Modern kitchens are often designed taking into account ergonomics, where every centimeter of space plays a decisive role. Often, refrigerator owners are faced with a situation where standard door opening from left to right becomes inconvenient or physically impossible due to the layout of the room. In such cases hanging the door becomes the only reasonable solution to optimize access to products and make work in the kitchen comfortable.
Brand refrigerators Don, like many other models of domestic and imported production, often provide for the possibility of changing the side opening. However, this process requires attentiveness, the availability of a certain set of tools and a clear understanding of the design of a particular model. Incorrect actions can lead to damage accessories or violation of the tightness of the seal, so it is important to strictly follow the algorithm of actions.
Before proceeding with dismantling, you must carefully study the instructions for your specific device, so how the design of the hinges may differ depending on the year of manufacture and series. In this article we will look in detail at how to safely and correctly change the direction of opening, what nuances should be taken into account when working with sealing rubber and how to avoid common mistakes that can lead to misalignment of the sash.
Preparation of the workplace and the necessary tools
Success The operation of re-hanging doors depends 90% on quality preparation. The refrigerator is a heavy unit, so first of all you need to free up the space around it. Move the equipment at least a meter away from the wall to ensure easy access from all sides, including the rear panel, where additional fasteners or stops are often located.
A critical step is de-energizing the device. Unplug and let the refrigerator sit for 10-15 minutes. This is necessary not only for safety, but also so that the refrigerant in the system has time to distribute and the compressor has cooled down. While the equipment is cooling, completely empty the shelves and door niches of food and bottles - this will reduce the weight of the structure and eliminate the risk of heavy objects falling during work.
To perform the work, you will need a standard set of tools, which is usually in the arsenal of a home craftsman. Make sure you have everything you need on hand so you don't have to interrupt the process by searching for a missing screwdriver in the middle of the procedure.
- 🔧 A set of screwdrivers (phillips and flathead) is the main tool for removing fasteners.
- 🔩 A wrench or a set of sockets (usually 8 mm or 10 mm) - for bolts hinges.
- 🧤 Construction gloves - to protect hands from sharp metal edges.
- 🧼 Clean rags and degreaser - to clean the places where hinges are installed.
⚠️ Attention: Do not use a power tool (screwdriver) for tightening the hinge bolts if you are not sure of the tightening force. Excessive force can break the threads in the plastic bushings or deform the metal of the body, which will lead to the door skewing.
It is also recommended to lay a soft covering on the floor, such as cardboard or thick fabric, so as not to scratch the floor covering from falling parts or tools. If you have a model Don with the system No Frost, be especially careful with the wires going to the sensors and lamps on the door - they can easily be damaged by a careless jerk.
☑️ Preparation for rehanging
Dismantling the upper part and removing the top door
The process of rearranging the doors on the refrigerator Don traditionally begins with the top door. This is due to the design of most models, where the top hinge is the carrier for the top door, and the middle (or bottom, depending on the model) serves as a support. First you need to remove the decorative plug that hides the top hinge mounting bolts. It is usually made of plastic and can simply be inserted into a groove or glued.
Use a thin flathead screwdriver or knife to carefully pry the plug off. Be careful not to break the plastic clips. Underneath the plug you will see two or three bolts holding the hinge in place. Before completely unscrewing them, have an assistant hold the door, as once the fasteners are loosened, it may move or fall. Fixing the position The door is a key safety point at this stage.
After loosening the bolts, carefully remove the top hinge. In some refrigerator models Don the same loop can be attached to the wiring that goes to the door open indicator or display on the facade. If there are wires, they must be disconnected after first remembering or photographing the location of the connectors. Don't pull hard on the wires—the connectors often have latches that need to be pressed.
Now that the top hinge is removed, you can carefully lift the top door and remove it from the bottom axle. Place the removed sash on a prepared soft place with the outer side facing up so as not to scratch the front panel. At the same stage, inspect axial bushings - if they are worn out or have cracks, it is better to replace them immediately to avoid knocks and distortions in the future.
Working with the bottom door and middle hinges
After the top door is dismantled, we move on to the bottom of the refrigerator compartment or freezer, if we are talking about a two-chamber model. The design of the middle hinges in refrigerators Don can be combined: they simultaneously hold the bottom of the upper door and the top of the lower door. Now that the top door has been removed, your task is to free the middle hinge from the remaining fasteners.
Unscrew the bolts securing the middle hinge to the refrigerator body. As with the top piece, it is important to hold the bottom door as it will only be left hanging on the bottom pin. Carefully remove the middle loop. Pay attention to its design: it often has an asymmetrical shape or special protrusions that indicate the correct side of installation. Remember which side of the hinge was facing up and which side was facing down.
Remove the bottom door from the bottom pin. This is the hardest part of the job, especially if there is a compressor or evaporator system in the lower chamber, which adds weight to the structure. Place the door on the floor so as not to damage seal the front surface. Now you have on your hands two removed doors and a set of hinges, ready for reinstallation.
Inspect the seats on the refrigerator body. Where there were previously hinges, there will now be plugs (plastic or metal circles), and where there were plugs, there should be holes for fasteners. In refrigerators Don these holes are often already drilled and covered with decorative elements, but in some budget models you may need to drill yourself, although this is rare for this brand.
⚠️ Attention: If you find that there is no threaded holes, do not drill the housing yourself without technical documentation. In some modifications Don the possibility of rehanging is limited to only one side or requires the installation of an additional set of fittings.
Flipping the doors and rearranging the fittings
The most important stage is preparing the doors themselves for installation on the new side. Refrigerator doors Don are not symmetrical, so simply turning them over will not work - rearrangement of handles and rotary mechanisms is required. If the handle is integrated into the body or is overhead, it must be removed. Usually it is fastened from the inside with screws, access to which becomes available after removing the decorative strip or simply when the door is open.
