Refigerator fell half out of slide

[Chippendale]

I came home from a camping trip yesterday and discovered my residential refrigerator had fallen half out of the slide and was leaning on the wall of the "closed" dining room slide. I pushed it back into the slide and my neighbor Keith (Cage47) who also has a 2015 Landmark discovered that two small (light weight) screws on each side of the front of the refrigerator were all that was holding it into the slide. It appears that over time, the refrigerator had bounced around and had caused the screws to enlarge the holes they were in and then I guess I went around one too many sharp turns and the refrigerator came loose and rolled forward out of the slide. After pushing the unit back into the slide, we installed larger screws and also put shims on the top of the refrigerator which will help keep it from bouncing/moving around in the slide. My suggestion is to remove the "Toe Grill" and be sure your screws are tight, they are located just inside where the rollers are, and then put some wooden shims between the top of the refrigerator and the bottom of the fascia board (they shouldn't be visible) which should prevent any future dancing around on the part of the refrigerator.

PS: If anyone from Heartland reads this, you might want to add two shims on the top of the refrigerator during the manufacturing process to try and help eliminate this problem. It shouldn't add too much to the price of the trailer.

 

['Lil Guy']

Heck George, maybe everyone with a refrigerator of any kind should check the tie downs. Sorry to hear of this happening to you after our little trip. Did it just come out of the space into the floor or did it turn over? Regardless, glad to hear Keith helped you solve the problem. See you and the rest of the Unacceptables in February at the SH rally.

 

[Chippendale]

Heck George, maybe everyone with a refrigerator of any kind should check the tie downs. Did it just come out of the space into the floor or did it turn over? Regardless, glad to hear Keith helped you solve the problem.

It rolled out of the slide, and fell forward off the "slide floor", but because the slides were closed, the top of the ref hit the edge of the dining room slide, it was at an angle, it did not fall flat on the floor, but the top of the refrigerator was completely out of the slide. I was lucky, it did not dent either the front of the refrigerator or the edge of the slide, but the wood on the bottom of the kitchen slide is badly scratched under the front of the refrigerator. I strongly suggest everyone with a residential refrigerator take the Toe Grille off and check those screws plus put some shims between the top of the ref and the fascia trim board over the ref. You never know how much stuff is bouncing around back in the trailer as you drive down the road, and lets face it, these things are put together the cheapest possible way.

 

[LBR]

Our resi fridge isn't in a slide, but I found the same problem...when the 2 wood screws loosen up, out comes the fridge onto the floor during a corner.

Before it happened, I built a bracket that screws across the full width below the fridge that the 2 front legs bolt on to...it will never come out now unless I tell it to..lol

 

[sccowboy]

I have this problem right now and I'm looking for fixes. Mine rolls out of the slide and catches on the edge of the slide floor. It doesn't tip over but the doors come open. It has 4 large, but very short screws through a L type bracket holding it to the drywall at the top back of the fridge which pulled loose from the drywall. With some difficulty I was able to put the screws back into the drywall, in new holes, however they pulled out again on a very short trip. I like the bottom bracket idea but I can't make one of those.

I'm hoping this could be covered under and extended warranty but I'm not holding my breath. If anyone has any other suggestion for a DIY fix they would be very welcomed.

Ken
2016 Cyclone 4150

 

[danemayer]

Can you add 1"x2" wood strips along the side walls to keep the bracket from pulling out of the wall behind the fridge?

 

[sccowboy]

Can you add 1"x2" wood strips along the side walls to keep the bracket from pulling out of the wall behind the fridge?

Not sure..... I haven't yet tried to pull the refrigerator all the way out yet. I don't want to get too far in over my head and the space to work in is very small. I do like your idea of adding more holding power in different places.

Thanks