# Old aluminum sliding door is difficult to open/close



## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

You will have to look and see if yours is like this.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Only a couple of times so I'm no expert on the subject.


The doors are heavy. I have taken them off the track and put them back but am not sure I could do it now. You lift the panel up and then tilt the bottom to the room side. you may or may not have to raise the rollers, lower the door in order to do that. That varies from door to door.



On the bottom are rollers which roll on a grove in the bottom track. A scrubbed track lubed with Silicone lube and a generous squirt under each bottom edge to try and lube the rollers is where I would start. If that fails then getting the door down and repairing or replacing the rollers is your only next option.


Spray those screws on a daily basis with with PB or other penetrating oil as they will have to move sooner or later. They are how the door is elevated or adjusted to fit tightly to the frame when something is just a bit off.



Chances are the parts are still available somewhere at some price. Both Lowes and HD carry (or did a few years ago) some replacement parts


Edit: I just watched the above video. My panels were removed to the inside so either my doors or his were installed with the track backwards. I did not remove the fixed panel to remove the door.


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## dd57chevy (Jun 21, 2015)

The door in Neal's video is the difficult type . The stationary panel must be removed before removing the _operable_ panel .

Judging by your pic (view 3) _YOUR_ door is much easier . Simply lift & swing the bottom of the panel towards the inside of the home to remove .
Then set it on it's side & take a look .

It is then simply a matter of replacing the worn wheel assembly . Exact replacements are _usually_ available , but if not , you can probably retrofit a more common type .


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

if that is the "really old" (l980s) style of door, does it have the interlocking 
design between the two frames when closed so it can not be pried open ??
if so, it is time to replace it for a higher quality door. not only for the
upgrade in insulation but for security reasons mostly. with the amount
of home invasions and robberies going on in our country lately,
we must take every precaution to protect our belongings and family.
(attached drawing is what I mean by the "interlocking" frame).


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## JoeT (May 17, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies guys! And that video is really helpful! I don't think they are the interlocking type of door. 

I've taken off much lighter mesh screen patio doors before and was able to clean them up and get them sliding smoothly again. But this glass door is a real beast in comparison. It's much, much heavier. 

I can grab both sides with my hands and lift the thing straight up about 1/3" but it seems like bottom edge needs more clearance, maybe another 1/8" or so, in order to pull free. When working with screen patio door I remember encountering this same type of issue and was able to get the doors off by adjusting the rollers so they didn't ride as high on the rail. But I can't get what I think are the adjusting screws to budge for this glass door. I think those screws reach in pretty far so maybe they place where they are frozen up is deeper inside the frame. I guess I have to spray that PB Blaster stuff in the hole below the screw. It might make a little mess and my house will smell like a garage as that PB stuff has a strong odor. 

The door is presently able to slide, and it slides smoothly, but there is a lot of resistance and it takes some muscle to actually open/close.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

JoeT said:


> Thanks for all the replies guys! And that video is really helpful! I don't think they are the interlocking type of door.
> 
> I've taken off much lighter mesh screen patio doors before and was able to clean them up and get them sliding smoothly again. But this glass door is a real beast in comparison. It's much, much heavier.
> 
> ...


 Most times the door has to be in the full open to remove and some times you have to adjust the wheels up to give it a little clearance.


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## dd57chevy (Jun 21, 2015)

Your door is a brand that I haven't seen in my area . I can give you a couple of suggestions , though :

1. In your 1st pic , that "adjustment screw" looks like a pop off _cap_ . It _MIGHT_ pry off to reveal the actual adjustment screw .

2. Sometimes you can use a 3 or 4" wide putty knife to force or "ride" the wheels over the outer track . Don't scratch your floor . :biggrin2:


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Though I don't recall ever seeing one, check the top of the door for any type of retainer that might be lowered to allow the door to slide higher.


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## JoeT (May 17, 2008)

Success !! 

Last week I did try to wedge off the cover but it would not budge. Accidentally discovered a tool that was able to grab that screw cover and was able to turn it. Once the cover was off everything made sense. 

With cover removed
Close up of roller

The roller was quite gummed up so I cleaned it up with squirts of WD-40 and afterwards it was rolling much better. Closed it up and the door is rolling pretty good now. 

I think it would roll better if I replaced the rollers but that is too ambitious for me so I'm just happy to be back to it operating more or less as good as it always had.

The 'tool' I unscrewed it with was deck connector that had an edge that was able to fit into the 1" slot and then was able to be rotated.
deck fastener/connector


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## tissue5529 (11 mo ago)

JoeT said:


> Success !!
> 
> Last week I did try to wedge off the cover but it would not budge. Accidentally discovered a tool that was able to grab that screw cover and was able to turn it. Once the cover was off everything made sense.
> 
> ...





JoeT said:


> Over the past few months it's taking more effort move an old aluminum framed sliding patio door. I've tried to investigate how the mechanism works hoping it would become obvious that a roller or something similar is needing lubrication. I'm guessing that there are adjustable rollers that roll along an elevated rail.
> 
> I found what I think are rollers embedded into the bottom of the door. They have an octagon shape and appear to be pressed in somehow. One one side they have what looks like a wide screw slot and on the other it looks like a steel pin. View1 View2
> 
> ...


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## tissue5529 (11 mo ago)

JoeT said:


> Over the past few months it's taking more effort move an old aluminum framed sliding patio door. I've tried to investigate how the mechanism works hoping it would become obvious that a roller or something similar is needing lubrication. I'm guessing that there are adjustable rollers that roll along an elevated rail.
> 
> I found what I think are rollers embedded into the bottom of the door. They have an octagon shape and appear to be pressed in somehow. One one side they have what looks like a wide screw slot and on the other it looks like a steel pin. View1 View2
> 
> ...





Colbyt said:


> Only a couple of times so I'm no expert on the subject.
> 
> 
> The doors are heavy. I have taken them off the track and put them back but am not sure I could do it now. You lift the panel up and then tilt the bottom to the room side. you may or may not have to raise the rollers, lower the door in order to do that. That varies from door to door.
> ...


what did you do to fix the rollers? I have the same door and having trouble finding rollers.


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## JoeT (May 17, 2008)

tissue5529 said:


> what did you do to fix the rollers? I have the same door and having trouble finding rollers.


sorry but I have not figured this out yet. I made one attempt to get a contractor to look at this but I never heard back from them. The rollers are pretty much shot and I’m putting lubrication on the channel in order to open and close it. It’s not a good situation.


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## dd57chevy (Jun 21, 2015)

If you want a lasting fix , the door slab (the sliding panel) _really _needs to come out .
Then turn it on it's side to access the wheel assemblies .


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

tissue5529 said:


> what did you do to fix the rollers? I have the same door and having trouble finding rollers.


I managed to free mine up and used them until I replaced the door.

Try blaine window parts or Swisco or Zoro or window parts - Google Search


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