Anyone Ever Have Their Refrigerator Door Fall Off?

[Tulecreeper]

Maybe, If stored at below room temperature.

And maybe not:

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That is the overall average shelf life because of the "meat". The crackers and peanut butter last forever. I have an ammo can full of them that I pilfered out of MRE's in 2000 to use as snacks when I go hunting.

 

[DonTom]

That is the overall average shelf life because of the "meat". The crackers and peanut butter last forever. I have an ammo can full of them that I pilfered out of MRE's in 2000 to use as snacks when I go hunting.

I noticed some of the items inside military MRE's have an expiration date on them. Often the candy, such as a pack of M & M's. The expiration date if often around five years ago. But they still seem fresh as new.

One time (but only once) the bread inside one MRE was moldy. I then throw the entire MRE away.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

I believe many of the uses of plastic in today's vehicle manufacturing are because the manufacturers are trying to shed weight on the vehicles anywhere they think they can to help achieve government-mandated fuel mileage requirements. I don't know how much gov't regs have impacted the RV industry, but as the political winds change in Washington every election cycle you will see a direct correlation in forthcoming years to the vehicles being sold at your auto dealer. Anyone thinking EVs are taking the country by storm is wrong. What's pushing the EV market is the gov't fines all the Mfgs face from good 'OL Uncle Sam. Was it GM that just reported they are facing $9 billion (with a B) in fines next year?

 

[Onyrlef]

That is the overall average shelf life because of the "meat". The crackers and peanut butter last forever. I have an ammo can full of them that I pilfered out of MRE's in 2000 to use as snacks when I go hunting.

I'd like to buy MRE's for extended biking and kayaking tours but they've gotten ridiculously expensive.

 

[DonTom]

I believe many of the uses of plastic in today's vehicle manufacturing are because the manufacturers are trying to shed weight on the vehicles anywhere they think they can to help achieve government-mandated fuel mileage requirements.

There are several reasons. Such as when GM used nylon teeth in the timing chain sprocket. Made the engine a lot quieter but also caused the timing chain to fall off at around 100k miles and then have the pistons hit the valves and destroy the entire engine.

That's what happened to my 1971 Chevy Malibu 307 CI.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[DonTom]

I'd like to buy MRE's for extended biking and kayaking tours but they've gotten ridiculously expensive.

Around $11.80 per meal these days is not all that bad, IMO.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[JudyJB]

I got the official part number from Dometic (and chewed them out for using plastic on a hinge). Parts person agreed with me! Then I called around to several dealers and looked at Amazon. No one had them in stock and shipping would take a couple of weeks. Prices on Amazon and another online place were a bit cheaper, but I ordered one from a local RV dealer in this area because they could get it from their warehouse by this Thursday.

Price was $344, plus taxes, but it is worth it to me to not have to use cooler for two weeks! I will have to remove the door handle and front panel and put them on the new one. It just slips onto the metal pins on the refrigerator so I should be able to do that, maybe with a little help lining them up.

And I'd rather stick to the relatively fresh food from the grocery store!

 

[1stimerver]

After I read this post, I checked my refer and found my Norcold had metal hinge pieces that had pins that extended into the frame of the refrigerator door. No breakage there...

 

[Chef Duane]

I can fix that!

 

[Ray-IN]

Around $11.80 per meal these days is not all that bad, IMO.

-Don- Mission, TX

The downside to MRE meals is, they average 2,000 calories per meal. They are designed to sustain a fighting infantryman.

 

[Ray-IN]

After I read this post, I checked my refer and found my Norcold had metal hinge pieces that had pins that extended into the frame of the refrigerator door. No breakage there...

Well__, yes they do. Google Norcold refrigerator door hinge fail. Mine are worn, which allowed the door to drop by 1/4", I shimmed up the bottom pin with nylon washers.
BTW, Norcold 12xx main doors were $600 ea. 5 years ago.

 

[CharlesinGA]

After I read this post, I checked my refer and found my Norcold had metal hinge pieces that had pins that extended into the frame of the refrigerator door. No breakage there...

The Norcold reinforcement kit is a piece of metal that slips into a slot in the bottom of the door and a washer is added to the hinge stud and it all goes back together. The kits come with both left and right reinforcements. I have done two Norcold N611 fridges and sold the unused hinge reinforcement and mostly paid for the kit.

