DIY Replacing the Hinges on a GE Monogram Refrigerator

Disconnect Refrigerator

• 1

  Unplug the refrigerator power cord, turn off the water supply behind the refrigerator and open each door. Take the contents off the door shelves. Leave the doors open and locate the screws securing the bottom toe grill to the refrigerator. There is a screw near each end beside the lower hinge.

• 2

  Remove the screws securing the bottom toe grill with a nut driver. Pull the toe grill away from the unit. This gives you complete access to the lower hinge on both doors. Once the toe grill is away from the refrigerator, close the refrigerator door.

• 3

  Disconnect the water line connection below the open freezer door. There is a coupler between the line coming under the refrigerator and the line coming out of the freezer door. Pull the collar of the coupler toward the refrigerator line with your fingers while pulling the end of the door line out of the coupler. Unhook the wiring harness connector between the refrigerator and the wires beside the door water tube. Close the freezer door.

• 4

  Remove the two screws securing the top cap of the refrigerator with a Phillips screwdriver. The top cap covers the entire top of the unit, including the hinges. Pull the two springs out along with the securing screws. Pull the top cap forward and remove it from the refrigerator.

• 5

  Unscrew the securing screws securing the front filler to the front top of the refrigerator with the Phillips screwdriver. Pull the front filler off the unit. Both upper hinges are now accessible.

Remove Hinges

• 6

  Remove the two screws securing each upper hinge to the top of the refrigerator cabinet with a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the hinges straight up and off the refrigerator. Look for plastic spacers that might be between the hinge and the refrigerator and keep them in a safe place for reinstallation later.

• 7

  Open the refrigerator door halfway and grab it on both sides. Lift up on the door and pull it away from the unit. Set the door upright beside the refrigerator cabinet.

• 8

  Hold the sides of the freezer door and lift up on the door. Ask a friend to guide the water tube and door wire harness through the lower hinge flange as you lift the door until the tube is out of the hinge. Place the door on the side of the refrigerator, avoiding crimping the water tube.

• 9

  Remove the screws securing each bottom hinge to the refrigerator cabinet frame with the Phillips screwdriver. Pull the hinges away from the refrigerator.

Install New Hinges

• 10

  Position the new bottom hinges on each side of the refrigerator, remembering to place the hinge with the hole in the pin stem on the freezer side. The pin stem is the angled portion of the hinge that has the door pin. Secure the hinges to the refrigerator with the retaining screws.

• 11

  Lift the freezer door and ask you helper to feed the ends of the water tube and wire harness through the hole in the bottom hinge. Position the pin hole on the bottom edge of the freezer door over the pin on the bottom hinge.

• 12

  Place the left-hand upper hinge pin into the hole in the top of the freezer door, lining up the mounting holes with the holes on the top of the refrigerator. Secure with the retaining screws.

• 13

  Lift up the refrigerator door and insert the bottom hinge pin into the hole in the bottom edge of the door. Secure the upper hinge in the same manner as the freezer door.

Reassemble Refrigerator

• 14

  Open both doors, and reconnect the wiring harness and water tube on the freezer side of the GE Monogram. Push the wire harness from the door back into the harness from the bottom of the refrigerator. Pull back on the refrigerator coupler collar for the water tube, and push the end of the door water tube into the coupler. Release the collar and tug lightly on the water tube to ensure it locks into place.

• 15

  Reattach the bottom toe grill with the retaining screws. Place the food contents back onto the door shelves and close both doors.

• 16

  Plug the power cord back into the outlet and turn on the water supply.

• 17

  Reattach the front filler over the front top of the refrigerator with the retaining screws. Slide the top cap back onto the top of the refrigerator, lining up the mounting hole.

• 18

  Place the springs into the recessed holes on the top cap and fasten the cap with the retaining screws.