Fridge Slide install directly to bed?

I've seen a few post on here that show fridge slides bolted directly to the bed. I'm concerned about the plastic composite breaking. Wondering what peoples thoughts are.

 

Ive had a ~200lb slide bolted to my composite bed for 30,000 miles and go offroad on pretty gnarly trails, washboard roads etc. almost weekly. Not a single issue.

 

I mounted L-Track and then mount the slide to the track so I can take it on and off easily and I think it distributes some of the flexing force to the bed

 

Heres my slide. The slide and its mounting bracket weight about 100 pounds. Add in the extra slide for the stove and the misc. gear that I keep in bins in the slide and its probably well over 200 pounds. Its mounted with a bracket system that only uses four 1/4" bolts through the composite bed with 2" fender washers on the underside. Zero issues with 30,000 miles of use and abuse.

 

Thanks. This definitely gives me peace of mind.

 

Do you have any photos of your setup? I'm trying to do something similar.

 

I planned on laying the bed mat down and then cutting a piece of 3/4” plywood to fit over top of it. I was either going to paint it with some sort of deck sealer or flex seal. Then I would permanently mount the slide to the plywood so it’s removable. I was also going to get some sort of chest and also mount that towards the front for storage and to help weigh it down. The plan is to have it completely removable quickly and efficiently to be able to use the whole bed space.

 

You aren't going to bolt it down?

 

No the plywood will not be bolted down but the slide and chest will be bolted to the plywood. I figure with the weight of those two plus other gear the plywood will not bounce around too much. If I’m in a situation where that stuff is becoming airborne The truck is tipping over or I’m involved in a rollover. At that point it will be the least of my worries. I have the ARB elements fridge and I’ve been told by a few people that with the size and weight they don’t even bother securing it and it doesn’t go anywhere.

 

As Ive been told in other threads recently, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. That is a horrible idea.

 

Yeah I guess you’re right. It’s just a concept at this point. I was also thinking some sort of load bar between the wheel wells might help hold it in place. It’s a daily driver so it’s hard to make stuff temporary.

 

Here are some pictures of the L-Track installed, don't have any with the fridge slide on it. I built a DIY slide out of aluminum and plywood that I mount on some of these https://www.uscargocontrol.com/L-Track-Double-Lug-Threaded-Stud-Fitting

 

Thanks! I've got a commercially made fridge slide. The width of the mounting holes in it doesn't quite line up with the valleys in the truck bed where the tracks would install, so I'm going to have to figure out a bracket or something to match one side of the slide to one of the tracks.

 

Maybe you can run a piece of steel flat bar from Lowes or HD to span the tracks and then mount your slide to that.

I have a tonneau cover so had some height restrictions or I would have done it a little different but I did find that my bed isn't level and I had to put washers under one side to have the slide set level (it slopes to the driver's side) so consider that as you are mounting track and then putting your slide in.

 

how do those bolt into the bed? regular bolts and fender washers? was it hard reach all of them under the truck?

 

I mounted a piece of ply wood to the bed then attached the slide to the ply would with 4 T-nuts. That way I can take out the slide and still have full use of the truck bed if need be.

 

Did you bold it down with regular bolts and fender washers? Was it hard to reach all the bolts under the bed?

 

8 bolts, nylock nuts underneath. Drill the holes, have someone under the bed threading the nuts on and done. Up towards the front I have a Northstar Battery mounted through the bed as well. That thing is heavy and never moves.

 

I laid down a 1/2" sheet of pressure treated plywood and bolted the slide to that. I took my bed mat and cut out the size for the slide. I have a Diamondback HD for a tonneau cover that keeps it snug as well. It's an ARB37 quart model and it fits perfectly. Super happy with it.