# Need help removing patio door



## oldpops (Jan 20, 2013)

Hi all, our home was built 10 years ago and has a Jeld-Wen vinyl sliding patio door. (Summit series, model 8670 I believe, Contractors Patio Door). The door is 8 feet tall and the door is heavy & very hard to slide open. There are no roller adjustment screws on the bottom edge to raise/lower the door. We have cleaned the track & even put some wax down which barely made a difference. I realize I will need to remove the door to adjust or replace the rollers. However, when we lift the door up, we cannot raise it up enough to clear the track( so that we can swing the door out & then remove it from the track). I called Jeld-Wen & they said to look for anti-lift blocks in the track above the door. We looked and don't see any anti-lift blocks anywhere. Does anyone know how to remove this door? And what replacements to use for the rollers?


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

There are no secrets other than what you have already been told. For rollers, jeld wen should be able to provide those. To remove the panel, you have to lift it up into the head jamb and then bring the bottom out first. If there are no blocks in the head jamb to prevent this and no way to adjust the rollers, you probably have the head jamb sagging a little bit and you'll just have to force it up and out.... I don't deal with jeld wen much so I dont know for sure, but every door panel Ive seen has at least _some_ provision to adjust those rollers. That might be worth a closer look.


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## oldpops (Jan 20, 2013)

Well, I haven't run a straight line string across the top from one corner to the other to check for head jam sagging, but the top looks straight. I would think even if the jam is drooping a little, I would still be able to have side(of the door bottom) be able to clear the bottom track & then swing out. But since it isn't coming out now I have to consider everything.. Any other suggestions?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Look on the ends of the door to see if there a hole. That's where the roller adjustment screw would be. You have to back off the rollers first. As your turning the screw you see the door start to drop.
Sometimes it takes two people to get it out, one lifts and the other may have to use a screw driver to lift up on the roller.


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

if there happens to be 2 screws on each end of the door , adjust only the bottom screw. the top screw attaches the roller to the door.


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

Like I mentioned before, there is no secret trick. Search the panel up and down for a way to adjust the rollers back. Either way, you can usually expect a fight getting it out. Often times it takes 2 grown men cranking up for the lower edge to clear. When we are replacing the unit we would sometimes run a few long screws up through the head jamb to "suck" it up, but since yours is not being torn out you may not want to resort to that.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

There should be a hole on both ends of the door at the bottom---use a Philips head screw driver to adjust the height--clockwise to raise---counter clockwise to lower.

I looked that up on the Jen Weld site----


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## oldpops (Jan 20, 2013)

Hi, after reading your reply I checked the door ends again and did not find anything on the right or left side edges, near the bottom as I had hoped. So, in a burst of frustration I called my son over and we tried to lift the door together. Of course we still couldn't raise the door enough for us to be able to swing it out. However, while we were lifting it my wife saw two little (hole) caps, one near each end on bottom inside of the door. We couldn't see them before because they were below the track side edge. I am assuming that behind these button type caps there will be an adjustment screw. ** We also noticed that the track the the door rides on moves a bit. It looks like a piece of plastic/vinyl that runs the complete width of the door. It has a metal rod that goes from end to end. Both the metal rod, which is loose and appears slightly bent in spots, and the plastic track itself are a bit loose. So I am wondering if the difficulty we are having with the door sliding is actually two problems(the door rollers and the track). Anyone know about this track(with the metal rod) and if it can be repaired or replaced. Does it come right out, after removing the door? Or is is supposed to be mounted somehow? Thanks again to all for their help and advice


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Have you tried calling the manufacturer? Most have a technical help line staffed with real live people--Just kidding---often that call is worth the effort----

I mostly install Anderson ---so I am very familiar with theirs---But I've never installed a Jen Weld---


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

I've never seen sliding doors without adjustment screws. 

That said, on the stubborn ones I have someone lifting the door while I'm sliding a thin piece of metal (usually a piece of scrap flashing in my case but a "thin" putty knife will work) under the rollers to get it out. 

I've never been defeated with that method. 

A screwdriver was mentioned but sometimes it's just to thick for the tough ones.


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## Fins59 (Dec 8, 2012)

Definition of a red neck - Attach a couple of skate board wheels to lower edge of patio door to make it roll easier. Temporary fix, of course.
That's what I did on mine last year. This door (35 years old) is for my wood shop so appearance is no big deal. AND it really works good. 
I have a new door standing by just waiting for warmer weather to be installed.


