Astrocat with a Habitat

Love the idea with this. I keep debating on what to do with the space behind my fridge and slide and keep thinking about a cabinet that could slide forward when the fridge does, or something else. Can't stand dead space that is difficult to utilize. What do you plan to do with the space behind the fridge?

 

Part of it is going to be taken up by my water tank, but that still leaves a lot of space behind the fridge. Haven't really decided what to do with it yet to be honest. I don't feel that another slide would help, since it would just be obstructed by the fridge, and I used to have a setup with an ARB slide that was almost the full length of the bed, but I found it didn't work very well as things could easily get caught or fall off the back and then prevent you from closing it again.

So far I've been thinking about just a large basic lift top cabinet behind the fridge.

 

Been an awful while since I've posted an update, so here's what I've been working on lately:



I'm getting my Renogy slim 100W panel mounted on the Prinsu rack with a hinged gas-spring lifting mechanism. It's taken some trial-and-error but seems like it will work pretty nicely once its all finished. All that's left is to get a latch system working to keep it locked down flat for while driving and to add a little padding between the panel and the rack bars, then I can get the panel wired up.



I used some hinges and angle brackets from 8020.net. The brackets I was able to cut thread in the holes for the spring's ball-studs, and then counter-sunk the other holes for the mounting blots to sit flush. The gas spring I got from McMaster-Carr is stainless-steel 10" length 20lb force.

Here's the charge controller mounted under the hood waiting for the panel to be wired in.



Also, old news, but I finally got my 12" rear kings installed with the BAMF shock relocate. Thanks @Bentrodder !



Also... I have an Eezi-Awn Swift awning sitting in my garage waiting to be installed.

 

Figured out a latch for securing the solar panel in the down position so it doesn't flop around while driving. Not the best picture I'm afraid as it's hard to get a good angle to see where the deadbolt is hiding under the cross bar.



I'm quite pleased with what I came up with, and how the whole setup came together overall. Last thing I want to do is bolt on a little handle to lift it from. I can post a more complete write-up with parts list and better photos later if anyone is interested. The 8020 parts and the stainless-steel gas spring are not cheap, and I had to do some modification to the 8020 parts.

 

Also did this thing today.



@Iggy Corp 40" single-row LED light bar finally filling in the cutout. When I got the lightbar I was a little unsure of how mounting it would go, but I figured out a sweet way that turned out even better than I was hoping for. Once again using 8020 parts.

I noticed on one side of the lightbar (would normally be the top, based on the brackets it comes with and the side the wiring is on) there was a secret T-slot channel, and it even worked with 10-series 8020 (the size Prinsu racks use). Here's what I came up with.



Basically two pairs of "Variable Angle Connectors" joined by 3" straight arms. Here's another view.



Since this way doesn't use the mounting bolts on the sides of the lightbar, I figured out you could easily remove them, giving it a cleaner look while allowing the lightbar to stick out through the wind-deflector cutout. I also used the lightbar T-slot to add a little thing to hold the wiring connector.

WARNING GRATUITOUS SECURITY BOLT


The best part is that the lightbar is nearly perfectly level this way, which was something I was worried about.

 

Looking good. I hope to do something similar for my Flippac setup.

 

Got my awning successfully mounted up finally. Needed to use some 1/4" aluminum cross-bars to help support the weight on the L-track I installed. Oh right, I installed L-track too, just on the one side so far, but that's 26 holes drilled into the habitat.

Pretty happy with how it all came out so far. The awning can be open unsupported, but it definitely puts a lot of strain on the mounts with all that weight out, so I'll probably stick to using the legs most of the time.





The angle could be better, but it it's not so bad that it bothers me that much.

Closer view of the cross-bars


And detail showing how they integrate with the awning mounts.

Here's the before, where the weight was enough to bend the unsupported brackets:

 

Did you get your PV wired up to the controller?
I've been checking 8020 for parts, looks like you used the aluminum hinges? i always want to use SS but price..

 

Those shots are stunning. I love the flare in the second shot. Simply amazing.

Great build, awesome attention to detail, thoroughly enjoyed reading. Subbed.

 

Yeah, aluminum. That reminds me I need to replace the bolts I used, I thought they were stainless but they've rusted badly. Solar is all wired, so is the fridge, which I had left running for a while and haven't had any issues, but I think I need to improve the gasket seal on the lids, it seems like it isn't holding the cold very well. I had some ice cream in the small compartment as a freezer set to 25 deg I think and it was cold but always very soft.

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

 

I love the side awning but I'd be afraid to rip it off on a trail... I hope to eventually mount a 55" one on the back of the Flippac since it doesn't offer the overhang that the Habitat does.

 

Making a new panel for partially filling in the bed opening.







Used 5/8" birch plywood painted with bedliner on the underside, and l-track mounted with t-nuts that are covered over with the carpet on top. Then I reinforced the open edges with aluminum c-channel.

Still letting all the adhesive cure before I try putting it up.

 

Pics of the platform "installed"



Pretty damn pleased with how it turned out, and with the carpet wrapped around the edges it fits really snug, but not overly-so.

 

You’re not the only one impressed!

 

looks good. when tent folds up, does it slide easily across the joint?

 

Think so, but to make sure anyway I have an extra piece of carpet that I just lay over it, so that no tent material is rubbing on aluminum edges.