American Adventure Lab's base and fridge slide

[chairborne33]

I am looking to add a fridge, fridge slide and storage options to my Wrangler. I've been looking at American Adventure Lab's products and I had a few questions.

1. Does anyone have the AAL system installed? If so, what size fridge were you able to fit? How much height did the base and slide add?
2. How was the install? Were the provided instructions clear? (They don't have their instructions online)
3. How did you wire your fridge? Did you use the built in 12V in the storage area or did you use another power source (Yeti, dual battery, aux battery in storage compartment, etc.)
4. How is the quality of the AAL stuff?

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[Glen722]

After a few camping trips, I knew I needed a drawer, shelf, and refer slide system. I wanted something rugged, stoutly-built out of metal, a simple bolt-on system, an adjustable-height shelf, and something that I could take out in an hour or two if needed. I zeroed in on American Adventure Lab’s Modular Adaptable Storage System (MASS) with an adjustable-height shelf, fridge slide, and drawers. Not wanting buyer’s remorse, I made an appointment and drove six hours to their location to see their system. When I got home, I ordered one. It is a fantastic system— stoutly-built; precisely engineered; fits like a glove; the slide mechanism is smooth; and the quality of the build, fit, and finish is top-notch.

I have a 37-quart ARB refrigerator with the insulating transit bag cover. When pulling out the slide, the top of the transit bag just barely misses the bottom of the shelf for the first five inches (the latch area) then it clears the bottom of the shelf by about 1/4" the rest of the way out. The bottom of the refer slide is at the same level as the bottom of the drawers. I got two six-inch drawers because the three-inch drawers just looked too small to hold much. The drawers have three removable metal dividers that are cleverly engineered to come out easily, remain rigidly in place, and can be secured with a zip tie at the base to eliminate rattling.

The gap between the top of the base plate and the bottom of the refer slide and drawers is 1/8" (the thickness of the angle iron in the slider/drawer frame supporting the slide/drawers).

The distance between the plastic at the rear tailgate opening and the bottom of the base plate is 5/8" at the edges and 1.25" at the center (the plastic is higher at the sides).

I’m no mechanic and never worked on a vehicle before getting a Jeep. I can do bolt-on accessories (LOD front and rear bumpers, Warn winch, Genesis dual battery system, trail lights, CB radio, Outback tailgate table, SPod, and ARB dual compressor)—especially if there are good, detailed YouTube videos. There is a two-part video in great detail of someone in Singapore (Jeep JL Wrangler Cargo Shelf - American Adventure Lab M.A.S.S. Cargo Shelf Installation - Part 1 and -Part 2) installing the shelf in this system that mounts to the roll bar.

The instructions are good. The guys at AAL are super helpful and will answer any installation questions you have. The fitting that connects the components together was a little tricky to figure out but once you figure it out, everything should fit together smoothly. The bolts securing the rubber feet of refrigerator are re-installed through the slide so the refrigerator is bolted to the slide.

I plugged the refrigerator into the 12-volt outlet at the rear of the Jeep. The plug makes light contact with the insulating transit bag cover (not enough to damage the plug when sliding the refrigerator in and out). I’m going to install an ARB Fridge Wiring Kit with Threaded Socket (Part Number 10900027) at a convenient location near the rear of the refrigerator to eliminate this issue plus the refrigerator really needs an appropriately-sized wire.

I hope this helps. Post or direct mail me with any questions.

 

[chairborne33]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Your build looks great. Do you find the the 37L fridge to be large enough? Are you solo camping or are you feeding multiple people out of that thing?

 

[Glen722]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Your build looks great. Do you find the the 37L fridge to be large enough? Are you solo camping or are you feeding multiple people out of that thing?

Thanks. The 37-quart fridge is plenty big enough for my wife and me on two to three day camping trips.

 

[donmontalvo]

I'm ordering an American Adventure Lab plate for a 2020 JL 2 door, of course no back seat, loving the idea of aluminum (light and strong).

I looked at Goose Gear, but couldn't pay $640 for a painted piece of birch plywood, great product though.

Any chance you can post some closeups of the way it is attached to the cargo area floor, and how your drawers/sliders/fridge attaches? I saw they sell some adapters, but not much info.

Once I get them on the phone this morning I'll post back when I end up getting for attachments, will check here first though, hoping I can get all that I need in one order.

 

[Glen722]

I'm ordering an American Adventure Lab plate for a 2020 JL 2 door, of course no back seat, loving the idea of aluminum (light and strong).

I looked at Goose Gear, but couldn't pay $640 for a painted piece of birch plywood, great product though.

Any chance you can post some closeups of the way it is attached to the cargo area floor, and how your drawers/sliders/fridge attaches? I saw they sell some adapters, but not much info.

Once I get them on the phone this morning I'll post back when I end up getting for attachments, will check here first though, hoping I can get all that I need in one order.

To attach the base plate, remove the six T40 bolts in the two side pieces that secure the cargo pad and remove the side pieces and cargo pad. The AAL base plate fits the contour of the cargo pad and side pieces. It is secured with six bolts that replace the T40 bolts. The replacement bolts have a small spacer that is inserted between the base plate and the Jeep to raise the base
plate above the lip of the plastic lining in the cargo tub. The gap between the base plate and the cargo tub lip is only about 1/4".

