Door Closing Cam

Followed step-by-step instructions in previous post. Note that there are TWO approaches, both of which work.

Option 1) Order TWO cams (PS297995), drill out the rivet holding the frame's cam, and replace it with a nut and bolt. (See post on 07/19/09.)

Option 2) Order the entire hinge assembly (PS290199), which includes the door's cam and an assembled frame hinge and cam. (See post on 10/29/08.)

We opted for Option 1 which was pretty easy. Option 2 would be even easier and take less time but costs about $9 more.

Thanks to previous posters for excellent instructions!

Door needed to be supported before hinge assembly was removed. After replacing broken cam doors aligned and doors closing properly.

First of all, It was Christmas and no extra money to pay a repairman.
i got on the computer and started looking for a parts breakdown for an older GE side by side.
I finally found it and located the part I thought we needed.
I looked at several parts dealers and yours had the best price.
anyway it arrived in just 2 days. My son helped me remove the door and we put the new part on and I just saved the cost of a service call.

Thank You

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.

I learned from previous descriptions. Most important is there are two cams so order two. Second is that the door can be blocked from the bottom so the door doesn't have to be unloaded if you are careful. Remove the vent cover. Raise the door as high as possible while closed then block it from dropping down. I used wooden blocks. Remove the lower hinge and bracket on the bottom of the door. Put everythng back and you're back in business. A kit with both cams, spacers, and screws with diagram would have been nice to have.

I took the top over off the pivet bracket and used a nut driver to remove the screws on the pivet. Lifted the door off and put on some saw horsess. I revoved the pieces of the old cam on the door by taking out the screw and put the new cam back.
I then drilled out the rivet on the bracket on the door and removed the broken cam. replaced it with the new one and used a screw and nut to replace the rivet. Put the door back and works great now.

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

completely removed door, then replaced worn-out cam on bottom of door-simple enough; then removed hinge from bottom of refrigerator; removing old cam required drilling out the rivet that fastened cam to hinge; secured new cam to hinge with small machine screw and nut. This procedure is relatively easy but does require minor mechanical ability and having a small drill and bit set. However, replacing the two cams totally fixed the problem.

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'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.

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

Removed screws holding top door hinge. Lifted the door off bottom hinge. Unscrewed cam from bottom of door. Drilled out rivet holding the second cam in the bottom hinge. Replaced both cams using a flat headed bolt to hold the bottom cam. Dropped door into bottom hinge and replaced top hinge screws. Job done.

Make sure you buy two cams and have a bolt to replace the bottom rivet.

Not a difficult job as long as you have a drill !!!

1st: Order (2) closing cams! One for the hinge pin / bracket and one for the bottom of the door.
The closing cam on the door was where the Dremel type tool is required, since you have to grind the head off of a factory rivet.
I installed the cam with an aluminum pop rivet.
Next, remove the bracket on the bottom of the door with sockets and install the second closing cam.
Re-attach the top door hinge pin and align visually; tighen all bolts. Job finished, but more important , my wife is not nagging me about the repair that I put off for over a year!!!!

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.