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Old 06-04-2012, 09:49 PM   #1
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Dometic fridge warranty work

Hello All,

We took delivery of our new 17B a month ago and have encountered two issues with the Dometic, 3 cu ft, 3-way fridge: when we hooked up in a power-serviced site this last weekend, it refused to use a/c and on the way there the door came open spilling some of the contents onto the floor. We are based in Edmonton and wonder if anyone has personal experience of an RV service facility which they can recommend?

Any help will be much appreciated!

Martin.
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Old 06-04-2012, 10:42 PM   #2
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

If you Google Dometic, I'm sure you'll find a list of repair centers. Probably, you'll enter your postal code and it will tell you where the nearest service is.

That's what I did when I had a problem with my furnace and the nearest warranty service center was only a mile away.

Quick fix, no cost.

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Old 07-02-2012, 05:12 PM   #3
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

To day I did my own warranty work on my fridge. I found after the last outing that the door had come loose so to day a took it off and found that the top hinge pin had screwed out because of road vibration. The two hinges have pins screwed onto them and these can loosen the bottom pin has some washers on top of it to center the door.
What I did is loctite the hinge pin threads in place with thread locker 271. I also put a dab on the hinge pin plate screws before reinstalling them. This should be a permanent fix. The thing is not to overload the door while on the road that's what I think we did. Maybe leave the door empty if possible until your set up.
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Old 07-02-2012, 06:03 PM   #4
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

I concur with Devil Dog. I've been warned repeatedly about loading the door while traveling -- just asking for trouble.

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Old 07-03-2012, 12:45 AM   #5
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Hello Martin, we also live in the Edmonton area, and have the exact same problems with our Dometic fridge. Our door fell off last summer while driving a washboard road into a more remote campsite in Lassen Park in Northern California. We fixed it ourselves on site, but it has never closed properly since. When we drive now we keep it closed by leaning kids bikes etc. against it, with towels to avoid marks. This spring the fridge stopped working on AC. Tomorrow morning I am dropping the trailer off at Trailblazer RV in Nisku to get these repairs done, as well as the bearings and brakes. I'll let you know how things go. We are off on another great family adventure next week!
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Old 07-04-2012, 01:13 AM   #6
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Our door fell off last summer while driving a washboard road."
"We fixed it ourselves on site, but it has never closed properly since."

You may have lost the washers that go on top of the bottom hinge pin. Ours has 3.
They keep the door from dragging on the bottom. Adding them will raise the bottom and removing them will lower it. Have look and see if the door is hi or low.
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Old 07-05-2012, 12:43 AM   #7
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

We got the trailer back today, and you were right Devil Dog, they simply shimmed it up with washers, for $39.00! Oh well, it is done! The fridge was not working on AC because it had become unplugged from the 110V outlet! That cost another $39.00! I have not explored to see where that plug-in is, but Martin, check that first. Perhaps accessible from the outside panel? The breaks and bearings were another $212.00. We are now set for our adventure to Washington State and Vancouver Island! We are stopping in Chilliwack to have the box added to the front of the trailer.
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Old 07-05-2012, 08:24 PM   #8
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Glad you got the door sorted out. Was the $212 for new bearings and seals or just a repack and break adjustment.?
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Old 07-05-2012, 11:31 PM   #9
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

That was just to re-pack them and adjust the breaks. That was the first time I have had them done.
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Old 07-05-2012, 11:43 PM   #10
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Quote:
Originally Posted by ddevin
That was just to re-pack them and adjust the breaks. That was the first time I have had them done.
Hi: ddevin...YIKES. Guess I got a real deal at $75.00. Alf
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Old 07-06-2012, 09:18 AM   #11
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Alf, the guy that did yours must be either very fast, working under the table, or not in need of money. $75 is not much more a half hour of shop time these days. I think most places around here are at least twice that. I was quoted something like $200 for my four wheels. Plus, the dreaded 5% GST on top of that.
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Old 07-06-2012, 10:02 AM   #12
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

I know that the labour rate at the gm dealer i work at is 136 an hr, i imagine the rv dealers are similar. but seriously it is not hard to re-pack wheel bearings either
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Old 07-06-2012, 12:30 PM   #13
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

