WhirlPool Refrigerator Shelf Stud Retention?

The front right shelf support stud, which supports the top crisper and bottom shelf, broke on our twelve-year-old ED25TQXEW00 refrigerator.

1st Source Appliance Parts conveniently had the part (didn't have to wait for mail order) #4388538. There are two studs in this kit. Our 'fridge uses the press-in, not the one with a bolt.

However, after extracting the old stud with much cursing and puffing of breath, I find that the new stud is not securely retained. It's possible that I messed something up removing the old stud, as it would not pull directly out without what seemed like excessive force and the construction of the new one looked like there might be a 30 degree twist involved or some such.

Anyway, I rotated the old one a bit getting it out. But I don't see anything broken in the hole, and the old stud has a gray substance on the tip and shaft which sure looks like some kind of adhesive.

Google turned up three or four folks with the same problem, but searching this group didn't turn up any hits. Still, I suspect this has come up before and that my search was simply inadequate.

So how do I insert the new stud so that it will stay? I'm considering using a quick setting epoxy (quick setting to counteract the cold environment) but I fear going that route, because if I'm wrong, removing the epoxy would probably be a nightmare.

I'd appreciate any suggestions either humorous or helpful.

Thank you,

Jeff

Reply to
trag
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From what I remember, thats how you remove and insert them. You have to twist them out, and with the new ones, put them offset 90 deg, then twist so that it will lock them in to the right position.

Reply to
Mike rock

Use a regular slow setting epoxy (with no load on the stud) and don't worry about the cure. Regardless of temperature, it will cure. It may take a couple of days so be patient.Several times I have tried to save a batch of mixed epoxy when I overestimated what I needed. In a freezer it was only good for 3 or 4 days. HTH

Joe

Reply to
Joe

Thanks, Joe. I'll give that a try.

Jeff

Reply to
trag

Addendum: a good suggestion from hr hofmann is to use a bit of heat on the metal part of the epoxied stud. One logical way to do this would be to touch it carefully with a small soldering iron well before the iron reaches its maximum temperature. Even slow cure epoxies will set up fairly quickly when the temperature is over 100F. The resin may tend to bubble and get cheesy if it gets much hotter than that.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

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