which tools do I use to turn this bolt in a tight space?

urbanstarship · Post by **urbanstarship** » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:38 pm

I've been unable to level my fridge because one of the adjustable feet has been screwed right up into a recess in a hinge, and I can't get any tools at it. The difficultly with a fridge is that I can't lean it over too far to get at the bottom, as the wrong fluids might mix together. There's a possibility I can turn the bolt from the top (which has some kind of tight rubber cap in the way), but this involves keeping the freezer door open, which I don't want to do for too long and spoil the food. What can I use to turn the bolt from the threaded part in a tight space, without damaging the threads?

: BoschFridgeStuckFoot_2.jpg (179.51 KiB) Viewed 1683 times

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:03 pm

Level it with a shim.

DWD

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:27 pm

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:03 pm Level it with a shim.

Well yes, that would do it but it looks like OP might already have some there!

OP, tilting the fridge back by just a few degrees in order to under to unscrew the foot will not harm any "fluids"* (unless there's a jug of milk in the fridge, of course!) & neither will be any harm done to frozen food by having the freezer door open for a few minutes. If you think about it, it takes quite a while for food to defrost. Move any ice cream to the fridge, or bury it in the depths of other items, to prevent it softening.

* It's tipping a fridge right over that causes problems.

toolbox · Post by **toolbox** » Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:34 pm

arco_iris wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:27 pm
dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:03 pm Level it with a shim.
Well yes, that would do it but it looks like OP might already have some there!

OP, tilting the fridge back by just a few degrees in order to under to unscrew the foot will not harm any "fluids"* (unless there's a jug of milk in the fridge, of course!) & neither will be any harm done to frozen food by having the freezer door open for a few minutes. If you think about it, it takes quite a while for food to defrost. Move any ice cream to the fridge, or bury it in the depths of other items, to prevent it softening.

* It's tipping a fridge right over that causes problems.

Yes just tip it 6 inches or so backwards, tends to be tipping on it's side that affects the fluids most. We used to get old gas fridges going again by rolling them side over side a couple of times!

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:53 pm

Yes, I saw the shims after posting my reply

DWD

Dave54 · Post by **Dave54** » Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:21 pm

Agree with what the others have said. Personally, I'd get a pair of pump pliers or similar, take that black plastic cap off, and use the pliers judiciously on the thread itself. Bodger? Who me?

Yup, you've got me.

Once the nut is clear of the channel use a spanner. Or use a socket on it's own, (without the appropriate ratchet or whatever) from underneath. It'll either turn by hand, or a bit of tape round the socket to save messing it up, and back to the pliers.
Somewhere here I've got a set of box spanners, single ended and very short length, with the tommy bar welded in. They're Whit sizes though, so not much use in this life.

urbanstarship · Post by **urbanstarship** » Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:29 pm

Thanks to all who responded. My neighbour suggested putting some WD40 on it and leave it overnight, and that did the trick. I was able to turn it with my fingers once I lifted the front of the fridge up a bit. I didn't realise the the moisture from the freezer must have rusted the bolt in place!