The need to change the opening direction of the refrigerator door often arises when remodeling a kitchen or rearranging furniture, when the standard arrangement of handles interferes with passage or access to other household appliances. For owners of the model Biryusa 627 this procedure is technically possible, since the design of the unit provides for a symmetrical arrangement of mounting holes on the body. However, the process requires attentiveness, the presence of a certain set of tools and strict adherence to the sequence of actions so as not to damage the hinges or the body of the equipment itself.
Before starting work, it is important to understand that rehanging is not just a rearrangement of bolts, but a complex operation affecting the position basic and the bottom door, as well as switching magnetic latches. Failure to perform any of the steps correctly may result in the door not fitting tightly, the seal of the chamber being compromised, and the compressor starting to operate under increased load. In this article, we will analyze each step in detail so that you can complete the job efficiently and safely.
It is worth noting that the 627 series models may have various modifications to the fittings, so the appearance of some fasteners may differ slightly from what is described in the manual. Recommended prepare the workplace in advance, ensuring sufficient lighting and free access to the refrigerator from all sides. This will avoid the loss of small parts and speed up the assembly process.
Necessary tools and workplace preparation
The quality and speed of work directly depend on proper preparation. For the model Biryusa 627 you will need a standard home craftsman's kit, which most men have. The main tool will be an 8 mm wrench or socket, since this is the size of the hinge fastening bolts. You may also need a Phillips screwdriver to remove decorative plugs and adjust stoppers.
Particular attention should be paid to the stability of the refrigerator during operation. Since you will have to exert physical force to hold the heavy door, the unit should not wobble. Be sure to check the horizontal installation using a building level. If the floor is uneven, tighten the adjustable supports at the bottom of the cabinet.
⚠️ Attention: Before starting any work on disassembling the cabinet, be sure to disconnect the refrigerator from the power supply. Remove the plug from the socket to eliminate the risk of short circuit or electric shock if the wiring is accidentally damaged.
For easy storage of dismantled parts, prepare a small container, such as a magnetic tray or plastic container. The bolts from the upper and lower hinges may differ in length, and they can easily be mixed up, which will later lead to problems with the closure tightness. Marking fasteners at the disassembly stages will greatly simplify the final assembly.
- 🔧 Wrench or ratchet with an 8 mm head (the main tool for hinges).
- 🪛 Phillips screwdriver (for plugs and adjusting screws).
- 🧤 Work gloves (to protect hands from sharp metal edges).
- 📦 Container for folding bolts and washers.
- 📏 Building level (to check horizontal position after installation).
Make sure there is enough room to maneuver around the refrigerator. The door is quite wide when open and you will need to be able to move around the frame freely. Remove carpets or slippery surfaces from the floor to ensure reliable adhesion of shoes to the surface.
☑️ Preparation for rehanging
Dismantling the top door and removing the top hinge
The re-hanging process always starts from the top refrigerator. The first step is to remove the decorative plug that covers the hole for the hinge on the opposite side. Usually it sits tightly in the socket, so to remove it you can use a thin screwdriver tip or a knife, acting carefully so as not to scratch the enamel of the case.
Next we move on to the main loop. It is secured with two or three bolts that need to be unscrewed. The important thing to consider here is the weight of the door: as soon as you loosen the last bolt, it may start to fall. Therefore get support an assistant or hold the door firmly with your free hand. A sharp jerk can damage the seal or deform the metal.
After unscrewing the bolts, carefully remove the top hinge. Pay attention to washers and bushings that may be between the hinge and the body. Their loss will lead to an incorrect gap between the door and the body, which will affect the tightness. Save all small parts in a prepared container.
Now that the top hinge is removed, you can completely separate the top door from the body. Lift it up, removing it from the lower support sleeve, and set it aside in a safe place. It is advisable to place the door on a soft surface (blanket, cardboard) with the outer side down so as not to damage the internal plastic panel or shelves.
Removing the bottom door and dismantling the middle hinge
After removing the top door, access to the middle hinge, which holds the bottom door (fridge compartment), opens. The principle of operation is similar: unscrew the fastening bolts while holding the door. In the model Biryusa 627 this hinge often has a more complex design, since a pin can be attached to it to rotate the upper door.
When removing the lower door, be especially careful with the seal. The rubber cuff should not stretch or wrinkle too much. If the door is difficult to remove, check whether any structural element is in the way, and do not try to rip it off with a jerk. Smooth rocking from side to side will help release the bushings.
| Element | Action | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Upper hinge | Remove from one side, install on another | Keep all washers and bushings |
| Middle hinge | Remove, turn over or replace the stud | Check the condition of the bushing |
| Lower support | Rearrange the plug | Ensure horizontal position |
| Stoppers | Rearrange in opposite holes | Use on a threaded fastener |
After dismantling both doors, carefully inspect ends of the body. They should have symmetrical holes for attaching hinges. If you find factory plugs in the new holes, they need to be removed and moved to the old places to close the resulting voids. This is important for aesthetics and thermal insulation.
