3638500518 Kenmore Refrigerator - Instructions

Thanks to the stories on PartSelect my wife and I knew what to expect. The biggest hassle was sawing off the rivet that's on the hinge on the refrigerator (my wife volunteered for that job). When we got everything back together the door worked a lot better, but still wouldn't close without a little push. In frustration and running out of time, we put the stuff back inside the refrigerator door and that did the trick! The weight was enough to allow the door to close on its own.

I used a block of wood to hold up the door. Then unbolted the lower hinge from the fridge. That is when I found out that it was fine and it was the upper half of the hinge that was broken (worn).
So I unbolted the upper hinge (mounted on the bottom of door) It uses the same part. So I installed the part on the upper half of the hinge.

I wish somebody would have told me that you need 2 of these for each hinge. The bottom one was in good shape, lucky for me.

If a 74 year old guy can install an ice-maker in a 20 + year old fridge in 20, or so, minutes it must have had good pictures and BIG PRINT. Working quite well at this time!

There was what seemed to be a half chewed up washer under the refig. door. The door wasn't closing all the way. DING!! Something was wrong!!

I looked up your schematic for the refrig door and decided what piece might have broken. It was a good guess and the part showed up a few days later.

I wedged up the refrig door to take the tension off the lower bracket. Then, just took off the bracket and replaced the broken door closing cam.

I first removed all of the door contents. I then removed the door from its mountings by removing two screws at the bottom bracket. With the door lying on the floor I then removed the two screws holding the door cam assembly in place. I inserted the new door cam, then reversed the process replacing the four screws.

Replaced the old cams with new ones, door works perfect now.

I removed the lower screw (not needed for the new icemaker), loosened the 2 top screws, unplugged the wire harness and removed the old icemaker. Unpacked the new icemaker assembly from the box, wiped the ice cube depressions to remove any debris, snapped on the water tube adapter, hung the new assembly on the 2 loosened upper screws and tightened the screws. The wire harness required the supplied pigtail plug which made the wire assembly long and awkward to replace the ice bucket/dispenser assembly, plugged it in and was done. It took a total of about 10 minutes for the entire operation and had a full bin of ice cubes within 36 hours and was ready for the ice dispenser/crusher in the freezer door. Easy install!

removed top plate and raised the door off. I removed the L bracket from the fridge then noticed the part was rivited onto the L bracket. I cut the rivit and replaced the cam and used a small bolt and nut to sdecure it. Replaced the L bracket, the door, and the upper support. Only problem was the surprise rivit

I removed two screws at the top of the door, lifted the door off. I got lucky: the broken cam was the one on the door (easy to remove), not the one on the body of the refrigerator (tough to remove).
There is a shim which was also broken - no way to know that ahead of time. I bent a 5/8" lock washer flat and it served acceptably as a shim.
It would be helpful if PartSelect.com could include with its listing of the cam, the fact that (1) the shim will probably be needed, and (2) there's a very good chance that you'll need TWO of the cams as well.

I Supported the door with wood blocks. Then used a socket wrench to remove both parts of the lower hinge. I had purchased 2 of these plastic closers as recommended. One of them must be cut off with a Dremel Tool or small grinder. A small bolt and nut replaces the rivet that was cut off. Reinstall it just as it was removed. Job complete.
Parts were delivered on time, web site instructions were excellent. I highly recommend PartSelect.com

The old plastic door closer cam on bottom of the the door had broken. What was left of it was held on by a hex head screw. There was also a fiber spacer under the cam that was broken. I made a new one out of a piece of aluminum, but cardboard probably would have worked.

Forgot to mention you have to take the door off first--loosen the two screws on the top hinge and lift the door out of the bottom hinge.

I found the self-closing sometimes won't work well until there is some weight in the door.

i'm glad I read this forum before ordering the part because you need two of the door cams. They're sandwiched together on the lower hinge.

I removed the top door hinge, lifted the door off from the lower hinge and layed it on the counter.

I then removed the lower hinge using a nut driver.
I had to grind the rivot head off that holds the door cam onto the hinge and use a nut & bolt to replace
the rivot.

1. I removed the top door hinge.
2. I removed the door and laid it flat.
3. I replaced the cam attached to the bottom of the door. This was very easy.
4. I removed the bottom door hinge and had to remove the brad that held the second cam. This went well as I was able to saw it with a hacksaw.
5. Replaced the second cam with a bolt and nut.
6. Replaced the door and top hinge.
7. Remember to order two cams when you do this repair.

Thought I would only need one when I looked at the picture of the parts. Decided to order two just in case and after taking it apart both were broken. Needed two.
Took the top door bracket off and lifted the door off of the bottom bracket. Re-assembled cams, put a little white grease on all moving parts, placed the door into bottom bracket and installed top bracket. Adjusted top bracket to make door line up with edge of refrigerator and all is well.

Remove screw at hinge cover, top of door.
Remove two screw/nuts at hinge and remove hinge while holding door in place.
Lift door off of lower hinge
remove two nut/screws at bottom of door and replace closing cam. Be sure the pivot pin hole in the cam is lined up with the hole in door.

Next drill out rivet holding cam to lower hinge on the refer. Install cam with a pan head screw and nut (to replace rivet). It will help if you remove the plastic grille cover at the bottom of the frige.

Set door back on the lower pin and shut so the the magnetic strip holds the door in place. Re-install the upper hinge loosely. Adjust the door for an even gap and tighten the screw/nuts. Re-install the cover.

A very easy fix.