Reversing Maytag Top Freezer Refrigerator Door

Remove the food from the doors. Remove the handles from the doors and set aside. On some models the bottom mounting screw on the lower door handle is covered with a cap. Carefully pry it out to expose the screw. The cap should be saved for reassembly after the handle is remounted. On the side ( front ) of the lower door where you are going to install the handle, remove the small round screw hole plug with a putty knife and press it into the corresponding hole on the opposite side of the door. If your model has side mounted handles, the screw heads are covered with plastic caps that should be carefully removed and saved for reassembly after the handles are remounted. On the side of the door that you are going to install the handle, remove the small round screw hole plugs with a putty knife and press them into the corresponding holes on the opposite side of the doors.

Maytag reverse 1
Maytag reverse 2
Maytag reverse 3
Maytag reverse 5

Using a 5/16" socket and ratchet, remove the screws from the upper hinge. Carefully lift the door ( including the upper hinge ) off the center hinge and place it on a padded surface to prevent scratching. Retain the hinge shim for later reassembly.

With a putty knife, remove the screw hole plugs opposite the top hinge side and install them in the original top hinge mounting screw holes.

With a 5/16" socket and ratchet, remove the screw visible from the front on the center hinge. Slide the center hinge and the top of the door towards the opposite center hinge side until it clears the shoulder screw. Now, carefully lift the lower door off the lower hinge and place it on a padded surface. If the hinge pin ( and washers ) pulls out of the lower hinge when the door is removed, pull it out of the door bottom and press it back into the hinge in the same location that it came out of.

With a putty knife, remove the screw hole plugs on the opposite side of the original center hinge location and set them aside. With a 5/16" socket and ratchet, remove the shoulder screw on the original center hinge side and put it in the hole on the opposite side. Now, take the screw hole plugs, previously set aside, and place them in the holes where the center hinge was originally located.

With a putty knife, remove the screw hole plugs on the opposite side of the bottom hinge and set them aside. ( some models do not have these plugs ). Remove the base grill. With a 5/16" socket and ratchet, remove the three screws from the bottom hinge and shim. Remount the bottom hinge and shim with the same screws on the opposite side. The bottom hinge should be slid as far as it can towards the side of the cabinet.

Remove the hinge pin and washer from the bottom hinge and place in into the opposite hole of the hinge.

With a putty knife, remove the hinge cup plug from the top of the freezer door and refrigerator door and set aside. Take the center hinge, screw and washers out of the top of the refrigerator door and put it on the opposite side. NOTE: one washer goes between center hinge and the top of the fresh food door. Two washers go between the freezer door and top of the center hinge.

Some models have door stops mounted to the bottom of the refrigerator door and freeze door. With a Phillips screwdriver, remove the screws holding the door stops and remount the door stops to the opposite side of the door. Avoid over tightening this screw. Tighten them until they are just snug then turn them in another half turn.

Take the lower door and center hinge and place it onto the bottom hinge pin. Make sure the bottom hinge pin enters the bushing at the bottom of the door. Position the door in the opening and slide the center hinge over the shoulder screw. Now tighten the screw, closest to the new handle location, on the center hinge. Avoid over tightening this screw. Reverse the ends of the base grille and reinstall it to the cabinet base.

Set the upper door on the center hinge, making sure the hinge pin enters the bushing on the bottom of the door. When you close this door, the magnetic seal will hold it in place.

Position the hinge shim to the new location and install the top hinge with the 3 mounting screws. Before tightening these screws, make sure the top of the door is level with the cabinet top and the space between the door is equidistant across the entire front. Avoid over tightening these screws. Tighten them until they are just snug then turn in another half turn.

Examine the entire door seal around each door, making sure there are no air gaps.

Install the handles on the opposite side of the door.

Refrigerator Repair Parts


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