Removing plastic door shelves panel from Regular fridge door

[m3B.eer]

Hi all,

I just got a big fridge I'll be using as a fermentation chamber/cool storing unit for my brews.

I need to take off the plastic door panel as the built-in shelves take too much space inside. I looked around the rubber seal but there are no visible screws. Does anyone have experienced this, and how to take it off? I'd rather not have to cut it out if I can for now.

 

[Falstaff]

I pulled mine out after prying out a corner with a knife, but a chisel probably would have been safer. I don't know if the fridge you have is built the same.

First see if you can pull out the rubber seal. Behind the plastic there will be foam insulation that you will have to cut away flush, as you can see in the picture above. I used a wood saw because it was all I had at the time.

The groove for the seal will be wider now because you pulled the plastic out from it. I glued it back in with some epoxy.


Hope that helps!

 

[m3B.eer]

Is your fridge a small one or a big one?

The rubber seal is locked in behind the plastic, so I assume I will have to take everything off at the same time. What I want to try is see, maybe with a flat screwdriver, to take off the plastic will leaving the seal. Not sure if it will maintain the seal's form though.

 

[Falstaff]

Mini fridge. Yeah your fridge might be different. My seal ripped out very easily, if I remember right.

 

[m3B.eer]

And just making sure, yours didn't have screws as well?

 

[odie]

surprising there are no screws or clips. But does not look like any door stuff to access like ice or water. Might just be glued in. Did you look under every fold in the rubber? Could be "pressed" in like older cars and jeeps. Gasket has a groove for both the door frame and the plastic liner.

 

[McMullan]

A little heat from an air heat gun (possibly a hairdryer on full) might soften the adhesive. I think that's where I'd start.

You should be able to carefully pull out the seal, before applying heat. Although you don't want to apply so much heat it knackers the seal.

 

[m3B.eer]

My goal was to take of the plastic panel to free some space, as the shelves took too much space.
I went ahead yesterday, and finally cut around the panel just inside the seal. I wanted to keep the seal in place because there were no screws around the panel, and second, it seems the panel was stuck on top of the gasket.
I proceeded with this cut, then pulled off by hand the plastic. Beware of the plastic cuts (got a bunch on my hands now... uhuh). The foam was actually molded inside, shaped like the sleves. So I had to cut some of this off. And now, big kegs can fit in!
to be continued.

 

[day_trippr]

Pics!

 

[Bobby_M]

Generally its adhered to the door shell with the foam., which is often injected last.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Generally its adhered to the door shell with the foam., which is often injected last.

^^ This. Manufacturing is all about saving time and parts. Screws would also create stress points.