I had my 17B's brakes adjusted & bearings repacked at a local upstate NY dealer (Seven O's in Cicero, NY) for $99.99.
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Old 07-06-2012, 04:01 PM   #14
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Are not the axle/wheel bearings on Escape's trailers from Dexter's with the self lube grease fittings? Remove the rubber cup, attach a grease gun and pump a couple times, done.
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Old 07-06-2012, 07:12 PM   #15
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Hi: All... My RVTech does them the old fashioned way. Pull the caps off and the cotterpin out. Pull the wheel off with the brake drum still attached. Pull the inner& outer bearings out drop them in his handy grease pot push the plunger and watch the grease ooze thru the rollers. Reassemble the wheel, tighten nut... then backoff and put in a new cotterpin. Spin the wheel while I squeeze the brake controller and adjust if necessary. 15 min. per side. $75. including both txs. and he dropped in a new water heater element as well.
This year I got the new tires, chrome wheels and hub covers and repack etc + a new teflon plate for the hitch pin for $300.+tax.
This is one more plus for a single axle trailer.
When it's time to winterize...he makes house calls!!! He's a keeper. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie p.s. Back to your regularly scheduled Dometic fridge warranty work?
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Old 07-06-2012, 08:24 PM   #16
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Are not the axle/wheel bearings on Escape's trailers from Dexter's with the self lube grease fittings?
That would be the E-Z lube hub. My Escape 5.0 has a Dexter axle but does not have the E-Z lube.
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Old 08-03-2012, 08:02 PM   #17
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

back to Dometic refrigerators, we took The Lark in today, primarily because last week I realized that the hinge was loose and wobbling, so I was afraid the door would end up on the floor. The technician said that all the hinge bolts were loose, and it probably came from the factory that way. It cost me $18.00 to get it fixed. I suppose I could complain to Dometic about this, but for $18.00 I am not sure it is worth it.

If you have a new Dometic, you might want to keep an eye on the hinge assembly, and make sure it isn't coming loose. By the way, this is the 3 cubic foot model.

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Old 08-07-2012, 09:40 PM   #18
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

Since I posted commenting on how I had the Dometic door repaired, we have been on a one month camping tour of Washington State and BC. After our first day we were horrified to find the fridge door had come off again, spilling eggs etc across the floor, as well as denting the floor. We did not have any heavy items in the fridge door. We were able to get the door back on, but not trusting it, we stretched a bungy from the TV mounting bracket, across the fridge door, to the screen door frame. The next day we were at the ESCAPE factory to get a cargo box added, and they properly repaired the fridge door, without charge. We still back it up with the bungy, just for peace of mind. When we travel on really rough washboard roads my wife insists on riding in the trailer to monitor the fridge door! I drive REAL slow, and we communicate with 2-way radios. These doors should be designed better, but since they are not, we will always have something as a back-up.
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Old 08-07-2012, 09:52 PM   #19
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

I've been in and out of the Skagit ( BC side ) many times and it is the worst washboard I've ever experienced. It's also really hard on tires ( as in a flat every second trip ). After the first trip in, finding the contents of the fridge on the floor and some cans from the cupboards, I took to using releasable zip ties ( Lee Valley Tools ) and gaffer tape to keep the doors closed.
But, I've yet to experience having the fridge door come unhinged. I've got the 5.0 fridge, generally loaded with beer.

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Old 08-07-2012, 10:15 PM   #20
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Re: Dometic fridge warranty work

You have to get some loctite for the pin threads and nuts. The red color is permanent and the blue and green is removable.

What I did is loctite the hinge pin threads in place with thread locker 271(red). I also put a dab on the hinge pin plate screws before reinstalling them. This should be a permanent fix. The thing is not to overload the door while on the road that's what I think we did. Maybe leave the door empty if possible until your set up.

We just came back from Douglas Lake Ranch ( Salmon Lake Resort ) We did a bunch of gravel roads with wash board. The door is still on and the hinges are tight.The loctite is holding this far.
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