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

Fins59 said:


> Definition of a red neck - Attach a couple of skate board wheels to lower edge of patio door to make it roll easier. Temporary fix, of course.
> That's what I did on mine last year. This door (35 years old) is for my wood shop so appearance is no big deal. AND it really works good.
> I have a new door standing by just waiting for warmer weather to be installed.


Ok, now you HAVE to post a picture of this!:yes:


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## Fins59 (Dec 8, 2012)

HomeSealed said:


> Ok, now you HAVE to post a picture of this!:yes:


 Have to get my computer whiz son to stop over and show me how to do pics.


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

oldpops said:


> Hi, after reading your reply I checked the door ends again and did not find anything on the right or left side edges, near the bottom as I had hoped. So, in a burst of frustration I called my son over and we tried to lift the door together. Of course we still couldn't raise the door enough for us to be able to swing it out. However, while we were lifting it my wife saw two little (hole) caps, one near each end on bottom inside of the door. We couldn't see them before because they were below the track side edge. I am assuming that behind these button type caps there will be an adjustment screw. ** We also noticed that the track the the door rides on moves a bit. It looks like a piece of plastic/vinyl that runs the complete width of the door. It has a metal rod that goes from end to end. Both the metal rod, which is loose and appears slightly bent in spots, and the plastic track itself are a bit loose. So I am wondering if the difficulty we are having with the door sliding is actually two problems(the door rollers and the track). Anyone know about this track(with the metal rod) and if it can be repaired or replaced. Does it come right out, after removing the door? Or is is supposed to be mounted somehow? Thanks again to all for their help and advice


Good news is that yes, you should find the adjusters behind those caps. Bad news, is that you may not get a ton of extra room if they were already adjusted down to the point that they were covered by the inside of the sill.... Not sure about "rod". I've see vinyl sills that have a metal cap over the vinyl where the wheels ride. Could that be what you are looking at? ... Some pics would be helpful.


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## 747 (Feb 11, 2005)

I would lift door straight up. Then have somebody get down on there knees and see if they can lift those wheels up with a screwdriver or something. The wheels should be spring loaded. If you get one up then pull the bottom out and work on the other. May work or may not.


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## Sridhar Raj (Mar 19, 2013)

If you want to remove the door, slide a flat blade under the door and lift to remove to free the roller of weight. With the help of another screwdriver adjust the screw. Now the door will slide easily.


*Door closers India* | Fire Door hardware


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

747 said:


> I would lift door straight up. Then have somebody get down on there knees and see if they can lift those wheels up with a screwdriver or something. The wheels should be spring loaded. If you get one up then pull the bottom out and work on the other. May work or may not.


That is true for most rolling screens, but not the actual operating panel of the door (regarding springs). The wheels of the operating panel are mechanically adjusted.


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## chuckiechan (Oct 9, 2014)

oldpops said:


> Hi, after reading your reply I checked the door ends again and did not find anything on the right or left side edges, near the bottom as I had hoped. So, in a burst of frustration I called my son over and we tried to lift the door together. Of course we still couldn't raise the door enough for us to be able to swing it out. However, while we were lifting it my wife saw two little (hole) caps, one near each end on bottom inside of the door. We couldn't see them before because they were below the track side edge. I am assuming that behind these button type caps there will be an adjustment screw. ** We also noticed that the track the the door rides on moves a bit. It looks like a piece of plastic/vinyl that runs the complete width of the door. It has a metal rod that goes from end to end. Both the metal rod, which is loose and appears slightly bent in spots, and the plastic track itself are a bit loose. So I am wondering if the difficulty we are having with the door sliding is actually two problems(the door rollers and the track). Anyone know about this track(with the metal rod) and if it can be repaired or replaced. Does it come right out, after removing the door? Or is is supposed to be mounted somehow? Thanks again to all for their help and advice


When you reinstall the door, don’t make the rollers take all the weight when you turn the screws. Put a hammer or something in the track, or your helper’s foot , and push on the top of opposite jamb to tilt it up. With no weight on the roller, adjust it up, then you can safely unscrew to adjust. This prevents damaging the roller threads, plus it is a lot easier. Be sure to get dual rollers.


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