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Old 03-12-2019, 09:33 AM   #1
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Pitiful Residential Refrigerator Mounting!!

Forest River has some nerve!

My brand new trailer has a residential refrigerator in it that keeps falling out of the two tiny little mounts. The fridge now has scoring on the sides, dents in the front, and won't stay in place. The cabinet around the fridge is made of thin particle board that's now all damaged and has to be replaced. I have been taken!

Does anyone have a solution to this problem? My FR dealer (Bucars RV) is totally useless and can't even get me in to look at the damage for at least two more months! I'm planning another trip for the end of April to the Yukon and can't wait that long.

If you have a solution I would be very grateful if you could please provide sufficient details so that I can get a proper repair done.
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Old 03-12-2019, 10:19 AM   #2
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I do not know how your refrigerator is manufactured or brand since you did not provide the name! And how do you mean that it is falling out? Falling out of what? A picture would be great to help you!

Now with all of that being said, if it is like my residential refrigerator a GE model. The fridge has two rollers wheels on the bottom to allow it to be rolled out of the cabinet that it sits in. The bottom of the fridge is block with a 2X2 the width of the fridge that is screwed in place to the floor in front of the rollers. The top has two metal brackets that are screw in the side of the cabinet to prevent the fridge from bouncing.

I have than added a strap from one side of the cabinet to the other side to add additional securing device to prevent movement. Sorry I do not have a pic of this.

Hope this helps!
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Old 03-12-2019, 10:41 AM   #3
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It seems every residential refrigerator is mounted differently.
As mentioned, photos of your set-up would help us understand your issues.

Where is the refrigerator mounted?
Rearward mounted appliances tend to be subject to more movement.

Post the make and model of the fridge too.
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Old 03-12-2019, 12:50 PM   #4
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Hi Bruce,

Looked at the video tour of your trailer. It looks like the top of the fridge is missing the brace that holds it in from failing out.

Maybe find a way to anchor a racket strap and hod the fridge in till they can replace the whole thing at your dealer.

I know of a Cedar Creek that they forgot this this brace. Fridge fell out, destroyed the counter top, floor and fridge. They replaced everything.

Need to get out to Alberta someday for a month or too ourselves!!

Cheers

Brian
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Old 03-13-2019, 10:03 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5picker View Post
It seems every residential refrigerator is mounted differently.
As mentioned, photos of your set-up would help us understand your issues.

Where is the refrigerator mounted?
Rearward mounted appliances tend to be subject to more movement.

Post the make and model of the fridge too.
Hi 5picker,

Here's a link to a video (at 36 seconds) showing my setup: https://youtu.be/s6Bdud_GSMA

You can see two small Z brackets near the top that are meant to hold the fridge into the 'cabinet'. First, the brackets are to small and to far away from the fridge (gap between cabinet and fridge). This means that the fridge can topple forward by bending the brackets and spreading them apart.

Next, the 'cabinet' is made of thin particle board, and is unable to hold the brackets without breaking apart. Solid wood would have been a better option.

I hope that helps you understand the situation.

Kind regards,
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Old 03-13-2019, 10:10 AM   #6
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Hi Bruce,

Looked at the video tour of your trailer. It looks like the top of the fridge is missing the brace that holds it in from failing out.

Maybe find a way to anchor a racket strap and hod the fridge in till they can replace the whole thing at your dealer.

I know of a Cedar Creek that they forgot this this brace. Fridge fell out, destroyed the counter top, floor and fridge. They replaced everything.

Need to get out to Alberta someday for a month or too ourselves!!

Cheers

Brian

Hi Brian,

Mine has the bracket, like this one in this video at 36 seconds: https://youtu.be/s6Bdud_GSMA However, further on in the video you can see that this installation also has two additional brackets lower down to hold the fridge in place..... mine does not!

However, the small brackets are screwed into thin particle board, which has fallen apart and allowed the brackets to spread and the fridge now topples out. Fridge is all scratched up and damaged now, and the cabinet is falling apart, but no other damage yet.

I have it in the dealers shop now, but they told me that they will only repair it to the original state, which clearly isn't sufficient. I'm looking for other options to install myself to prevent it from falling out (toppling forward). Any suggestions anyone?

Kind regards,
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Old 03-13-2019, 10:16 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by 5picker View Post
It seems every residential refrigerator is mounted differently.
As mentioned, photos of your set-up would help us understand your issues.

Where is the refrigerator mounted?
Rearward mounted appliances tend to be subject to more movement.

Post the make and model of the fridge too.

Here's a video of the fridge at 36 seconds: https://youtu.be/s6Bdud_GSMA

Make and model of the fridge are irrelevant though. The issue is the cheap and thin particle board that the brackets screwed into, the lack of extra brackets (as seen further on in this video) and perhaps even anchored straps as seen in other video walk throughs. Apparently FR has numerous builds of this particular model.....

Cheers,
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Old 03-13-2019, 10:32 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by WhiteEagle View Post
Hi 5picker,

Here's a link to a video (at 36 seconds) showing my setup: https://youtu.be/s6Bdud_GSMA

You can see two small Z brackets near the top that are meant to hold the fridge into the 'cabinet'. First, the brackets are to small and to far away from the fridge (gap between cabinet and fridge). This means that the fridge can topple forward by bending the brackets and spreading them apart.

Next, the 'cabinet' is made of thin particle board, and is unable to hold the brackets without breaking apart. Solid wood would have been a better option.

I hope that helps you understand the situation.

Kind regards,
Thanks for the additional information.

