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Old 08-28-2017, 11:54 PM   #1
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Angry Dometic frig door failure on RM 5881

Second Escape 17. Second Dometic frig door to fail. The bottom hinge broke the plastic frame on the door and bent ever so slightly. The slight drop in the door, which we didn't notice right away, dropped the latch so the latch inside the frig - the one with the lovely blue lights, cracked - disintegrated might be a better description.
Contacted Dometic Service and for a mere 250US$ we can get new inside latch and lower hinge parts shipped - it will only take about a month to have them ship from Calgary to Nanaimo.
Are we the only ones to have this problem? Has anyone come up with a fix? How can we avoid this from happening again? Do we just need to bite the bullet and order a new door too?
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Old 08-29-2017, 07:24 AM   #2
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Check with Little House Customs. They offer a metal hinge support that may work on the model fridge you have (on the link below scroll down a ways to the "FRIDGE HINGE REPAIR/DAMAGE PREVENTION KIT").

Store | Little House Customs

Hope this helps.

Steve
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Old 08-29-2017, 07:52 AM   #3
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This is the kit Steve referenced. I'd call LHC and ask if it will work.
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Old 08-29-2017, 07:56 AM   #4
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and a lot cheaper $$$....
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Old 08-29-2017, 08:53 AM   #5
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We installed the LHC hinge plate on both the top and bottom hinges of our refrigerator.
After repairing the refrigerator door on our old Scamp , we decided not to wait for the refrigerator door on our Casita to break and installed the plates right away.
Four years later our refrigerator door is as good as days one.
Considering the cost of a new refrigerator door , the LHC hinge plates are a real bargain IMHO
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Old 08-29-2017, 10:39 PM   #6
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Thanks

Thanks for the lead to Little House Custom. Wish i Had known about this earlier. I can't understand why Dometic would design such a feeble system for the door.... I am adding a strap to secure the door whenever we move. I'll post the fix once it is completed.
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Old 08-30-2017, 02:07 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by threeacers View Post
Thanks for the lead to Little House Custom. Wish i Had known about this earlier. I can't understand why Dometic would design such a feeble system for the door.... I am adding a strap to secure the door whenever we move. I'll post the fix once it is completed.

Yeah I have logged these issues for my refer 2015 door. Not sure but I have always felt that a Velcro strap would do the trick and keep the door tight while traveling rough roads. What convinced me was my refer quite keeping the cold and I thought I'd have to join the ranks of too warm refers. That was until a too long ears of corn were sticking out and keeping my door ajar bleeding cold. I'll never buy Iowa corn again .... just too big and long. Ate the corn and refer fixed.

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Old 08-30-2017, 02:31 PM   #8
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Here is an earlier thread about the fridge door and hinges:

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...inge-8297.html
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Old 08-30-2017, 03:51 PM   #9
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Ours FELL OFF last year. Dometic made good as it was within warranty. We put a "T" brace under the door of our new fridge and secure that brace with an adjustable closet rod that secures the brace against the cabinet door underneath the fridge, and the cabinet door on the other side of the trailer under the sink. Both of those cabinets have been known to open in transit, so this solution solves three problems.
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Old 09-02-2017, 07:07 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dunnet View Post
Here is an earlier thread about the fridge door and hinges:

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...inge-8297.html
Thanks for the link - good information there.
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Old 09-04-2017, 08:55 AM   #11
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Folks:

Has anyone installed the LHC Kit on the Dometic #5581 fridge. If it fits, it would seem to be an excellent (and inexpensive) solution to a potential problem. Thanks for the benefit of your experience.

Dave
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