Broken Dometic refrigerator door tray

[bouwsmaj]

I managed to break the lower tray on the door of our Dometic RM2201 refrigerator. Replacements are no longer available. I tried gluing it with epoxy, with a fiberglass overlay on both sides, but the epoxy didn't hold. Does anyone have any ideas about how to fix this, or where to look for a used replacement part?

[Roy in TO]

Keep your eye out on craigslist etc for a dead one.
Or
RV Salvage/Surplus Yards (List) Updated 9/04/12 - RV Forums - myRVparks.com

[Carol H]

Keep watching the thread Parts Buy Sell Trade here or post your need- every once in awhile someone parts out an old RM2001 - I got a new freezer door for my that way.

[David Tilston]

There are wreckers who specialize in RV's. Check out this web page:
oregon

[Mike Price]

Within the last two years, ours broke,(actually re-broke, because it had been glued with CA glue), and I got a new replacement from (?) PPL, I think. I only remember that it cost like gold!

Also, I used plastic glue(?) actually a plastic solvent that softens the plastic and literally melts the break back together, like welding it. The previous owner had used CA glue, and it did not work well at all.

Mike

[bouwsmaj]

Thanks to all of you who replied! PPL has the part listed on their website for $48, but it has been discontinued, they can no longer get it. I called about 8 of the salvage yards that were suggested, no luck so far. I think the glue idea is well worth trying, I will take the remains to Tapp Plastics to see if they can give me a positive ID on the type of plastic and recommend the right solvent glue.

However this has made us realize several other drawbacks to the current refrigerator (broken freezer door, too small, wrong interior layout for us, unexplained variations in temperature, etc.) so we are also considering replacing it. Our 1990 Scamp has the Dometic RM2201 model which is 1.7cu ft. If we replace it we would like to get the RM4223, which is 2.5 cu ft. The only difference in the cavity size is that the RM4223 requires 24" in depth, as opposed to 21.25". Since the counter is 24" wide we have the necessary depth. Has anyone ever installed this refrigerator in a Scamp?

[Bill MacDermod]

Originally Posted by bouwsmaj

I managed to break the lower tray on the door of our Dometic RM2201 refrigerator. Replacements are no longer available. I tried gluing it with epoxy, with a fiberglass overlay on both sides, but the epoxy didn't hold. Does anyone have any ideas about how to fix this, or where to look for a used replacement part?

If yours are like mine the ears break off, I just took 2 self threading screws 1/2" long and drove them through the shelf end and into the door lining, that was about 50,000 miles ago

[Bob Miller]

Here is a link to the installation manual: http://www.gas-refrigerators.com/pdf/RM4223-manual.pdf

[Donna D.]

If you have all the pieces, I'd try JB Weld. I do believe something else would break before the "weld" would come apart.

[Perry J]

Use the dreaded silicone.
Sand the parts and apply it as a patch.
You can flatten the patch by patting it and smoothing it out with your WET finger.
It's flexible and you can even fill small voids where the plastic may be missimg.
John

[Ryan P R]

I've repaired broken plastic in my house fridge by using epoxy- the real trick..... I drilled tiny holes (1/16") along each side of the crack. I knew the epoxy wouldn't bond to the plastic very well, but that it would bond to itself through the holes and act as a bit of stitching. You must coat both sides of the surface and make sure the epoxy penetrates through the holes.

[Ron in BC]

I've done the same thing with the 1/16" holes. I then used a needle and laced polyester thread side-to-side. When coated with epoxy, the joint is incredibly strong.

Ron

[bouwsmaj]

Wow! These are all great ideas! As a boat builder I am a huge fan of epoxy, but it never occurred to me to drill holes, much less stitch the pieces together! The silicone might have worked also, but by the time I read this I had gone to Tapp Plastics and taken their suggestion--clean off the eopxy as best I could and reglue with a solvent glue. I also reinforced the joint with a small piece of plexiglass which they said would also soften and weld with the same glue. It seems to have worked, even without the screws. We will be testing it out on a week-long trip starting tomorrow, If it fails, which I strongly doubt, I will reglue and add the screws.
Thanks again!
John