Norcold Hinge Repair

[ExploRVistas_co]

Our refrigerator door fell off when the plastic hinge broke. Follow the link to see our repair:

https://explorvistas.com/2017/09/30/norcold-hinge-repair/

[shortgee]

had similary problem with a domote. could not figure out a retrofit. this was the second time. within a year. it is a design flaw. so instead to taking it back to dealer for a replacement, I got some silicon clear glue and put it around the hinge with the door on. it seems to hold. will see if it lasts.

[klutchdust]

ThomBoles wrote:
Not long into our trip this past summer the door came off in my hand. Luckily I was able to catch it before the bigger mess. We ordered the new door along with the hinge kit and I told my wife she wasn’t allowed to load the door with as much “c**p”. That was about 4 months ago and she puts whatever she wants on the door regardless of what I told her. I sure hope that hinge reinforcement works!!!

I agree however my failure to put the seat down and using kitchen towels for dirty hands equals things out. I simply rearrange things when dear wife is not looking and leave it at that.
With your new door and extra support you should be good for quite some time. Enjoy your travels....

[ThomBoles]

Not long into our trip this past summer the door came off in my hand. Luckily I was able to catch it before the bigger mess. We ordered the new door along with the hinge kit and I told my wife she wasn’t allowed to load the door with as much “c**p”. That was about 4 months ago and she puts whatever she wants on the door regardless of what I told her. I sure hope that hinge reinforcement works!!!

[klutchdust]

j-d wrote:

klutchdust wrote:
I just replaced my entire door due to the hinge breaking.

Thought I saw you with a door issue. Right about the time of the repair on this thread. Glad you got it fixed.

Yes, ordered a new door as i was leaving for the race in Vegas and didn't have time to fiddle around. I stared at the broken door long enough to see that a repair could be made. When ordering I noticed there were optional brackets available to reinforce that area. If I park my rig backwards in my driveway while loading i noticed the door did swing back once way too far. Going to keep lighter items in the door storage racks also. Long winded but those reading may gain from my experience.

[j-d]

klutchdust wrote:
I just replaced my entire door due to the hinge breaking.

Thought I saw you with a door issue. Right about the time of the repair on this thread. Glad you got it fixed.

[klutchdust]

I just replaced my entire door due to the hinge breaking. Definitely going to upgrade my brackets AND repair the old door and sell it on you know where.

[j-d]

Lynnmor wrote:
...to do the freezer door as well, you need to buy two of the over-priced Norcold 634166 kits...

Right! One "kit" is a pair of opposite brackets so they'll do one door no matter if hung left or hung right. Just won't do two lefts or two rights, as in both bottom hinges.

Dittmer found an eBay offer for two kits and made some form of bid/counter-offer. Ended up with close to two-for-one and did both his doors.

I went to do ours and found that even though it's an N811, I do NOT have the Plastic Hinge. So I went merrily along, happy that this was one problem we didn't have. Till the door came most of the way off as I was opening it... The Metal setup is held with two small shouldered screws. The pivoting part is about 5/16" and there are #10 threads into the other part of the hinge. About 4 threads, and they stripped themselves out. Drilled out and installed 1/4" stainless bolts with elastic nuts. Used plastic bushings to get a tight bolt fit.

Anyhow, not every Norcold N-series has that Plastic Hinge. Ours was made in 2002.

I haven't done this and really should. My idea is to take a thin wooden strip and put it, slip fit, under the edge of the door for travel. Just looked at ours and I think a piece of one of the big paint stirrers Home Depot gives out for 5-gallon buckets would work. Or two of their 1-gallon ones.

Speaking of paint stirrers (or free wooden yardsticks!) we can notch one corresponding to the burner and oven control shafts of our stove. Then drop it behind the knobs for travel. Keeps us from bumping a knob and turning the gas on.

[blofgren]

Friends of ours had their hinge break as well with a great resulting mess. I added the hinge reinforcement kit to our 10 cubic foot Norcold this year and the door actually latches better now because there is no more sagging in the lower hinge.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

CharlesinGA wrote:

Pirate wrote:
You can buy hinge reinforcement for the Notcolds. http://thenorcoldguy.com/norcold-reinforced-hinge-kit-634166-click-for-compatibility/

The hinge reinforcement must be installed BEFORE the door breaks. Its not perfect but does add strength to the door. The kit contains both a LH and a RH reinforcement and ONE washer. Use the reinforcement you need and washer, buy a like washer at the hardware store, and sell the remaining part with washer and instructions to someone with the door hinged opposite yours.

I was lucky enough to mention on the Yahoo View/Navion forum that I needed a RH hinge kit and someone with a different model View with a LH hinge did just that, sold the remaining hinge to me for half price plus a bit of postage. Better than throwing the part away.

Charles

I guess I need to buy these reinforcements before my Norcold goes.

[Lynnmor]

If you want to do the freezer door as well, you need to buy two of the over-priced Norcold 634166 kits. With two kits, you can do the top and bottom hinges on both doors. Of course the top hinges take little load.

[CharlesinGA]

Pirate wrote:
You can buy hinge reinforcement for the Notcolds. http://thenorcoldguy.com/norcold-reinforced-hinge-kit-634166-click-for-compatibility/

The hinge reinforcement must be installed BEFORE the door breaks. Its not perfect but does add strength to the door. The kit contains both a LH and a RH reinforcement and ONE washer. Use the reinforcement you need and washer, buy a like washer at the hardware store, and sell the remaining part with washer and instructions to someone with the door hinged opposite yours.

I was lucky enough to mention on the Yahoo View/Navion forum that I needed a RH hinge kit and someone with a different model View with a LH hinge did just that, sold the remaining hinge to me for half price plus a bit of postage. Better than throwing the part away.

Charles

[Pirate1]

You can buy hinge reinforcement for the Notcolds. http://thenorcoldguy.com/norcold-reinforced-hinge-kit-634166-click-for-compatibility/

[j-d]

I've considered making a load bearing shim to use in transit. It'd be a snug fit between the bottom of the door and the top of the cabinet where it closes.

Agree with Chris: Great job on the repair part. I guess I've gotten lazy and would have tried to fab something out of aluminum. This job deserves the Strength of Steel and you did it! A 6" angle bracket has a good material thickness to it. Good on YOU!

We have what must be an older Norcold N811, because both halves of the hinge are metal. Little shouldered screws thread into one of the metal pieces. So I thought we were good. One evening, fixing dinner, door dropped off. Actually it was partially supported by the bottom hinge. The threads had come out of their hole in a bracket. Ended up drilling through and attaching with 1/4" stainless bolts with nuts, and plastic bushings to get the diameter right for the holes in the hinges. I only did the Fridge door, not Freezer yet.

So... The old "metal" design wasn't perfect either.

[BarneyS]

Moved to Tech Issues forums from DIY.