During the wait, — the interval between ordering the trailer in September 2020 and delivery in August 2021 — I read lots of horror stories about the fragile top hinge of the refrigerator breaking. So, among items, I ordered the Fringe Hinge Damage Prevention Kit from Little House Customs. It can also be used to repair a broken hinge, but ours wasn’t busted yet, so our application is preventative.
The kit comes with the metal plate, screws to install it, and instructions.
When I went to install it using the suggested instructions, I found the screw heads bumped the top of opening. The instructions noted this could happen, and suggested shaving a bushing to allow for the extra space. I did not like that answer, so I went to the hardware store and bought flathead screws to replace the panheads the kit came with.
I countersunk the top of the holes with a drill bit in my drill press, then removed the door from the trailer. The instructions suggest using two 10 mm wrenches to remove the hinge, and do the plate installation in the Casita. I used a socket wrench because it was easier and did the work in my workshop because it’s better lit and easier to clean up the mess.
I inserted the top screw through the plate into the bushing on top the fridge door for alignment, positioned the hinge plate, and then marked the center with an awl. Next I drilled the hole and used a driver on low speed to twist the screw in most of the way. The screw was tightened with a manual screwdriver to avoid overtorquing and ripping an oversize hole in the plastic. The remaining screws were installed, and then I put the door back on the fridge.