Charles

 

[DonTom]

The downside to MRE meals is, they average 2,000 calories per meal. They are designed to sustain a fighting infantryman.

But you do not need to eat the entire meal at once. Save some of the packages for later.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[DonTom]

but it is worth it to me to not have to use cooler for two weeks!

The fix is as close as your local hardware store. There are ways you can come up with to keep the door closed, even besides what I did, for a temp repair while on the road. In fact, I consider my mickey mouse repair of my refrigerator door to be a permanent fix. I see no need to replace the door at all.

I cannot name all the RV thingies I repaired during a trip. So many of them, even with this newer RV just finished a job today.

Same with last trip when a wooden thingy fell off because of the very bumpy road in Stockton, CA on I-5. Seems to me every RV trip I am fixing some little thingy. In most cases the fix is as close as the local hardware store.

And I discovered I need to fix things as often in a new RV as I do with my older RV. Things breaking and needing fixing is a big part of RV life, IMO.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[Onyrlef]

The downside to MRE meals is, they average 2,000 calories per meal. They are designed to sustain a fighting infantryman.

Largely because the Pentagon thinks we're still fighting WWII. I suspect most will toss a lot of the MRE due to weight and space. No point in humping something you're not going to eat anyway. We tossed most of a box of C's.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Price was $344, plus taxes, but it is worth it to me to not have to use cooler for two weeks!

$344 for a hinge? Yikes!

 

[DonTom]

$344 for a hinge? Yikes!

I think that was the price for the entire door, which isn't bad. But it could have been repaired for a few bucks, such as the way I did mine-and fixed while on the road. In fact, I see no reason to even replace the door. But if the upper thingy also breaks, I will. But the upper cheap plastic thingy doesn't have the entire weight of the door on it, so it is less likely to break.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

I don't think my RV has any thingys! LOL

But, on the other hand, I've had more expenses and more things break on my rig this year than the prior 14 years combined. New radiator (on a DP) $6000 installed. New cable for cable-operated bedroom slide $1200. New dash AC compressor, two years old to the day, $500. New slide-out topper, $1200. Six new tires, $3000 (not bad). Appointment 11/20 to have the bottom of the bedroom slide-out replaced, estimate by me $2000-$2500. Dash heat/ac control repair, twice $850. We are near the breaking point both mentally and financially.

We have a Southern trip planned starting Feb 01 next year and are really looking forward to it. And, depending on how things go perhaps a trip to Montana and then the Canadian Rockies in August. However, if our current RV continues to drain our savings and retirement accounts, next year will probably be our last year RV'ing.

 

[DonTom]

I don't think my RV has any thingys! LOL

But, on the other hand, I've had more expenses and more things break on my rig this year than the prior 14 years combined. New radiator (on a DP) $6000 installed. New cable for cable-operated bedroom slide $1200. New dash AC compressor, two years old to the day, $500. New slide-out topper, $1200. Six new tires, $3000 (not bad). Appointment 11/20 to have the bottom of the bedroom slide-out replaced, estimate by me $2000-$2500. Dash heat/ac control repair, twice $850. We are near the breaking point both mentally and financially.

We have a Southern trip planned starting Feb 01 next year and are really looking forward to it. And, depending on how things go perhaps a trip to Montana and then the Canadian Rockies in August. However, if our current RV continues to drain our savings and retirement accounts, next year will probably be our last year RV'ing.

Sound like a lot of issues for a DP M/Y less than ten years old.

I wonder how much of that work you could have done yourself, such as the radiator replacement. I assume that was mostly labor you paid for.

IMO, to own an RV we should be fairly good in repairing stuff as things breaking is the norm with RVs of any type.

-Don- Mission, TX

 

[Tulecreeper]

Largely because the Pentagon thinks we're still fighting WWII. I suspect most will toss a lot of the MRE due to weight and space. No point in humping something you're not going to eat anyway. We tossed most of a box of C's.

The only thing I ever tossed was the sponge cake and the crackers and cheese. Had to keep the main course, and the outer bag and the heater pack unless you want cold lasagna.