Fridge won't fit

[BurbMan]

We took out the old fridge last night, only to find out that it won't fit out through the door of the camper :E

This is a 5 cu ft one-door Domnetic RM 2554. I finally had to remove the cooling unit and basically break the fridge into two pieces to get it thru the door. No big deal, it's ready for the curb anyway.
It wasn't like it was a close fit, it is like 5" wider than the door opening...

Anyone know how they build these TC's? I'm not taking apart the new fridge to get it through the door....can you install these from the outside?

[JIMNLIN]

My ignorance but I left the fridge on while parked beside the tractor barn on too much of a side slope. This was in '84.....older units had to be pretty level to work right. Burnt a hole in a fridge tube so I had too remove the door/frame to get the old out. The new fridge wouldn't go through the door opening....so I took the big dinette window out.

[NRALIFR]

AJ, that’s awesome. That’s the kind of “I can do this!” attitude I’ve always admired. You have my utmost respect, mainly ‘cause that’s just the way I would have done it! :B

Unfortunately, the OP’s camper doesn’t have a single window with dimensions big enough to do that. His camper is very much like mine, especially in the size and design of the dinette slide out. The biggest window in our campers is the one above the dinette table. But, because it’s in a slide out, the window rough opening is only about 20” tall.

It’s always good to keep all options in mind though. Your technique may very well save someone else’s day. :C

:):)

[ajriding]

Been there done that...

Window method

[Paradox123]

BurbMan wrote:
since I couldn't find any advantages at all to running on DC.

We run our fridge on DC when traveling. The solar panels keep the batteries fully charged as long as there is daylight.

[BurbMan]

The camper door is like 21" wide. If you remove the door the rough opening is like 23". From the Dometic Website

Dimensions product depth 24 11/16 "
Dimensions product height 43 7/16 "
Dimensions product width 24 7/8 "

I remember our TT had a wider door and also had a huge dinette window so that would have made easy access. The opening big enough on this camper would be if the slide was removed.

This is all working out for the best, since the slide needs to come out anyway so I can repair the rot in the frame underneath it. I just wasn't prepared to take it out last night. This also gives us the opportunity to go from a 3-way to a 2-way absorption fridge, since I couldn't find any advantages at all to running on 12v. We always ran the TT fridge on propane when underway and expect to do the same here. We found a brand new scratch-n-dent RM-2551 for about half of what it retails for.

The fridge is right next to the slide out, so with that wall clean, I can rebuild all of the framing, install the fridge and then re-install the slide.

[zb39]

I had a new RV 4 door fridge put in my Zephyr DP. They removed the dinette window to get it out and the new one in and it was very tight.

[towpro]

I have heard with Motor homes they pull the windshields to get them out

[bigfootford]

Boy that is a bummer.

Here on this forum I have never read that the fridge had to be taken apart to go out the camper door opening.. hahahaa. I did say "door opening".

Everyone I have read about had to remove the whole door frame and the fridge door.

Well at least you got it out but now what.

Jim

[DWeikert]

Not uncommon. When I went to pickup my Northstar they had installed the wrong fridge. I ordered a DC compressor fridge and they had installed the 3-way. To replace it they had to remove the door frame.

[3_tons]

FWIW, How wide is the door opening??

[BurbMan]

So it's not like a residential fridge, the doors are recessed so removing them doesn't help. Removing the camper door only adds another 2", not helping when you're 5" short.

NRALIFR, I hadn't thought about the slide, but I think you're right...taking the slide completely out would also make repairing the slide frame a lot easier.

I remember replacing the slideout floor in our Terry TT, the slide was full height and 13' long, the only way to remove it was with a forklift. This slide is a lot smaller and 2 guys could probably lift it right out.

That would let me fully repair that wall, then install the fridge, then replace the slide!

[NRALIFR]

I don’t think any of your windows are going to be big enough to get the fridge through the opening.

Unless removing the main entry door will give you enough width, I believe removing the dinette slide is going to be your best option,

Update:
Our campers are from the same generation of Lance campers with dinette slides. They probably use the same dinette window and main entry door. Without removing the fridge cooling unit and/or the doors, I think you’re going to need 24”-25” to get the fridge out. The rough openings for the dinette window and main entry door aren’t even that big, so they won’t work on my camper. I’d have to remove the slide to get the fridge out in one piece. Removing the doors on my fridge wouldn’t gain me anything, as there’s a flange on the front that sticks out just as far. I’m not sure if the flange comes off or not.

:):)

[cavie]

did you remove the doors first????

[Geo_Boy]

I read where Big Foot puts the refrigerator in before they install the entry door assembly.

[jimh406]

I don’t know, but I think going out through/in through the dinette window would be easier. At least, I think most windows can come out pretty easily.