The need to change the direction of opening the refrigerator door LG often arises when moving, remodeling your kitchen, or purchasing a new model that doesn't fit into your existing space. Modern refrigeration units, especially models Side-by-Side, have impressive dimensions, and standard opening can block passage or access to kitchen furniture. Fortunately, most manufacturers, including the Korean brand LGprovide the possibility of reversing the doors, which allows you to adapt the equipment to specific room conditions.
The process of rearranging door panels requires not only physical strength, but also technical preparationsince the design of modern refrigerators is full of electronics, sensors and complex locking mechanisms. Errors during dismantling can lead to damage to seals, broken hinges, or leakage, which ultimately affects energy consumption. In this article, we will analyze in detail how to safely dismantle and install doors on the opposite side, based on the technical features of the units LG.
Preparation of the workplace and the necessary tools
Before starting any manipulations with heavy household appliances, it is necessary to ensure safe working conditions. The refrigerator should be disconnected from the power supply by removing the plug from the socket, and completely free of food and removable shelves. This will not only reduce the weight of the structure, but will also prevent food spoilage if the process is delayed. It is recommended to clear space around the unit with a radius of at least one meter for convenient movement of parts.
To perform the work, you will need a set of tools, which it is advisable to prepare in advance so as not to interrupt the process. The main element will be screwdriver or a set of screwdrivers with different attachments, since the fastening elements may differ in the type of slot. You also cannot do without wrenches, pliers and, possibly, hexagons, which often come complete with equipment.
- 🛠️ Set of screwdrivers: Phillips and flat of different sizes for dismantling fasteners of hinges and handles.
- 🔧 Wrenches: open-end or socket (usually 8 mm, 10 mm) for hinge fastening bolts.
- 📦 Auxiliary materials: painting tape for fixing doors, soft rags to protect the coating and a container for small parts.
⚠️ Attention: The refrigerator floor may be slippery after defrosting or washing. Make sure there is a dry mat or non-slip surface under your feet to avoid injury when working with heavy door elements.
☑️ Prepare to rehang the doors
Carefully inspect the ends of the doors and the upper part of the body. To remove the plugs, you can use a thin knife blade or a flat screwdriver, acting extremely carefully so as not to scratch the plastic or metal.
Design features of LG refrigerator doors
Refrigerators LG are distinguished by a variety of design solutions, and the approach to rehanging depends on the type of model. In classic two-compartment refrigerators, the procedure is relatively simple and often does not require disconnecting electrical circuits, unless the loops are equipped with complex electronics. However, in models Side-by-Side and Door-in-Door the situation is complicated by the presence of displays, control systems and additional cameras.
The key element is hinge system, which can be upper, lower and middle. In some models, the lower hinge is hidden under a decorative base, which must be carefully removed. The upper hinges often bear the main load and can be equipped with a self-closing mechanism or a door position sensor.
Door-in-Door technology
In models with the Door-in-Door function (window in the door), re-hanging the main door is possible, but the small window often does not have symmetrical analogue on the other side. This means that after rehanging, the “pocket” for accessing products will be on the inconvenient side or its functionality will be limited by the design of the case.
Particular attention should be paid to the presence electrical connections. If there is a display or control panel on the door, simply rearranging the hinges will not work - you will need to reconnect the cables. In most modern models LG cables are laid inside the case and routed through special holes in the hinges, which makes the process more labor-intensive.
| Model type | Presence of electronics on the door | Difficulty of re-weighing | Need to move handles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic (Top Freezer) | No / Minimal | Low | Often symmetrical |
| Side-by-Side | Yes (display, ice maker) | High | Removal required |
| Door-in-Door | Yes (control panel) | Very high | Depends on the model |
| No Frost (middle class) | Indicators | Medium | Required |
Removing the top hinge and removing the door
You should always start work from the top of the refrigerator, since it is the top hinge that holds the bulk of the door leaf. The first step is to remove the top decorative panel or cover covering the mounting bolts. Usually it is fixed with latches or one or two screws, which can be easily unscrewed with a Phillips screwdriver.
After gaining access to the fasteners, do not rush to immediately unscrew the bolts. The refrigerator door is heavy, and without support it can fall, damaging the floor or its own corners. Be sure to ask an assistant to hold the door or use special straps to secure it. If the model allows, you can place wooden blocks under the door, but this is only possible after partially loosening the fasteners.
