moving refrigerator?

[TowPro]

I have to move my Father In-law from Macon Ga to SE PA the middle of Aug.



I will have my pickup camper in the bed of my truck and I will be towing home a 6' x 12' Uhaul trailer with all the belongings he is keeping.



My problem is the roof hight of the UHaul is 65", and the refrigerator is 63. 25" high. I realize it will fit (on paper), but the door in only 60" high, is this enough room to get the refrigerator into the trailer, but then get a 63. 25" refrigerator to stand back up in 65" ?



What about shipping the refrigerator on its side?



The Idiot at UHaul said "all the Freon will leak out" (ya right).



I called one refrigerator repair man, he said "as long as you put the side down so the pipes that come out of the compressor are facing up (so most of the oil will stay in the compressor), then let it sit for at least 48 hours upright again before plugging it back in, you should be alright". He said he receives new ones that way all the time. This refrigerator might be around 10 years old, what do you folks think?

 

[klenger]

I moved a frig in the same trailer back in the 70's from Michigan to Colorado. I was told to let it stand upright for a couple of days after I got to the destination. Never had any problems.

 

[fkovalski]

Dittos- let it stand upright for a couple of days.

 

[Oil Burner]

Towpro,

If i knew the footprint of the fridge I could tell you if you could upright it once in the trailer, but from what I read I don't think it is possible. You will have to tilt it to, I'm guessing, about 45 degrees to get it in; plus you will be on a dolly (adds a few more inches). I would put it on its side like you said. It should be fine. Hope you don't have to drive the PA turnpike much on your trip. I ran from Pittsburgh to York about two weeks ago and I still can't believe what a mess it is.

-Jason

 

[Peter Campbell]

if the shortest dimension on the bottom is 20" it would be about 66" high while tipping. Someone at work built a custom wood bookshelf to JUST FIT under his ceiling(1/4" clearance). He ended up putting up a temorary wall in the mibble of the room to jack the floor down and the ceiling up to get the extra 3/4" of clearance. And he told us about it ! Cant't make this stuff up, i don't have the imagination :--)

 

[TowPro]

I run the Turnpike from Morgantown to Harrisburg and get off at the Carslile exit. The turnpike is nice and smooth on my end!

Then I take 81 south to 77 through Charlotte, then some major highway west from Columbia GA. Nice roads except 81 through West VA.



Thanks for the help everybody, I was thinking I also have to load a washer and dryer, so the refer will go on its side on one side of the center of the trailer, and the washer and dryer on the other side. This keeps all that weight on the trailer tires.



I understand to have 10-15% of my load on the tong to help with sway, but if all 3 of them got to the front, that would be more like 50% of the load ahead of the axles.

Originally posted by JStull

Towpro,

It should be fine. Hope you don't have to drive the PA turnpike much on your trip. I ran from Pittsburgh to York about two weeks ago and I still can't believe what a mess it is.

-Jason

 

[Todd G]

I used to run an appliance delivery business. We shipped refers all the time on their sides. They are shipped from the manufacturers that way all the time. A good rule of thumb is to let them sit upright unplugged for the same amount of time it was horizontal before you plug it in.

 

[Tim1]

good advice

I work on appliances and the infor you got is right on. Give plenty of time unplugged upright and it will be just fine. Just a footnote for the washer, if it is a Kenmore or whirlpool, be careful how you tip it back on the hand truck, don't tip towards the water valves as sometimes the tub moves enough to bust the water valve. Have fun. Tim

 

[TowPro]

Re: good advice

Thanks Tim1. Its a kenmore, I will probably have the dolly under the front as its stuffed into a corner and thats the only way I can get to it. Sure would hate to turn on the water in his new home and find a leak!

Originally posted by Tim1

I work on appliances and the infor you got is right on. Give plenty of time unplugged upright and it will be just fine. Just a footnote for the washer, if it is a Kenmore or whirlpool, be careful how you tip it back on the hand truck, don't tip towards the water valves as sometimes the tub moves enough to bust the water valve. Have fun. Tim

 

[Eric Kahn]

refrigerators (at least in the last 15 years) are designed so that they can be put on their backs, I hauled several loads of them in the past and some were always put on their backs on top of other stuff in the trailer, of course if your refrigerator has coils on the back, you would obviously need to put it on supports to keep them off the floor, like the carton the refrigerator is shipped in does

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

""The Idiot at UHaul said "all the Freon will leak out" (ya right). """



hehehe... best reason I've heard yet. And people wonder why I stay clear of U hauls on the road.





U can haul a fridge on its back or side but be aware of this. the liquid freon will migrate to the compressor... instant hydro-lock and $$ for a new compressor if you plug it in right away.



All the prior postings are right... . let 'er sit for a couple days (min 48 hours) and you'll be good to go.

 

[willyslover]

heck with the dolly. . just give'em a bear hug and put them in. . saves time and height space. . [but ya have have a bit O size to ya