Can't adjust Dometic freezer shelf

chriscowles · 07-29-2020, 04:56 PM

Last week I shifted the shelf in the freezer down one level. I removed the little clip that allowed shifting the shelf to the left, freeing the right side to move to a different level. I moved it to the bottom.

Now I'm unable to shift the shelf far enough left to free the right end from the holes in the wall. It's like the walls shifted in a bit.

Can anyone suggest a strategy to free the shelf to move it up a level?

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SeaDog · 07-30-2020, 06:54 AM

Try loosing the right again and without securing it try to loosen the left and see you can position them then this is just a wag on my part.

**Bama Rambler** · 07-30-2020, 12:40 PM

You remove the clips and move the shelf to the left (the flanged pieces will slide on the rods). The flanged pieces on the right side will just clear the side of the freezer. Then tilt the shelf up and pull it to the right to clear the other side.

chriscowles · 07-30-2020, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

You remove the clips and move the shelf to the left (the flanged pieces will slide on the rods). The flanged pieces on the right side will just clear the side of the freezer. Then tilt the shelf up and pull it to the right to clear the other side.

That's how I did it the first time, and the clips aren't on the shelf. For some reason I can no longer move it far enough to the left. It moves, but not far enough to clear the edge of the holes on the right side.

**Bama Rambler** · 07-31-2020, 12:42 PM

Leave the retainers (flanged pieces) in the wall of the freezer. If you move them out the rod drops out of the hole just enough to keep the shelf from moving all the way to the left enough for the right side to clear the sidewall.

chriscowles · 07-31-2020, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Leave the retainers (flanged pieces) in the wall of the freezer. If you move them out the rod drops out of the hole just enough to keep the shelf from moving all the way to the left enough for the right side to clear the sidewall.

I had a glimmer of hope when I read your message because I don't recall having tried that approach. I just did and, unfortunately, it still doesn't work.

To clarify what I did, I removed the retaining clips from the left side, allowing the disks in that side to side right, out of the way. That allows shifting the hole shelf left, with the horizontal bars going deeper into the holes on the left.

I pushed the disks on the right as deep into their respective mounting holes as I could. That should allow me to tilt the shelf up on the right side. It doesn't, because the ends of the rod don't clear the front face of the disk. They're still deep enough that I can't even see the end of the rod within the disk.

**Herk7769** · 07-31-2020, 01:56 PM

One side has holes in the retainer and the other side retainers do not.

You should always put the holed ones on the left side of the shelf and the solid ones on the right.

That way you can slide the wire shelf left and the ends will clear the retainers on the right.

Is it possible you mixed up the retainers and jammed the shelf in?

chriscowles · 07-31-2020, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herk7769

One side has holes in the retainer and the other side retainers do not.

You should always put the holed ones on the left side of the shelf and the solid ones on the right.

That way you can slide the wire shelf left and the ends will clear the retainers on the right.

Is it possible you mixed up the retainers and jammed the shelf in?

It is arranged as you describe. It was frozen when I was able to move it last week. It is not, now.

It was very tight when I moved it. I wonder if it expanded just enough to prevent moving the shelf? I'll turn it on in storage to see if that fixes it.

5picker · 07-31-2020, 03:10 PM

I had that problem in another R/V we had.

I had to grab the shelf with my hand(s), with my fingers around the small bars and push on the wall of the freezer with my thumbs to gain enough space.

The front was much easier to flex than the rear but my method worked the several times we moved it.

chriscowles · 07-31-2020, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

I had that problem in another R/V we had.

I had to grab the shelf with my hand(s), with my fingers around the small bars and push on the wall of the freezer with my thumbs to gain enough space.

The front was much easier to flex than the rear but my method worked the several times we moved it.

I tried. I wasn't strong enough. Maybe I'll need to try harder or grip it differently. If I get it loose I'll see if I can trim the right end of the horizontal bar a bit.

If freezing doesn't work, I'll see if I can buy a new one and test to see if it fits. If it does, I'll cut the existing one along the horizontal bars. I could leave it and have two but I want to move it because being in the lowest position is impractical.

chriscowles · 08-02-2020, 01:17 PM

Thinking about this more, I may have done it to myself. I vaguely recall flipping the shelf when moving it, so the horizontal rod was on top. That restricts movement of things on the shelf a little.

Not considering that one end was longer than the other, I didn't spin it 180 degrees horizontally. If that resulted in the ends being too long, my only option to remove it will be bolt cutters.

Unfortunately, a new replacement is ~$60. I'll watch eBay to see if I can get one used. Does anyone know of alternate sources, new or used?

5picker · 08-02-2020, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriscowles

Thinking about this more, I may have done it to myself. I vaguely recall flipping the shelf when moving it, so the horizontal rod was on top. That restricts movement of things on the shelf a little.

Not considering that one end was longer than the other, I didn't spin it 180 degrees horizontally. If that resulted in the ends being too long, my only option to remove it will be bolt cutters.

Unfortunately, a new replacement is ~$60. I'll watch eBay to see if I can get one used. Does anyone know of alternate sources, new or used?

Regardless of orientation, if you were able to get it in that way after flipping/rotating, it will come back out.

chriscowles · 08-02-2020, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

Regardless of orientation, if you were able to get it in that way after flipping/rotating, it will come back out.

It was tight going in. I do think it should be a little shorter on one end. I'll see if I can cut the right end with a hacksaw blade up against the plastic fitting. I'll jam a towel between the right wall and the rack, to make sure it's as far left as it can be. I don't want to scar anything, though.

**Bama Rambler** · 08-02-2020, 03:53 PM

X2^ what 5Picker said. If it went in it'll come out. You may have to employ a little brute force with a flat pry bar to get it to move.

chriscowles · 08-02-2020, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

X2^ what 5Picker said. If it went in it'll come out. You may have to employ a little brute force with a flat pry bar to get it to move.

I've tried as much brute force as I can muster short of using a lever of any kind. If I do that it will end up bent beyond usability. I think trimming the right end of the horizontal bar as close to the wall as I can is the best chance of ending up with something I can still use. If I got it out with brute force, I'd still need to trim the end, or be certain this will happen again.

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