Sagging shelf

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
1

I recently ordered AP4436945, and after replacing, with the glass, the drawers and covers, the frame assembly sags in the middle. Is there another part that should have been installed with this?

We are not the original owner, and if this is the design, we can now see why this frame broke the first time. Any weight cannot be supported on the shelf above the drawers without some support in the middle.

Do you have any advice to offer? Thank you for your assistance!

2

[quote=jkmorris;713425]I recently ordered AP4436945, and after replacing, with the glass, the drawers and covers, the frame assembly sags in the middle. Is there another part that should have been installed with this?

We are not the original owner, and if this is the design, we can now see why this frame broke the first time. Any weight cannot be supported on the shelf above the drawers without some support in the middle.

Do you have any advice to offer? Thank you for your assistance![/quote]

I’m about to replace the same part. I’m not certain of this, but from looking at the pictures on the website and comparing to the shelf I’m replacing, I think you need to save the metal rail that’s attached along the front bottom lip of the shelf with three screws, and transfer it to the new shelf prior to installation. That rail provides all the support.

3

I want to follow up on my previous comment. I got the new shelf and as expected it is missing the metal support bar, so I had to transfer the old bar from my broken shelf.

While the new shelf had the same part number as the old (broken) one (3550JJ0009A), there were some important differences:

  • The old shelf attached to the support bar via three screws: one in the center, and the outer two screws set in about 3 inches from the edge of the fridge.
  • The support bar itself isn’t actually supported at its edges: only the plastic edge of the shelf rests on a bolt protruding from the wall of the fridge.

This means that for the last three inches on either side only the plastic was supporting the entire weight of the shelf. Making matters worse, there were kerf-like cuts in the supporting plastic in this area. It’s almost like whoever designed it was looking to create a weak spot, and this is where the old shelf was buckling and cracking.

The new shelf now uses five screws, with the two new outermost screws added very close to each edge. Also, the kerf cuts are gone, so the plastic in that section is now solid. The only downside was that my old support bar only had holes for three screws, so to take advantage of the improved design I had to drill out the two new holes in the metal and find some screws that would fit. With that done and everything put back together it’s now much more solid.