Here’s where I’m trying out my fridge. Just removed the 40 portion of the 60/40 split seat.

 

[Moabite]

This is super helpful! I'm planning on doing the same thing.

If you have more info and/or pics on the bolt locations and what the bottom of your platform looks like please do post them.

In your previous post you said, "There are 4 bolts for each seat (if I remember right) and 2 bolts that hold the sections together."

Did you take the seat out in one piece and then unbolt them or did you unbolt the seats from the floor and then unbolt the seats from each other and take them out one at a time or ???

I put my fridge/freezer in back on top of the folded seats and it emphasized just how much space is lost when the seats are still in the Gladiator folded (or unfolded)! I've got to get them out.

Sorry, I do not have photos of the underside of the floor. I took it out last weekend to install risers on the front passenger seat and could have taken some then...but had no reason to do so at that time. Basically, I cut a 50.5" x 27.5" piece of plywood, laid it in the back and carefully marked the locations for the 3 bolts that hold it in place and for clearance around the console and bolt box..

I unbolted the larger seat and tried to remove it. That's when I discovered the 2 bolts holding the seats together. It's much easier to remove each seat separately.

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