Carefully unscrew the bolts securing the top hinge and remove the hinge itself. The door can now be lifted and removed from the lower axis. If the model is equipped with an intermediate hinge (for three-door models or freezers at the bottom), the procedure must be repeated for each level, moving from top to bottom. When removing the door, keep an eye on the wires, if they go through the top hinge - they need to be carefully disconnected through the connector, after photographing the position of the contacts.
Rearranging handles and fittings
One of the most time-consuming tasks is moving the handles to the opposite side. In most cases, the handles are symmetrical, but the attachment points can be covered with plugs. On the new side of the opening, you need to find technological holes closed with plastic plugs. They need to be removed, and the holes on the old side, on the contrary, must be closed with plugs that came with the kit or were removed earlier.
To dismantle the handle, access to the fasteners from the inside of the door is often required. This means that sometimes the inner door panel has to be partially removed, which is a risky operation for an inexperienced user. If the handle is attached with screws from the outside under the decorative overlays, the process is simplified: remove the overlays, unscrew the screws and move the handle to the new side using the prepared holes.
- 🔩 Search holes: feel the surface of the door from the back side to find the threaded bushings for attaching the handles.
- 🧩 Plugs: save all the removed decorative elements, they will be needed to mask the old holes.
- 📏 Symmetry: make sure that the holes on the new side match the handle fasteners, some models may require drilling (for experienced ones only!).
⚠️ Attention: If installing the handles on the new side requires additional fasteners that are not included in the kit, do not use the wrong bolts. This may result in damage to the door frame or loss of seal. Contact the service center LG for original spare parts.
Installation of hinges and installation of the door on the new side
After preparing all the holes and transferring the fittings, the reassembly stage begins. Install the top hinge on the new side using the holes provided in the refrigerator body. Secure it with bolts, but do not tighten them all the way yet - this will allow you to adjust the position of the door when hanging.
Place the door on the lower axle and align the holes in the upper hinge with the mounting bushings at the end of the door. Insert the bolts and tighten them evenly. Now you need to check the horizontal installation and tightness of the seal around the entire perimeter. If the door is skewed, loosen the fasteners and add washers or adjust the height of the legs of the refrigerator.
The final step is to connect the electrical connectors, if the model requires it. Carefully insert the plugs until you hear a characteristic click and place the wires in the designated channels so that they are not pinched when closing the door. Install decorative covers on the hinges.
Checking the tightness and adjusting the gaps
After installing the door, you need to make sure it is correct completed work. Visually inspect the gap between the door and the body around the entire perimeter - it should be uniform. If the gap at the top is wider than at the bottom, or vice versa, you will need to adjust the tilt of the door by tightening the bolts of the top hinge.
Checking the tightness is the most important step. Take a piece of paper or a banknote and press it against the door at various points around the perimeter. When the door is closed, the paper should be removed with noticeable force. If the leaf falls out freely or is removed too easily, it means that in this place seal does not fit tightly enough.
If you detect a loose fit, you can try to warm the deformed area of the seal with a hairdryer (without overheating the plastic) and press the door tightly for a few minutes. If the problem is that the door is skewed, repeat the hinge adjustment procedure. Also make sure that the refrigerator is strictly vertical, using a building level.
What to do if the door does not close completely?
If after rehanging the door does not stay closed, check the tilt of the refrigerator itself. For proper closure, the housing must be tilted slightly backwards. Adjust the front support feet by unscrewing them to raise the front of the unit. Also check whether the products on the shelves of the door or in the main chamber prevent the door from closing tightly.
Is it possible to hang the door yourself without losing the warranty?
According to the rules of many service centers, independent intervention in the structure, especially related to disassembling components and electrical connections, may become grounds for refusal of warranty service. If the refrigerator is new, it is better to call an official technician. However, if the design allows a simple reversal of the hinges without breaking the seals on the compressor and complex electrical work, the warranty is often preserved, but it is better to clarify this point in the documentation for the specific model.
Where to put the holes from the handles on the old side?
Included with the refrigerator LG special plastic plugs are usually supplied in body color. They are designed to be installed in the vacated holes on the side where there will no longer be handles. If the plugs are lost, they can be ordered at the service center or selected similar in diameter and color in furniture fittings stores to maintain an aesthetic appearance.
Do I need to wait after turning on the refrigerator?
Yes, after transportation and especially after work on hanging the doors, when the refrigerator was in a horizontal or inclined position, it is necessary to allow the oil in the compressor to drain back into the crankcase. It is recommended to wait at least 2-4 hours (or better yet, a day) before connecting the unit to the network to avoid water hammer and compressor breakdown.