Repairing a Norcold Hinge

[aaronupnorth]

First this is an easy and basic repair if you are a DIY-guru, but as I am not and could not find any info online I will post this repair (now that I have thought about and completed it). If this seems to basic to post you are probably good at DIY so help your buddy to do this repair, as we are not all DIY-gifted...

Older Norcold fridges have a terrible hinge system. The black plastic piece on top of the fridge door holds a white plastic bushing, through which sits the hinge bolt. The plastic piece tends to crack and eventually you are left with a broken piece and half of the circular support for the bushing gone, and no an unstable top half of your fridge door. If you ask a dealer for advice or replacement parts they will tell you to replace the unit (~$1250) even if it otherwise works fine...

Equipment: Dremel power tool, plastic bonding agent, a small clamp, a small piece of 1/8th inch black ABS plastic.

Steps:
1) Remove the top plastic piece of the fridge (4 small screws plus the hinge bolt)
2) Support the fridge door so the bottom hinge does not break.
3) Clean and dry all parts.
4) Use a dremel sanding wheel to straighten the broken edge, remove minimal plastic.
5) Cut a small square piece of ABS plastic. It should overlap the fridge top until just before the 1st screw hole.
6) Mark the location of the hinge hole.
7) Choose a dremel routing bit the exact same size as the bushing and create the hole. Go slowly and check for size by placing the bushing in the hole.
8) Bond the 2 pieces together, keep the bushing in place for a minute or two to ensure proper position, then remove and clean the bushing.
9) Clamp the pieces together for 72 hours.
10) Create a triangular piece of ABS plastic to sit on top of your reinforcing piece using the same method as above (you will only be routing a semicircle this time), bond into place as above.
11) Shave the insulation on the top of the fridge door 18th inch so new piece will fit in place.
12) Screw and bolt the part back on to the fridge.
13) Avoid paying Norcold for a new fridge with an equally crappy door hinge...

Cheers,
Aaron

[aaronupnorth]

Note, bond the first repair piece of ABS plastic to the underside of the original piece..