Question for residential fridge owners

OldTanker

Active Member
Had a new situation develop in our rig. The fridge was installed without any means of securing it in place. As a result every time we change locations it tends to try to "walk" out of it's spot. So far the center island has stopped it from going too far with a noodle used as a buffer. Has anyone else developed this issue. Now I have also noticed the edge of the slide is starting to break down from the traveling fridge.

I sure wish the factory had put in a restraining strap when they installed the unit.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I believe there should be a block of wood on top to keep it from moving. You might also block it at the bottom.
 

BLHFUN

Well-known member
My fridge has a Z brace attached to the back wall and the top of the fridge. Not sure what unit you have, but several cyclone owners have shared the same. It should be attached.
 

osims

bsims
I put a piece of molding at the bottom against the wheels and screwed it into the floor and a short wall at the top that keeps the refer wedged down, so far it has worked well, no movement
 

Matts1122

Member
I just got mine no problems with it moving but I haven't got water to it yet. I turned on water valve outside to it is there something else I should do


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danemayer

Well-known member
I just got mine no problems with it moving but I haven't got water to it yet. I turned on water valve outside to it is there something else I should do


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Hi Matts1122,

If the valve you mention is under the slide out, that's likely a drain valve. The water feed line valve is probably inside, either under the sink or behind a cabinet drawer, or in a cabinet space. It varies by model and floor plan. You're looking for a 1/2" blue pex line with a 1/4" clear poly line coming off the pex. The valve is at the tee.
 

Matts1122

Member
Hi Matts1122,

If the valve you mention is under the slide out, that's likely a drain valve. The water feed line valve is probably inside, either under the sink or behind a cabinet drawer, or in a cabinet space. It varies by model and floor plan. You're looking for a 1/2" blue pex line with a 1/4" clear poly line coming off the pex. The valve is at the tee.

Thanks. That was it.


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Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Our Frigidaire hasn't offered to move in over a year but you have peeked my curiosity about how's it anchored, or not. Will have to go look.
 
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klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
Our residential refrigerator didn't walk but it sure moved around a lot. I was afraid of it tipping. Several times we had food on the floor when we stopped for the night. The Heartland Service Crew, at the National Rally took care of that. They put a block of wood down the side of the opening the refer sits in. No movement at all now!
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
I believe the mounting technique used for the residential refers has went through many evolutions in the two years we've bene installing them. My current Frigidaire is very solidly mounted.

I do have a tip that may be helpful for some of the early installations of the residential refer...

TerryH and I remounted the Frigidaire in my last coach. I noticed that behind the plastic grill at the bottom of the refer just inboard of the front wheels are 2 long screws. These screws are used by Heartland to pin the refer in at the front. This is in addition to what they do at the top. Anyway, the screws go through existing holes in the sheet metal framework of the refer - below the condensation pan. This framework does NOT rest on the slide room floor. There is a gap of around 1/2". On my last unit, TerryH and I used a piece of wood to span/shim the gap from the slide room floor and the bottom of the sheet metal framework. We also pre-drilled a hole for the mounting screws to go through so as not to split the shim. To aid in installing the shim, we used the front wheel adjusters to run the wheels all the way down to lift the front of the refer. Once the shim was in place, we raised the front wheels to lower the refer and level it out, then we resinstalled the screws. I believe we used the next thickest screw too.

In that coach, Heartland used an piece of aluminum angle stock, screwed to the top of the refer case at the back, then screwed the angle to the wall. In my case, the screws had pulled out of the wall. I believe we installed a few heavier screws and I think we hit a stud with one of them. Then there was a sort of false wall above the refer and it was framed with a 2x2 (or similar). This is what really pinned the refer in to not allow it to tip forward. No change was made to this - we simply reinstalled it.

The above was in a Landmark. In Landmark 365, since the slide room is taller, there is now a full, deep cabinet above the refer. My refer in my new coach seems very solid. I've made no modifications to it.

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OEFVET

Well-known member
My residential refrigerator was secured on the top in the back. That alone was not enough to keep it in position. I am certain that it was supposed to have something to secure it to the bottom front as Jim just described. So I chocked the wheels with a molding and secured it to the floor. I also put a block of wood on each side to eliminate side to side movement. Then I reattached the top rear fastener.

If you haven't done this I recommend doing so. Close the slide that the residential refrigerator is on. Then go and shake the refrigerator. It is almost like a see/saw. My only point is when I did this it was very clear to me why the refrigerator moved so much. That's why I took all the steps to eliminate movement.
 

OldTanker

Active Member
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These are shots I just took today after we checked into a RV park and got set up. The damage is spreading and fast. We tried using some non skid material to stop the fridge from walking but with the slide footer splitting and dropping down it doesn't help. The entire front of the fridge rests it's weight on that footer so it wants to tilt forward. There is zero zilch nada for any restraint mounted on the fridge to secure it in place. It seems like it was just shoved into place then a 4" long piece of quarter round trim, same as used to hide the seam between the cabinetry and slide floor, was all there was put in place to hold the fridge at one corner. With the slide footer collapsing the trim peeled off. Definitely going to need to get this addressed asap.
 

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cookie

Administrator
Staff member
There has been a couple of suggestions for a fix to your problem. Have you tried any?
Have you contacted the factory yourself by phone?
877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030

Peace
Dave
 
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jbeletti

Well-known member
Wow I'd really hoped that I would get some input from factory rep over this.

Sorry abou that. Factory reps that monitor the Heartland Owners Forum are Sales and Marketing reps. And then, it's only specific sub-forums they monitor. This is not one of them. Your best bet is to speak directly to Heartland RVs at the number cookie has posted.
 

Bohemian

Well-known member
This has been a recurring problem. I think Heartland needs to step up and solve it for all time. Construct the refrigerator area of the slide with some substantive supports built in and use some substantive brackets and screws to hold the frig in place. It's time to stop the stop-gap solutions.
 

OldTanker

Active Member
Using shims and or wedges isn't going to work at this time. Cookie if you had looked at the pics I posted you would have seen that the flooring under the fridge when one might mount a wedge or clip to stop forward shifting has started to separate from the slide structure. Given that the front of the fridge sits on that part of the structure, trying to wedge something there before the slide itself is repaired is not going to cut it. The unit is rather heavy so one person is not going to pick it up. The unit also is blocked from removal by the island.

It would have taken little effort or thought to provide anchored straps to help hold the fridge in place since they are not designed from the fridge factory with mounts to be placed into a moving platform like a RV fridge has. The wall mounted TVs were provided with travel straps but not the fridge.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Well, I have looked at the pictures and I really can't tell if the position you show is the normal installed position, or the position that the refer moved to.
I do not disagree that a little more thought should have gone into securing that refrigerator. A lot more thought actually.

Peace
Dave

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