sagging door on a 1953 GE combo fridge

[djole78]

Hi,

It’s taken me close to. 2 years of on and off work to restore 1953 GE combo fridge. I have now attached the top freezer door and that went on like a charm; the bottom fridge door has been giving me a lot of problems as the door sag ( note the gap on the left vs the right in the attached pic).

Anybody has any advice on how to ensure that the door aligns with the box? After trying I don’t even know how many things, I am all out of ideas haha!

Would really appreciate any advice!

Thanks!

 

[goatfarmer]

Is there room for a nylon spacer, on the hinge pin?

 

 

[djole78]

tried using shims and there is just a bit of space. it didn’t help much, if at all…

 

[rp2813]

Have you tried shims behind the hinges themselves?  I recall reading about a GE from this period that had a door problem which was corrected in that manner.  The owner of the fridge had removed the door and didn't use the factory paper shims when reinstalling it.  She had kept the shims, so she retraced her steps and put them behind the hinges, which solved the problem.  You probably only need to shim behind the bottom hinge where it attaches to the door.  If I remember correctly, it doesn't take much.

 

[combo52]

Adjusting door hinges 1953 GE refrigerator

Hi, does this refrigerator have hinge pins under the doors or does it have hinges mounted on the right side of the cabinet? Pictures would really help.

If it has the older type, hinges mounted on the right side of the cabinet as Ralph suggested it needs some shimming, of course it would shim the top hinge on the refrigerator door, newer style refrigerators, where you have a common hinge for the bottom of the freezer door in the top of the refrigerator door you would need to move the hinge assembly to the right to correct this type of problem.

John

 

[djole78]

this is what the hinge looks like (this is the top one). so i’ve tried shimming as well as adjusting the door by having the hinge move to the right and left (in the pic) in all possible combinations (slide it to the right on top, left on the bottom, etc.)…

 

[turbokinetic]

Love that color, by the way.

 

It seems you have fully explored the shimming of the hinges and that does not allow for enough adjustment.  Have you looked to see if the cabinet its self is "tweaked" to where the cabinet opening is no longer square? I have had one in the shop where the door did not line up no matter what. In the end, I discovered the cabinet was bent into a "diamond" shape. I was able to repair it with an autobody repair tool. 

 

This may not be your problem but it should be easy to measure and eliminate this is a possibility.

 

I talk about this in the video linked here:  

 

A screenshot is attached, showing the hydraulic tool used to straighten the cabinet. 

 

Sincerely,

David 

 

[combo52]

Reply number five, this is the type of hinge. I thought this refrigerator might have you simply need to put some shims or washers under the top hinge for the refrigerator door between the hinge and the cabinet and you can easily lift that refrigerator door up a little bit.

John

 

[djole78]

the box is still in proper shape, and the top door also fits perfectly.

am totally out of ideas myself haha…

 

[goatfarmer]

Might be a bit extreme, but I've laid refrigerators on their back, and adjusted doors, so they are straight. Takes the door weight out of the equasion.

 

[djole78]

thanks for that suggestion, but that’s not gonna be possible as i don’t have anything to place the fridge on (the coils, compressor, etc., are on the back).

 

[combo52]

Have you added shims between the top hinge and the cabinet, this is a very simple thing to do actually to lift that door up a little bit.

 

[rp2813]

For what it's worth at this point, having now seen the type of hinge you're dealing with, my advice to focus on the bottom hinge doesn't apply.  Have you tried washers instead of paper or other material?  That may allow for fine tuning.

 

[djole78]

i have tried a washer as well as only adjusting the top hinge.