Often users forget about the plastic stop-lock, which is located inside the end of the door. It prevents spontaneous opening. It also needs to be moved to the opposite side. To do this, you may need to unscrew the screw inside the hole and move the mechanism to a symmetrical socket.
Installing the hinges and hanging the doors on the new side
Assembly begins in the reverse order, but on the other side of the body. First we install the middle loop in a new place. It is important to orient the pin correctly: it should face up and fit exactly into the counter hole of the lower door. If the hinge design allows, make sure that it is installed in a mirror image relative to the original position.
Then we hang the bottom door. This step requires precision: you need to get the door bushing onto the hinge pin and at the same time hold the door vertical. Once the door is in place, temporarily tighten the hinge, but do not tighten the bolts all the way. This will allow you to make final position adjustments.
⚠️ Attention: When installing hinges, pay attention to the direction of the thread. Misalignment of the bolt when tightening can damage the threads in the refrigerator body, which will require complex repairs using a tap or chemical anchor.
Next we move on to installing the top hinge. We put it on the body, insert the pin into the hole in the upper door and secure it with bolts. The rule “do not tighten it to the end” also applies here. First, tighten all the bolts, make sure that the door is level, and only then make the final fixation with a key.
Check the operation of the doors. They should open smoothly, without creaking or jamming. If you hear metal grinding, it means the hinges are skewed or a washer has been forgotten. In this case, it is better to immediately loosen the fasteners and eliminate the distortion than to operate the refrigerator in this condition.
Adjusting the position of doors and gaps
Correct adjustment is the key to long service life of the compressor. If the door is skewed, the magnetic seal does not fit tightly, and cold air escapes. For the model Biryusa 627 adjustment is carried out by loosening the fastening bolts of the middle and upper hinges and shifting the blade in the desired direction.
Use a building level, applying it to the end of the door. The bubble should be strictly in the center. If the door is skewed to the left or right, place a thin spacer (for example, a piece of plastic or cardboard) under one side of the hinge or adjust the height of the refrigerator's support legs.
- 📐 Check the gap between the door and the body around the entire perimeter - it should be uniform.
- 🧲 Test the tightness of the fit magnetic tape: a sheet of paper sandwiched between the door and the body must be removed with force.
- 🔄 Make sure that when opening to a certain angle the door does not slam shut by itself (the closer works).
Pay special attention to the installation height. Doors should not touch the floor when opening or, conversely, hang too high, leaving a gap at the bottom. The height is adjusted using the screws on the front support legs of the refrigerator. By twisting or unscrewing them, you can raise or lower the corner of the unit.
Rearranging handles and hole plugs
The final chord is the rearrangement of the handles. On the model Turk 627 handles can be hidden (at the end) or external. If the handles are external and are bolted, you just need to move them to the opposite side using symmetrical holes. Often this requires removing the decorative trims.
The holes left free after transferring the handles and hinges must be closed with plugs. They usually come with the refrigerator or are already installed on the back side. If there are no standard plugs, you can order them from a service center or make them yourself from plastic of a suitable color, although this is less aesthetically pleasing.
Check whether the handles do not interfere with the opening of adjacent cabinets or doors. Sometimes, when moving the handle to a new side, it may rest against a protruding element of the kitchen unit. In this case, additional adjustment of the position of the refrigerator itself relative to the wall may be required.
What to do if, after re-hanging, the door does not close tightly?
First of all, check whether anything is interfering with the seal (food, dishes). If there are no mechanical obstacles, inspect the rubber cuff itself - it may have jumped out of the groove during installation. Also, the reason may be incorrect adjustment of the tilt of the body: the top of the refrigerator should be slightly higher than the bottom for the self-closing effect.
Is it possible to lose the warranty if you re-hang it yourself?
According to the law, re-hanging the doors yourself is not grounds for refusal of warranty service if you have not damaged the components of the refrigerator in the process. However, if you strip a thread or break a hinge, that particular assembly will not be covered under warranty. Be careful.
Do you need to defrost the refrigerator before re-hanging?
It is advisable, but not strictly necessary. If there is a lot of ice in the freezer, when changing the position of the refrigerator (tilting it to access the bolts), water may flow into the mechanisms. It is better to carry out the procedure after defrosting or make sure that the chambers are dry.
After completing all the work, turn on the refrigerator. Let it run for 15-20 minutes, then check the temperature inside the chambers and once again make sure that the doors are tightly sealed. If everything is done correctly, Biryusa 627 it will serve you reliably, no matter which way its doors open.
The secret of the durability of the seal
After re-hanging, wipe the rubber seal with a dry, soft cloth and lubricate it with a special rubber product or regular glycerin. This will restore the elasticity of the material after compression during installation and extend its service life.