Removing sliding glass door (floor, how much, installing, cleaning)
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So I have this huge, heavy sliding glass door whose bottom rollers were shot when I moved in and between being tired of using most of my strength to open/close it and having a strong back/weak mind visiting next week, I'd really like to fix it.
It's an Acorn Dor-Wal from about 1980. Fine shape except for rollers that don't unless they've been freshly hit with silicone lube.
Yep, I know, it's easy: lift door out of bottom track, stand on side, remove old rollers, install new rollers, (a shout-out to Chilton manuals here: ) reverse steps to assemble. I know. I've done this once or six times, often just to clean out a track or lube rollers properly.
Here's the problem: I cannot get the EssOhBee out of the bottom track. Over the years I've messed with it and with absolutely nothing limiting lift distance on the top (door frame goes right to top of top channel), it's about 1/16 inch short of letting me get the door frame over the inner lip, and even there, I am not sure how to get the rollers up out of the way to get it out.
It's a VERY heavy 36" door; I am not sure I could manage it by myself even if I could do the lift-over. So my hulking helper will lift etc. while I lay on the floor with flashlights and various prying implements and bourbon.
Short of grinding down at least 36" of the inner lip (which is over a half inch high), which would have to be cosmetically done and allow safe walk-over... any suggestions for getting this puppy out and then back in without damaging new rollers?
I cannot get the EssOhBee out of the bottom track.
Once you have the Andersen/Marvin/etc replacement duty new door kit on hand...
it's lenox bi-metal blades in the sawzall time.
Quote:
...which would have to be cosmetically done and allow safe walk-over...
any suggestions for getting this puppy out and then back in without damaging new rollers?
Yes, it is. I had done some searching, hadn't found this gem. My backup plan was to pull the stationary panel, but that seemed so stupid... I don't think I've ever seen a slider that couldn't be removed inward, with or without retraction of the rollers.
However, my stationary door also has absolutely no evident way to remove it. It's slightly free in the frame - can be wiggled in place just a tiny bit - but if there are any screws, clips, "lower sill plates" or anything holding it in place, I can' t find them.
Thanks, though. I know outside-removal is the way it has to go, now.
ETA: I figured it out. Yes, the outer/stationary panel comes out. Besides not realizing that was the way it hadda go, the complete lack of fasteners/retainers made me assume it was one with the frame. It's not. In fact, it was held in place by nothing but friction-fit to the outside frame. A little cautious prying, and it slid right over, ready to pivot out and remove.
Meaning anyone for the last 40 years could have walked in with nothing much more than a six-inch prybar. I am both boggled and will be remediating that oversight...
Just to finish this off for posterity and Google...
Removing the stationary panel and door was no problem, even for just one person. To compound my stupids above, I had already removed the clamps that hold/lock the stationary panel in place, cleverly disguised as the inside door stops. They are only held with tiny 3/8 screws, so a prybar right at each would likely still pop the stationary part loose far too easily. I will be adding some extra clamps and deep frame screws, because.
In the end, I could have done the job myself except that having a helper to pop the bottom of the sliding door over the outer track made it easier, and same help to carry it over sawhorses and lay it down was much easier/safer against dropping it.
The rollers turned out to be a hard-snap into the lower rail, which had to be completely removed from the door to (in theory) release the snaps and slide them out. In the end, it took enough bending and prying to distort the channel, but the aluminum went back into shape with some gentle rubber hammer work.
They also turned out to be nothing like either HD or Lowe's stocked, but the real solution was easy: replacement rollers of a completely standard size, with four different center pin options. I suspect these fit an awrful lot of door roller/adjuster assemblies. Drilled out the peened pin, peened over new rivet/shaft. Done. Rollers back in door (after full cleaning and wirebrushing adjustment screws and such, bottom rail back on door. Big shot of white lithium grease up over top of each roller assembly, more for adjuster and screw than rollers.
Back in and a door that could pop my shoulder on a cold night could literally be opened and closed with a fingertip. Unmeasurable bliss, especially with dogs that need out at night.
The odd thing was that the old rollers — certainly original and thus about 40 years old — showed no real wear and turned smoothly with no real resistance. Nothing like the new ones, which spun like new ball bearings, but it's amazing how much drag they could produce under load.
All fixed. Wish I'd figured out the outside-removal part a while ago. Cheers to MrR and C-D.
I also have an Acorn Dorwal installed in 1992 that needs new rollers. I see the clips that hold the stationary door in place, but I notice the metal threshold is still too tall. How did you remove that threshold to get the clearance to allow the sliding door to be removed to the outside?
My stationary door was not budging for some reason. I believe it was partly due to the weight, and partly due to some home settlement. I lowered the rollers as much as possible on the sliding door, but one side would not clear the interior lip, so I took off about 3/16” of an inch with a belt sander, and cut in a couple of small notches for the wheels on the left side. The door came out from the inside, and only took five minutes to install the two new rollers. This method was not ideal, but after installing a new toe kick trim, there is no evidence of my repair.
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