There were four rubber pads bolted on the bottom of my refrigerator. These were removed and replacement bolts were inserted through the bottom of fridge slide to secure the fridge to the slide. There is no need to strap the fridge down--it has been rock-solid and I've been on desert dirt roads and rock crawling since installing it. My guess is that most fridges have the rubber pads in the same place because there is a small slot in the fridge slide where the bolts go.

The drawer system has a fitting that is a little tricky to figure out. I'm headed to AAL tomorrow to have them install inner fenders they fitted for my shocks. I'll review your drawer questions with them and get some pictures.

 

[donmontalvo]

To attach the base plate, remove the six T40 bolts in the two side pieces that secure the cargo pad and remove the side pieces and cargo pad. The AAL base plate fits the contour of the cargo pad and side pieces. It is secured with six bolts that replace the T40 bolts. The replacement bolts have a small spacer that is inserted between the base plate and the Jeep to raise the base
plate above the lip of the plastic lining in the cargo tub. The gap between the base plate and the cargo tub lip is only about 1/4".

There were four rubber pads bolted on the bottom of my refrigerator. These were removed and replacement bolts were inserted through the bottom of fridge slide to secure the fridge to the slide. There is no need to strap the fridge down--it has been rock-solid and I've been of desert dirt roads and rock crawling since installing it. My guess is that most fridges have the rubber pads in the same place because there is a small slot in the fridge slide where the bolts go.

The drawer system has a fitting that is a little tricky to figure out. I'm headed to AAL tomorrow to have them install inner fenders they fitted for my shocks. I'll review your drawer questions with them and get some pictures.

Thanks for the info. I called American Adventure Lab (AAL) and went over my plans. I bought twin drawers from IronMan4x4, their advice is to ignore the peanut shaped holes, and mark/drill holes to mount the drawers onto their platform.

That makes sense, once the twin drawers are installed, the fridge slider mounts on top of it. They advised getting a few of their single stud tiedown rings so I can strap down other stuff to the plate. So looks like I have a plan.

I learned a lesson...when you're planning a build, it makes a lot of sense to buy the platform from the same company that makes the drawers you want, to avoid making the build a DIY project.

At the end of the day I'll be happy that the platform is thinner/lighter/stronger than plywood solutions. Hope to post pics on a separate thread...unless @chairborne33 is OK with me posting them here?

 

[chairborne33]

Post away wherever you prefer. You may get more views in a new thread though.

 

[Glen722]

Thanks for the info. I called American Adventure Lab (AAL) and went over my plans. I bought twin drawers from IronMan4x4, their advice is to ignore the peanut shaped holes, and mark/drill holes to mount the drawers onto their platform.

That makes sense, once the twin drawers are installed, the fridge slider mounts on top of it. They advised getting a few of their single stud tiedown rings so I can strap down other stuff to the plate. So looks like I have a plan.

I learned a lesson...when you're planning a build, it makes a lot of sense to buy the platform from the same company that makes the drawers you want, to avoid making the build a DIY project.

At the end of the day I'll be happy that the platform is thinner/lighter/stronger than plywood solutions. Hope to post pics on a separate thread...unless @chairborne33 is OK with me posting them here?

I didn't take pictures since it appears you have a plan. They do include printed instructions with colored pictures. I've found them to be very helpful and am sure they will answer any questions via phone if you proceed.

 

[WranglerAdvs]

We are SELLING our American Adventure Lab base plate, 6” drawer, behind seat storage and the cubby area battery/compressor mount system ready for sale. Based in Dallas and wont ship for now. If anyone is in the area and wants to check it out, DM me for scheduling.

 

[NCJL]

We are SELLING our American Adventure Lab base plate, 6” drawer, behind seat storage and the cubby area battery/compressor mount system ready for sale. Based in Dallas and wont ship for now. If anyone is in the area and wants to check it out, DM me for scheduling.

Why are you selling? Interested but I’m in CA.

 

[maddscot]

We are SELLING our American Adventure Lab base plate, 6” drawer, behind seat storage and the cubby area battery/compressor mount system ready for sale. Based in Dallas and wont ship for now. If anyone is in the area and wants to check it out, DM me for scheduling.

Sent you a DM, live in the McKinney area... interested.

 

[Mugzzzee]

I have the AAL platform, cargo shelf and fridge slider. My Dometic CFX3 45 fits perfectly. I had purchased the protective cover for the fridge, however, with the cover on it would not fit under the cargo shelf.

 

[Tpom]

Really like the AAL platform. Wondering if they have a 60% delete in the works...going to contact them about it.

 

[Tpom]

Really like the AAL platform. Wondering if they have a 60% delete in the works...going to contact them about it.

For those who may have been wondering, after a few emails with AAL they did say that a 60% delete/platform to go along with there current system is in the works. No ETA shared so far. This will be exciting since the only other real option is goose gear, apart from DIY.

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