Removing and reinstalling the doors
1 of 4Photo 1: Lift off the door
Tilt the upper door away from the
fridge and lift it up and off the middle
hinge pin. Immediately check for a
plastic washer or guide that fits into
the bottom of the upper door. Locate
those parts and put them in a safe
place.
2 of 4Photo 2: Swap the handles
Unsnap the plastic “vanity” plugs
that cover the door handle screws.
Then remove the door handle screws
and swap the door handles.
3 of 4Photo 3: Reverse the hinge pin
Grab the hinge pin with pliers and
unscrew it. Flip the pin upside down
and screw it back into the hinge.
4 of 4Photo 4: Mount the middle hinge
Hold the bottom door in place and
insert the middle hinge. Then install the
screws and tighten.
You moved the old fridge into the Men's
Crisis Center (aka the garage) and now the
doors open the wrong way. And that makes
for inconvenient beverage access, a problem
that must be corrected before pursuing
other home improvement activities.
It's an easy DIY project, but you do
have to pay attention to the disassembly
and reassembly steps and keep track of
the plastic parts. If you put them back in
the wrong place or leave them out, the
doors won't close properly. The entire job
takes less than an hour and requires just
screwdrivers, pliers and a socket set.
Start by removing all the food from the
upper and lower door shelves. Then pry
off the upper hinge trim piece (if
equipped) with a flat-blade screwdriver.
Hold the door in place while you remove
the upper hinge screws. Then remove the
upper door (Photo 1).
Next, remove the middle hinge screws
and the bottom door. Check for plastic
parts at both hinges and label them. Then
remove the bottom hinge and mount it
on the opposite side of the fridge. Swap
the door handles and the door stops to
the opposite sides of the door (Photo 2).
This next part makes most people
crazy, but it makes sense when you think
it through. When you flip the middle
hinge to the opposite side of the fridge,
the upper and lower hinge pins will be
facing the wrong direction. Don't panic!
Just reverse the hinge pin (Photo 3).
With the middle hinge pin reversed, go
ahead and reassemble the doors and
hinges and reload your fridge.
