Hauling a Refrigerator..

[David Ponder]

So I am picking up a refrigerator while visiting in Southesat Missouri. Will be hauling it back in the ST. There are many theories on laying the fridge down or transporting upright. It is an 18 cubic foot, and I will be driving 375 miles, about 7 hours.



Can I haul it on its side?

If I haul it upright, will I have any issues on the highway?

I do have the upgraded front and rear sway bars.



If I can lay it down, its no issue.

If not, I will strap it in as best I can, and using the tiedowns on the outside and inside the bed.



Thoughts, suggestions, etc???

 

[Bud Williams]

18 cubic foot isn't that huge a fridge these days. I probably would haul it upright behind the cab. Strap it down really good and take corners slowly, you should be ok....I would use both the inside tie downs as well as the outside tie downs. Maybe some wrap material too.

I use the ratcheting type tie downs with heavy card board where the straps are too.

If you are near a Sears, see if they have the heavy corrugated cardboard that comes with the Tractors. It is the heaviest cardboard i've seen. They should have some around the Merchandise pickup area. They may even wrap it for you...if you ask nice....

 

[Robert Caffyn]

Doesn't the shipping carton for a fridge say to keep it upright? Bud' right, strap it in and take it easy on the way home. Bob

 

[TRACket Paul]

If you lay it down for the move, just let it sit upright for a day or so at the destination. This allows the compressor oil to resettle.

 

[Richard L]

I have hauled refrigerators and freezers lying on their sides or backs (depends on where the coils are) and never had a problem.



As TRACket Paul said, there is some compressor oil in the system, However, even if you turn the frig upside down , very little oil will move around. The oil is NOT contained in an oil reservoir but is designed to flow through the system in a vapor form during normal operation. As soon as you turn on the refrigerator, the oil will begin to circulated throughout the system immediately.



The reason that refrigerators and other appliances are shipped in boxes marked "This side Up" is because the way things are packed. Also the heaviest/strongest part of the appliance frame is on the bottom and less likely that the cabinet will get dented or damaged if shipped upright.



...Rich

 

[Kevin Palmer]

The key has to do with the liquid refrigerant flowing to an area where it should not be, (in a liquid form).



From what all I have read and heard, if you do lay it on its side, let it sit for 24 hours standing up before operating it. This allows the refrigerant to run back down to the low side so the compressor will not be harmed when it is started.

 

[David Ponder]

Thanks Everyone.. The Fridge is about a year old and is free. (Mom bought one that has the door dispenser for the ice, and is giving me her old one.



If I were just transporting this across town, I wouldnt have asked and would have moved it upright. (Side streets, slower moving) However since I am looking at 7 hours of Interstate driving, I really would like to lay it down. (Lower center of balance, less air drag, and overall much safer)



I plan to pull the back cover off and ratchet strap the compressor to the bottom of the frame so it wont shift and damage the compressor mounts/springs. When when I get home, it will be sitting upright for about 4 days before I will have a chance to install it. That should be time enough for the oil to settle.

 

[Richard L]

Dave,

Coastiejoe makes a valid point about the liquid refrigerant migrating to parts where liquids should not be. However, if it took it 7-8 hours to get to the wrong place, it should not take more than 7-8 hours to move back to where it belongs after the refrigerator is standing upright. :grin:



I'm sure the 24 hour rule is just a margin of safety in case the owner does not know how long the frig was laying on it's side.



...Rich

 

[Robert Thomas]

Dave,



Don't worry.



Put a small block of dry ice in the Fridge and don't open the door for the 7 hour trip.



The beer will still be cold when you arrive home.



:haveabeer:

 

[Richard L]

Redfish,

Very good point !!:haveabeer: :bwahaha:



...Rich

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Rich,,



The 24 hours is exactly that, a safety margin. It is to allow as much of the oil that sticks to the lines a chance to run back down to where it belongs...

 

[Bill V]

Coastie's right. And the time to wait has nothing to do with how long it sits on its side. It can be on its side for 2 minutes or 2 months--the "standard" recommendation is still to have it upright for a day before plugging it in. It's kind of like a mostly-empty catsup bottle--if you turn it up upside down and shake it, you can get most of the catsup to move at the opposite end pretty quickly. But then when you turn it back right side up, if you want nearly all of the catsup to drain to the bottom, you need to let it sit a while, regardless of how long it was previously upside down.

 

[Richard L]

Bill V.

