Dometic Fridge Door hinge woes

[Don22]

I wonder if anyone has had experience of replacing a lower hinge on a Dometic RM 7655 fridge door. Owing to the closing hatch being poorly aligned originally, our door flew open and bust the lower hinge as a consequence. (The fridge door detaching itself and the entire fridge contents spread over the floor on a roundabout is not a pretty sight..!) It looks to me that I need to replace the entire door, but wondered if anyone had a similar experience and found a way to replace the hinge only. Any advice much appreciated.

 

[David and Sally]

Can't help but can say that IMHO Dometic fridges are crap.

Ours is 18 months old and the freezer door latch has broken, the travel catch has broken and the salad drawer front has broken.

Hope you sort yours soon.

 

[Stealaway]

My Dometic fridge door fell completely off.
I filled both top and bottom plastic pivot hole with araldite and a large diameter repair washer squashed into the glue.
When it had all set I drilled a new hole through the repair washer and glue.
Remounted it and it was never a problem again.

 

[Don22]

Definitely agree that the hinge seems poorly designed considering that a door accidentally opening in a motorhome has to be a predictable event. Thanks for your thoughts and I have looked at some previous threads (should really have done that first..!) which are helpful. I have temporarily repaired with duc tape to secure the busted hinge in place. When I get back home I will see if a better repair can be made, but suspect will need a new door..

 

[BillyKontiki]

Got one of these dometic fridges that the door opens both ways , whether it’s a roundabout in France or in UK what a load of crap just as well my beer is In cans.

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[paddymcc]

My Dometic fridge door fell completely off.
I filled both top and bottom plastic pivot hole with araldite and a large diameter repair washer squashed into the glue.
When it had all set I drilled a new hole through the repair washer and glue.
Remounted it and it was never a problem again.

I did similar to above and it's been fine since. The locking latches really aren't very good. I ordered replacements from ,PaulandChrissy - would recommend them as much more substantial.

 

[Don22]

I did similar to above and it's been fine since. The locking latches really aren't very good. I ordered replacements from ,PaulandChrissy - would recommend them as much more substantial.

My Dometic fridge door fell completely off.
I filled both top and bottom plastic pivot hole with araldite and a large diameter repair washer squashed into the glue.
When it had all set I drilled a new hole through the repair washer and glue.
Remounted it and it was never a problem again.

Thanks for the Araldite tip. Now back home and did as you suggested.....filled the entire corner of the door with Araldite, drilled a fresh hole for the hinge and after a bit of a struggle to replace the door without removing the hinge from the carcass, we have a result...! Probably now stronger than the original. Thanks again.

 

[DavidG58]

Recalling my fridge door episode , pretty much identical to yours. I remember finding that the bottom pivot pin can be raised by turning a nut underneath, might just reduce the risk of it coming off again

after more or less resolving the hinge issue, we lost all our refrigerant and had to swap the whole fridge. At least the new one has a form of auto lock (presuming you close it properly)

 

[BillyKontiki]

Can't help but can say that IMHO Dometic fridges are crap.

Ours is 18 months old and the freezer door latch has broken, the travel catch has broken and the salad drawer front has broken.

Hope you sort yours soon.

By salad drawer do you mean beer and wine compartment.

 

[pelican]

Definitely agree that the hinge seems poorly designed considering that a door accidentally opening in a motorhome has to be a predictable event. Thanks for your thoughts and I have looked at some previous threads (should really have done that first..!) which are helpful. I have temporarily repaired with duc tape to secure the busted hinge in place. When I get back home I will see if a better repair can be made, but suspect will need a new door..

Probably better to repair with Penguin tape

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[Handyr]

Hi. I have been following this. I have a RMS 8400 Dometic fridge in a 2015 Elddis 195.. the top fridge door hinge has collapsed as others have mentioned. I have taken the fridge door off by just lifting the door off the bottom hinge. I see how to repair using resin and washer/tube, but cannot see how to replace the door afterwards. I am loathe to drag the fridge forward to access the screws for the top hinge pin, and there is not room to access with 90 degree screwdriver. I would like to hear how people have replaced the door without removing the top hinge screws If possible before getting professions in. Thanks

 

[Stealaway]

I thought the hinge pivots on the fridge were screwed on - and adjustable.
I thought I'd removed one of them to replace the door.

 

[Handyr]

Not on this model. The bottom hinge is a peg bolted onto threaded hole, the top is screwed down from the top behind the control panel and underneath the sink. The best way is to lower the door onto bottom hinge and screw down the top hinge. Poor design as the door must have been screwed on before the fridge was installed.
Roger.

 

[Handyr]

One drastic solution would be to drill an access hole through the worktop to remove the hinge screws and then plug it with a flush rubber bung to stop ingress!

 

[Richard n Ann]

One drastic solution would be to drill an access hole through the worktop to remove the hinge screws and then plug it with a flush rubber bung to stop ingress!

Our fridge is the same model, I've noticed the door seems to have dropped a bit and now catches the frame near the catch as it closes. 2014 elddis accordo van.

Anyway, the fridge comes out easy enough. Just the gas pipe to undo at the back via the top vent and pull it out, the cables have about 2m on them. Elddis don't bother with the screws in the sides

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[Handyr]

Ok. I haven’t looked inside the top vent. Will look and see. My fridge has four side screws Underneath plastic buttons.

 

[autorouter]

I'm not familiar with this model but on mine the top panel can be removed. The control knobs just pull off, and the securing screws are behind the knobs. You might be able to access the top hinge pin with it removed.

 

[jolley holidays]

Hi this has just happened to us, the door just fell off. It seems there is evidence that it has fallen off before. What about switching the door to open the other way, as a temporary fix?