I was sick & tired of holding up the esky lid. I did later have a prop to hold it up, plus a few other solutions with Velcro which also worked well. They all actually were pretty good solutions but it was an unnecessary secondary step to hold the esky lid open (first world problems).

Thought there has to be a better way.

Bought the shortest gas strut I could find for caravan cupboard doors, 40nm (about 4kg) load. I tested it on the scales & it was pretty right.

Thought the nm would be a bit too high, but 40nm was the smallest load I could find, also when I pushed it in by hand seemed a bit much. But it worked out perfectly on the Waeco 28L fridge. A bit of luck for a change!

I can't open the lid fully, which then the fridge wouldn't need support as the lid opens over centre. Due to extremely limited position in the car (an entire topic in itself) the gas strut stroke of 46mm was enough for my set-up.

I added an aluminium plate to the brackets to spread load & used stainless screws. The strut may rust over time, so I may end up buying a few spares & simply replace them as required.

Very happy now that both hands are free to work on the actual task in front of oneself, getting things in & out... beer that is!











When open over half way the lid does lift up a touch. When one quarter open the lid drops closed gently (other than locking), so basically perfect calculations (luck in other words).

Couldn't be happier with open & closed positions. Also haven't lost too much space within the fridge. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Nice! Good to see ingenuity in looking after the important things in life.

Nice job  2014 Freelander 2 TD4 Manual Dynamic
1956/7 88" Series One Land Rover
1956/7 88" Series One Land Rover - undergoing restoration

Whats the service schedule on it

Replace at 30,000 miles or every four years whichever comes sooner.

Maximum duty cycle of 744 bottles a month! Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Apart from the amazing depth of useful information on this website (as long as the rare person doesn't start the same topic in 33 threads!), is the polite banter.

All other forums end up in a slinging match. There must be something about Land Rover owners who can laugh at themselves... which I think solves most problems!

Might even solve the oil leak. Or the leaking gas strut for that matter! Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Good job👍

I'm also on Pistonheads and find it hilarious they way members fall out with each other and threads deteriorate into a slanging match, over a difference of opinion. Landyzone was as bad, as was a Vauxhall Corsa forum I joined briefly when considering getting a Corsa for our son.
A nice helpful and polite forum is definitely a nicer place to visit. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Being a Land Rover owner, thought I needed to perfect gas strut position... as I have nothing else better to do!

Shifted the top & bottom positions a bit. Now the lid closes a bit quicker when under a quarter open, & raises open a bit faster when open more than a quarter (still have to factor in the 46mm stroke of the gas strut).

While at it, I countersunk the screws for the two aluminium plates which are to spread the 4kg load on lid & main body. Replaced the Philips head bolts with Allen bolts. This is an engineering project after all.


(Probably the best perspective to show how small the gas strut actually is)







The lid's aluminium plate I filed to fit the underside of the esky lid better. The plate in the main body of the fridge I added a 3mm spacer so the gas strut was a bit more square in relation to the lid.

I might add a Teflon washer to the left side of the lid hinge as the lid still gets a little bit of pushing sideways. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18