Having your refrigerator in a slide is going to be more of a challenge securing it since the slide floor is not capable of having the same fastening structures bolted to the slide floor as could be done when bolting fastening structures to the main floor. Since the slide moves, and the slide floors are typically not as thick with framing underneath them (as in the main floor) you are going to have to come up with a creative way to fasten your refrigerator.

Obviously the small brackets on the sides of the refrigerator are not substantial enough. It also doesn't appear you have much room once the refrigerator is in place to get towards the back of the top and side wall to place any kind of bracketry there either.

Without actually being there, pulling the refrigerator out, inspecting the slide structure and seeing what you might have to fasten into, it severely limits what we can do to help you. Keep in mind, things can be fixed and I'm sure this is no different.

My thoughts would be to find a way to get some kind of wooden sub-structure around where the refrigerator slides in so when the bottom panel/freezer drawer is removed, some kind of anchor system can be attached to it.


Best of luck to you and keep us posted as to your progress
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Old 03-13-2019, 02:15 PM   #9
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I have just the opposite problem. I can't pull my residential Whirlpool refrigerator out. It is in a Cedar Creek 36CKTS. I have a clicking noise coming from the rear (I think). I suspect dirt. I pulled the bottom plastic piece off to reveal the rollers and part of the venting. I cleaned all the dirt from those grates. I want to access the rear of the refrigerator, where the condenser is to clean that, but can't move the refrigerator. There are no blocks in front of the wheels, just the metal leveling brackets.
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Old 03-13-2019, 05:23 PM   #10
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I have just the opposite problem. I can't pull my residential Whirlpool refrigerator out. It is in a Cedar Creek 36CKTS. I have a clicking noise coming from the rear (I think). I suspect dirt. I pulled the bottom plastic piece off to reveal the rollers and part of the venting. I cleaned all the dirt from those grates. I want to access the rear of the refrigerator, where the condenser is to clean that, but can't move the refrigerator. There are no blocks in front of the wheels, just the metal leveling brackets.
Hi Steven,

If you or a friend has a video borescope you should be able to see what's blocking the travel of the fridge. They are pretty cheap these days, and great devices for seeing into dark and hard to reach areas.
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Old 03-13-2019, 06:53 PM   #11
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Bruce,
This is how I would fix your problem with the fridge and side wall cabinet. First I would cut a 2X2 the width of the fridge.This would be screwed to the floor blocking the wheels. The lower drawer may need to be open to gain access to screw the 2X2 down.

The next sept is two cut two 3/4" or 1/2" thick Baltic Birch plywood 12" wide by 24" long. This you will need to stain or paint to match the dark cabinet color. This will be fastened to the inside of the cabinet with wood screws and wood glue with the leading edge against the face frame. Between 2" and 4" above the fridge I would place the upper edge allowing the 24" to drop towards the floor. I would then screw your brackets into this Baltic Birch plywood having the bottom edge of the brackets laying on top of the fridge. Baltic Birch plywood is available at wood working stores or online if you can't find it. This is not your home improvement plywood but it is cabinet grade plywood.

The next step is to purchase a 50" Nylon strap with eyelets that you can screw the eyelets into the wall cabinet using the plywood behind the cabinet wall for reinforcement. The straps will clip to the eyelets that will than hold the fridge in place. This is what I used: https://www.trekwood.com/products/85...-Offset-Buckle

Hope this helps?
Jim
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Old 03-13-2019, 07:02 PM   #12
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I have just the opposite problem. I can't pull my residential Whirlpool refrigerator out. It is in a Cedar Creek 36CKTS. I have a clicking noise coming from the rear (I think). I suspect dirt. I pulled the bottom plastic piece off to reveal the rollers and part of the venting. I cleaned all the dirt from those grates. I want to access the rear of the refrigerator, where the condenser is to clean that, but can't move the refrigerator. There are no blocks in front of the wheels, just the metal leveling brackets.
Steve;
On my Cedar Creek I have a 2"X2" the length of the fridge screwed to the floor. You need to open the lower door to see and gain access to the 2"X2". The screws are angled in from the rear edge of the 2"x 2" towards the fridge it is stained the same color as the cabinets so, look closely for it. Once this has been removed you should be able to roll out the fridge. I also have two bounce brackets on top that I have reinforced since these were screwed in to the face frame edge. I moved them rearward and supported them with a wood support.
Jim

I think you and I have about the same year built 2016 but my unit is a 34RL.
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Old 03-14-2019, 12:22 AM   #13
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Hi Steven,

If you or a friend has a video borescope you should be able to see what's blocking the travel of the fridge. They are pretty cheap these days, and great devices for seeing into dark and hard to reach areas.
Thank you, Actually, I just bought one, I am trying to figure out how to set it up.
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Old 03-14-2019, 05:03 AM   #14
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Forest River has some nerve!

My brand new trailer has a residential refrigerator in it that keeps falling out of the two tiny little mounts. The fridge now has scoring on the sides, dents in the front, and won't stay in place. The cabinet around the fridge is made of thin particle board that's now all damaged and has to be replaced. I have been taken!

Does anyone have a solution to this problem? My FR dealer (Bucars RV) is totally useless and can't even get me in to look at the damage for at least two more months! I'm planning another trip for the end of April to the Yukon and can't wait that long.

If you have a solution I would be very grateful if you could please provide sufficient details so that I can get a proper repair done.
Take it back to the dealer and get it fixed. It will be under warranty and they should repair ALL the damage!!

PS, it may take a while.
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