[llamafilm]

I just picked up a used refrigerator for a great deal (free), and it seems very nice except one problem: The pullout freezer door has been ripped off the four mounting points where it connects to the drawer. I'm looking for any suggestions on how to repair this.

It's a Maytag model MFF2258VEA2.

My first thought is to find some kind of glue that bonds polyurethane foam with plastic. Then coat the large plastic cracks with a thin layer of cement to waterproof it.

 

[Protocol.]

Maybe pl premium the **** out of it? Plastic weld?

The foam won't bond to anything. It will just break into pieces and fall off since they use an expanding type foam to fill the cavities.

Either that or drill right through the door and use long screws or bolts with large washers to secure.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

you would be better off, just putting 4 thin bolts through the door to the metal skin and bolt back the draw and then seal any cracks with silicone on the inside..

 

[llamafilm]

Good ideas, thanks. Maybe instead of drilling, I can get some long thin bolts and JB weld their heads to the inside of the metal skin so it doesn't show. This would mean I have to excavate some of the foam. Any ideas what to fill it with afterwards to maintain the insulation? Looks like Great Stuff, but I don't want that chemical near my food.

 

[ChuckF.]

I'd make two brackets out of fairly thin metal, the height of the drawer and bent in an L-shape, an inch or so on each side of the L, attach it to the drawer so the other side of the L can be bolted through to the sides of the door. This way you don't deface the front of the SS door.

Inside the door, you should get standoffs to take up the distance from the inside of the SS to the plastic, because you want the SS attached to the brackets, not the inside plastic shell. Look for some nice SS machine screws at the home center.

 

[Fix'n it]

long bolts. or get a new door or panel.

 

[danpik]

Looks like Great Stuff, but I don't want that chemical near my food.

Well, you might as well scrap it then as the foam used inside the door is the same formula as Great-Stuff. It is a two part expanding poly foam. When it is used in the factory, it comes as two parts (A & B). When it is in the can, the pressure in the can keeps the two parts from expanding and outgassing

 

[DanS26]

Use bolts with large butterfly nuts or make special butterfly-like nuts to grab the plastic molding. I suggest 1/4 inch aluminum bars (1/4" x 1" x 3") in a cross fashion for each hole.

If you are handy and have sense of design......should be fairly simple and effective.

 

[r0ckstarr]

Random idea. Any chance that the hinges from a regular fridge door could be made to work with this freezer door, so that it opens like the top door?

 

[FrodoOne]

I just picked up a used refrigerator for a great deal (free), and it seems very nice except one problem: The pullout freezer door has been ripped off the four mounting points where it connects to the drawer. I'm looking for any suggestions on how to repair this.

It's a Maytag model MFF2258VEA2.

My first thought is to find some kind of glue that bonds polyurethane foam with plastic. Then coat the large plastic cracks with a thin layer of cement to waterproof it.

I note that the ideas suggested so far involve drilling and brackets. and your photos indicate that the pull-out tray was not held on to much in the first place.

I have a different suggestion and it involves restoring (and improving) the integrity of the plastic skin on the inside of the door.
(I presume that this "skin" cannot be removed without the expanded foam insulation behind it. If it could be removed. this job would much easier.)

Firstly, obtain some "Marine Epoxy Resin. This comes as "Two Part" kits. (The quantities involved need to be measured accurately and so you may need to obtain a set of "Pocket Scales" for this purpose.)
Also, obtain a few square feet of "fiber glass" mesh "fabric". for reinforcing. Where there is a large crack, insert the fiber glass mesh behind the plastic. If necessary, remove some of the foam to provide a small "void" and don't worry if it is necessary to make the crack a bit larger.

Place the door flat on a bench or on the ground, mix the quantity of resin that you estimate will be needed and pour it into the holes to fill the voids behind the plastic "Skin". Use masking tape or similar to tape down the cracks either before or after filling these voids and insert any "fixings" required. It is likely that the epoxy resin won't actually stick well to the (nylon ?) "fixings" so ensure that there is an adequate void behind them to fill with the resin, which can be drilled when set (about 24 hours). Clean up using methylated spirit/denatured alcohol before the resin sets.

If you have not mixed enough resin, just mix some more and add it as required.

It is quite likely that the resin will "seep" into various cavities and it will then be necessary to "top it up" after 24 hours.

When all resin has set, remove the masking tape, drill through any "fixings" as required and re-screw the tray on to the door.

You may not be able to buy only the very small quantity of "resin" required. However, it will keep and can be used for other jobs - repairing rotted/split timber, for example.

 

[llamafilm]

Frodo's suggestion seems like the best, but I didn't want to spend that much time on it. I ended up drilling 4 holes in the front skin and using carriage bolts. I stuffed some fiberglass insulation inside and sealed it with silicone. It works great, and the bolt heads are hardly noticeable. The only downside here is the bolt heads get cold, so I can tell some freezer efficiency is being lost there though conduction.

 

[DanS26]

Frodo's suggestion seems like the best, but I didn't want to spend that much time on it. I ended up drilling 4 holes in the front skin and using carriage bolts. I stuffed some fiberglass insulation inside and sealed it with silicone. It works great, and the bolt heads are hardly noticeable. The only downside here is the bolt heads get cold, so I can tell some freezer efficiency is being lost there though conduction.

Nylon carriage bolts may reduce the conduction.

 

[eukaryote]

Hi Llama,

I know this is an old post, but I found it through google. I just had this happen to my freezer door, and was wondering how this worked out in the end with yours? Do you still use it? What size carriage bolts did you use, and could you show a picture of the final connection?

Thanks!

 

[llamafilm]

Hi Llama,

I know this is an old post, but I found it through google. I just had this happen to my freezer door, and was wondering how this worked out in the end with yours? Do you still use it? What size carriage bolts did you use, and could you show a picture of the final connection?

Thanks!

Yes I am still using it 4 years later with no problems. Here’s a photo of the inside and outside.