Unscrew the fastening screws of the handle and remove it. Now install the handle on the opposite side using the holes provided by the manufacturer. If the holes are closed with plugs, remove them and replace them in place of the former holes. Make sure that the handle fits tightly and does not wobble, since it bears the main load when opening.
Next you need to turn the door itself upside down. This is necessary so that during final installation the upper end of the door is on top. When turning, pay attention to holes for the pins loops. In some models they are symmetrical, in others it may be necessary to move metal bushings or pins from one side of the door to the other. Use a hammer and a drift (or a long nail) to carefully knock out the pins if they are tight.
Also, when turning the door over, check the condition of the magnetic seal. If it is deformed, it can be heated with a hairdryer or soaked in hot water to restore elasticity. Install the door in an inverted position on a flat surface and begin installing the hinges in new places.
| Element | Action when rehanging | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Top hinge | Move to the opposite side | Check the length of the pin |
| Middle loop | Turn over or rearrange | Watch the orientation of the stops |
| Handle | Dismantle and install mirrored | Use new holes |
| Plugs | Rearrange to empty spaces | Select by color and texture |
It is important not to confuse the top and bottom of the door during final assembly. The refrigerator door Don has a clear top and bottom edge. If you install it upside down, the closing mechanism may not work, and the shelves will not fall into place.
What to do if the holes for the handle do not match?
In rare cases, when modifying old models, the holes may not match. In this case, you can use special furniture plugs to match the door and drill new holes, but this requires high precision and skill. It is better to use standard places.
Assembling the structure and installing doors
Assembly is carried out in the reverse order of dismantling, but taking into account the mirror change of sides. Start by installing the bottom door. Slide it onto the bottom pin (which is now on the other side) or install the bottom hinge into the body and screw it down. Make sure the door is level. If the design provides for height adjustment, set the approximate level.
Then install the middle hinge. Insert it into the grooves of the bottom door and screw it to the refrigerator body. It is important here not to tighten the bolts “all the way” right away. Leave a small gap to be able to adjust the position of the door in space. Adjusting the gaps is a critical moment for the correct operation of the refrigerator.
Now it’s the turn of the top door. If you have a model with wires, carefully pass them through the holes in the hinges and body, connect the connectors and lay the harness so that it does not get pinched when opening and closing the door. Place the top door on the middle hinge pin, install the top hinge on top and secure it with bolts.
After installing all the elements, check the vertical installation using a building level. Doors should close tightly, without gaps, but not too tightly. If you notice a misalignment, loosen the fastening bolts of the middle and lower hinges, level the door and tighten the fasteners again.
⚠️ Attention: When tightening the bolts on the hinges, maintain uniform force. Tighten all the bolts first, then tighten them diagonally, like the wheels on a car. This will prevent the hinge from skewing and ensure a tight fit.
Adjusting gaps and checking tightness
After the doors are installed, it is necessary to fine-tune them. The gap between the door and the body of the refrigerator Don should be uniform around the entire perimeter. If the door fits tightly at the top, but there is a gap at the bottom (or vice versa), this will lead to loss of cold and the formation of ice. Adjustment is usually carried out using the support legs of the refrigerator or adjusting screws on hinges, if they are provided for in the design.
To check the tightness, use a simple test with a sheet of paper. Clamp the sheet with the refrigerator door around the perimeter. It should come out with noticeable effort. If the sheet falls out or is pulled out too easily, it means that in this place seal it does not fit. Try to slightly loosen or tighten the corresponding hinge bolts.
Also check the operation of the closing mechanism. The door should open freely, without creaking, and at an opening angle of more than 30-40 degrees, it should slam shut on its own (if a magnetic closer or body tilt is provided). Make sure that when closing the door does not touch shelves or products on adjacent shelves.
Plug in the refrigerator only after making sure that all fasteners are secure. Let the equipment work for 2-3 hours without loading food to check whether it holds the temperature and whether condensation appears at the door joints.
- 📏 Check the uniformity of the gap around the entire perimeter of the door.
- 🧲 Make sure the magnetic seal fits tightly using a test with paper.
- 🚪 Check that the door moves freely and does not touch the body.
- 🌡️ After switching on, check the temperature rise for 3 hours.
What to do if, after rehanging, the Don refrigerator door does not close tightly?
First of all, check whether the seal is installed correctly and whether its edge is curled. If everything is in order with the seal, loosen the hinge bolts and try to move the door in the desired direction. The reason may also be the tilt of the refrigerator itself - try twisting the front legs so that the body tilts slightly back, then the door will close under the influence of gravity.
Is it possible to hang the door if the refrigerator has a display?
Yes, it is possible, but it is more difficult. You will need to disconnect the display cable, carefully pull it through the new holes in the case (if any) or extend the wires. In some models Don with a display, overhanging is not provided structurally, since the length of the wires does not allow them to be moved to the other side. Carefully read the instructions for your model.
Do you need to defrost the refrigerator before hanging the doors?
Full defrosting is not necessary if you work quickly. However, if there is a lot of ice in the freezer, it is better to let it melt to prevent water from flowing into the hinge mechanisms when tilting or removing the door. In addition, it is easier to move an empty refrigerator and remove the doors from it.
Where to put the holes from the hinges on the old side?
Included with the refrigerator Don usually there are plastic plugs in the color of the body. They close the vacated holes. If the plugs are lost, you can use special furniture plugs-stickers or carefully paint over the holes with a matching marker so that they do not catch the eye.
How long does it take to rehang doors?
For an experienced master, the process takes 20-30 minutes. If working independently without experience, allow about 1 hour, including time for preparing the tool, dismantling, turning the doors and final adjustment. Take your time so as not to damage the fasteners.