I disagree because it is not true. Refrigerant and refrigerant oil is nothing like catsup in a bottle. We are talking about a free flowing liquid refrigerant and a light weight compressor oil. Both liquids will quickly flow back to it's normal location shortly after the refrigerator is returned to it's normal upright position.



The 24 hour recommendation has a huge safety factor built into it. It is the fear factor they are putting into people, particularly if the refrigerator is under warranty.



I have personally moved a number of refrigerators on their sides (not longer than 2 hours) and never encountered any problems. In fact, about 10 years ago, I purchased a new freezer from an appliance store where it was on the display floor. They delivered the freezer laying on it's back (condenser coils were underneath) in a pick up truck and immediately plugged it in and turned it on. I even questioned them about laying the freezer on it's back? They said that was taboo for old style compressors and now used only to prevent damage to the finished surfaces...I still have that freezer and it is still running with no problems.



I am not saying that some models might not experience issues, and the problem may be specific to certain models or compressor designs, but I certainly don't think leaving the refrigerator off for 24 hours is necessary. IMO I would have no problem operating the refrigerator within a few minutes after I set it upright, but as a safety margin, I would leave the refrigerator off for at least as long as the refrigertor was on it's side.



The only part of the refrigerator/freezer that would be damaged by liquid refrigerant is the compressor...which is designed to compress a gas (Liquids don't compress). Even the oil used to lubricate the compressor is spread throughout the system inthe form of a vapor. Oddly enough, in some automotive AC units, it is common to pour a measured amount of compressor oil into a new/rebuilt compressor before charging the system to prevent damage to the new compressor. Many seals and O-Rings used in refrigeration systems must be lubricated with compressor oil prior to installation. So there can me small amounts of liquids (including water) or dropplets of oil throughout the system. Just as long as the compressor does not suck in 100% liquid you will not damage the system.



...Rich

 

[David Ponder]

Made it back in one piece, Ended up buying a Utility Trailer while I was out of town, Got a good price on a 5X10 from a local manufacturere there, Treated wood floor, Mesh Drop gate, A Frame hitch, 3500# axle, 15" wheels w/ new tires. (Apparently many of the mfg's supply these with used tires and charge more for new tires) Anyway, $860 for all, 6 month warranty and it seems VERY well built.



Bed was full, (Had to take a cabinet home with me too) rear cab was full, and had the fridge (On its side) and a hideaway bed couch on the trailer. Ran about 65 mph all the way back, all interstate for 375 miles and got 15.7 MPG (Loaded up & pulling a trailer). I think thats fairly respectable on my 01 with 149K miles on it.

 

[Kevin Lang]

I'd say it's pretty respectable. My 02 has almost as many miles, I'm at 144K and climbing now. What modifications, fuel/performance wise, have you done to your trac?



I'm curious as out of all the things I've done with my Trac, I've never towed a trailer long distance & comparing mod lists will help me guesstimate my hypothetical mpgs.



Does the fridge work?

 

[Bill V]

but as a safety margin, I would leave the refrigerator off for at least as long as the refrigertor was on it's side.

So--if the refrigerator was on its side for three months, then... ???



I think we're saying somewhat the same thing, but in different ways. My main additional point, though, was that the duration you need to leave it upright before starting it is mostly unrelated to the time duration spent on its side. I realize that the refrigerant and the catsup have extremely different viscosities, but in both cases, the safety margin for redrainage time time has less to do with how long it was on the side and more to do with the physical properties of the substance.

 

[Richard L]

Bill V,

So--if the refrigerator was on its side for three months, then... ???

It would be OK to operate the refrigerator 24 hours after it was put in the upright position.



IMO the refrigerator would operate just fine within an hour of standing upright

My statement: but as a safety margin, I would leave the refrigerator off for at least as long as the refrigertor was on it's side.

That statement was based on the refrigerator being on it's side for less than 24 hours, and only as a safety margin. 24 hours would be the maximum it would need to be upright before use.



And as previously stated: IMO the refrigerator would operate just fine within an hour of standing upright.



...Rich

 

[David Ponder]

KL, No mods other than Shocks, and both Front/Rear Addco sway bars. Engine is bone stock, stock air cleaner, stock plugs & wires, etc.... I have Firestone Destination LE tires, fairly new, and I run them about 38 PSI each. (Just a little over what stock calls for) I also run the normal 87 octane fuel.



On the way down there, (no trailer and just my tool box in the bed) running 72/73 mph, I got about 18 mpg.



Fridge gets installed tomorrow... (My first day off since I got back)