How to remove a fridge from a caravan?

[kand]

I also had to buy a small fridge as the two-way fridge was broken.

That’s all well and good @selva, but you had to get the old fridge out of the van before you could put the new one in!

My question, in case you haven’t already guessed, is how did you get the old one out, please?

[Nailbag]

Hi @kand 

The fridge would most likely to have been installed after the cabinetry. So, designed to be connected and slid into place then fixed with no excessive force required to remove it once the fixing have been removed. Removing the rear external air vent may expose additional fixing and/or connections that will need to be disconnected first.

Unless one of my fellow braintrust can provide an answer, I would highly recommend you turn to Facebook and join one or two of the many groups of experienced owners of vintage caravans. There will be people within these groups who will know the type of fridge and possibly your van model who can provide insight in to not only this issue, but other solutions for your projects moving forward.

Here is just one example of these groups.

Nailbag

[Dave-1]

Morning @kand 

Im with @Nailbag 's reasoning as to how the fridge would have been installed. At the very least any repair would have to have it pulled out so there must be something that clicks or detaches to allow it to walk out.

I just had a troll through google looking for "removal of caravan fridge from old school cavaran" and had a bunch of answers that tend to make me belive it should come out fairly easy, getting it out of the caravan is another thing by the look of it 😕

With your fridge, it could be "locked" in place to imprinting into the lino underneath, and no space above it. The panel that you have exposed by taking off the bottom strip of the fridge, is it hanging free? or still fixed to the frame of the fridge?

You could try using the metal brackets just below the door hinge either side and using something like a hook to drag the fridge forward at the same level as the floor (so no upturned lift of the fridge at all) Using two Trojan 300 x 120mm F Clamp's either side of those gal pieces that the cover clips to, tighten them up and pull towards you. I am not sure how much space you will have to slip the clamp head around behind the bracket is all.

Dave

[kand]

Thanks, @Nailbag.

I haven't been ignoring you, or anyone else. I've been reading and exploring underneath the van. I've also been looking in the van, but that hasn't brought me a lot of joy, so far.

Actually, exploring underneath the van hasn't exactly been a barrel of laughs, either. The van rides on 13" wheels and that doesn't give a lot of clearance underneath.

But I did discover this:

As it says, only two bolts, both next to the side of the van, and what I'm guessing from underneath the van is about the width of the fridge apart from each other.

Now, I could undo those bolts and see what happens, but if they're holding the cabinetry in, or worse, together, I don't want to be mucking around with that. I don't want to get myself into more trouble than I know how to get out of. 

Thoughts, anyone?

And thanks for the link to the Facebook group. I'm not on Facebook, but my wife has been having fun with that link. 🙄

[kand]

Hi @Dave-1 

Again, I'm sorry for not responding sooner. You wrote:

With your fridge, it could be "locked" in place to imprinting into the lino underneath, and no space above it.

I don't know if you mean the same as a couple of other people in real life have suggested to me that there 'should have been' adjustable feet that screwed the fridge up against the top cabinet so tightly that it couldn't move. If that's what you meant, then I'll have to say that I can't find any evidence of those feet.

The panel with the controls for starting the fridge on either gas or electricity? And for switching between the two energy sources? That panel? It seems to me to be firmly in place.

If I'm to use those clamps, or a breaker bar, 🤣 I'm going to need to remove the top cabinet, I presume. I don't want to sound dumb. I probably just am.

Thanks for all of your help.

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @kand 

no you arnt and its hard to describe in such a way both our points of view, part of the learning process for both of us really.

"Locked in place" via imprint into lino. If you go searching for the query I posted you will come across tint fridges that dont have wind up feet, they have a "bump" at the front and smooth at the back. I figure its to help the door stay closed. The imprint I am refering to is you know when ther is long term weight on lino and you move it, there is a divit left behind. I am suggesting that the fridge might be resting with its front bumps (feet) in its own self made divit.

The blue circles are where I am suggesting to put those clamps, that panel between the blue wonky circles looks loose? 

The yellow lines are for the "bumps" causing impressions into the lino that would make movement harder.

The blue arrows are the horizontal pull from the bottom towards you.

If that panel isnt loose and cant be unscrewed then that hole on the left, on that control plate looks like you could slip a clamp into it and pull toward you.

I saw the bolt photos when you answered @Nailbag, not sure what they are for but maybe have a search for caravan construction methods form the 1950's? As in build diagrams. (not sure of the era of your caravan but methods will stay the same ish) I dont think they will be fastened to the fridge, mostly because it would take two people effort to line it up and install it (it dosnt have a logic sequence for building)

Dave

[kand]

Thanks for the vote of confidence in me, @Dave-1! I wish I shared your confidence. 

I think it is going to take me a bit of time to wrap my head around the markup on the photo but I might also show it to my friend who is a machinist and welder. He looks at things very differently compared to me, funnily enough. He will probably look at it and ask me what the problem is!

The van was built in the 1980s. It was sold to us as a 1984 year model. 

The ‘hole’ on the bottom panel, to the left of the maker’s plate is not a hole, unfortunately. It is very deceptive! It’s a small window which, I think, is where you can check that the pilot light is on. 

I will keep searching and I am now interested in knowing what those two bolts really are for. I shall keep you posted. 

Thanks again for your help and especially your patience with me. 

Andrew 

[Nailbag]

Hi @kand 

Personally I would have a go at @Dave-1 suggestion and/or removing those two nuts. I would have confidence that nothing like the cabinets will be effected especially while the van is no in transport.

Otherwise as per my previous post, I would ask someone from either the Millard and York Caravan Owners group or the vintage caravan community.

Nailbag