sticking sliding door

Post by **kathyshack** » 11 Jul 2006, 14:24

Hi guys,
I have recently fitted on of those wind out awnings, and could only fit it on the side of my van which has a sticking slider (twin slider). I can open the door and close it, but its no-where near as good as my other one. Any suggestions as to how to fix it?

when i open it, i have to pull it outwards (towards me when i am stood) to get it moving. Could this be something to do with the mechanism? Could it be out of line or something? It also doesn't slide very well, once open. There is a bit of rust on the bottom there though, so i'm presuming I'll need to rub it down with a steel brush maybe and re-grease it where the bottom runner is. Is there anything else I should be doing also?

I think the door must have been put on later as i have a seperate key for it than for the rest of the van. Every time i use this door at the moment i feel like i'm going to break it.....

Post by **Grun** » 11 Jul 2006, 15:03

Kathyshack,
The door slides/rolls on three areas all of which should be clean and need some lubricant.
If you undo the lock and pull the back edge of the door out you will see a 'U' shaped gadget. This has a spring on top at the door end and pivots on a carrier with three rollers on one type of mechanism or a roller and sliderblock on the other type. A bit of oil (penetrating or lubricating) on the top of the two ends of the 'U shaped gadget for a start.
Then clean the rail along which the rollers/sliders operate and a bit of oil or grease there, it should be possible to remove the cover over the rail if it is really rusty or dirty. Then there is a bottom track and roller(s?) at the front of the door, and a top track and roller (or slider) also at the front, probably hiding behind the curtains. All should be clean, rust free and with a bit of grease on the rail/track and a little oil on the roller pivot.
Do all that and then watch out you don't catch your fingers when that door flies closed!
Mike

Post by **kathyshack** » 11 Jul 2006, 15:42

Thanks grun,
so its oil on the u shaped thing and roller pivot, and grease on the track/runners. thanks for that, I would have put grease everywhere. would WD40 work instead of oil, or should i buy oil?

Post by **Grun** » 11 Jul 2006, 16:09

Kathyshack,
WD 40 is fine, a couple of drips of oil off the dipstick also fine. Brillo pad, Scotchbrite, a bit of emery cloth, or wet and dry paper, to clean the surfaces that you can reach. Mine was as rusty as an old anchor and as rough as a badgers rear end, but now runs really easily. No need to worry if you oil or grease, oil tends to creep into places that are close fitting and grease sticks and lasts longer.
You'll do it 'cause yu's a woman dubleyew oh em eh en.

Mike

Post by **kathyshack** » 17 Jul 2006, 10:51

thanks for your help with this. we got stuck in yesterday and it is working a lot better than it was. I wonder if the door is slightly out of alignment though. you sort of open it, then it jams a few inches open, until you pull out the bottom bit, then it'll slide alright. It is looking a bit worse for wear though, compared with the other, and there is a fair amount of rust. (but not where the runner runs)

What do you think i should do with it? would you just live with it, or do you think it needs a ne pice welding on or something?

thanks in advance
Kathy

Post by **OLD ONE** » 17 Jul 2006, 12:20

Had same kind of problem on one of my sliders. Operate handle, door releases, grab back of door pull away from van, door opens. I tried oiling, cleaning, any amount of tricks. Then my grandson pointed out the door panel had come away from door and was fouling on door frame.

You can imagine how I felt.

Website · Post by **CovKid** » 17 Jul 2006, 13:01

Found a wonderful product called 'Vactan' - used for treating rust on barges - just stops it dead and provides a surface for painting if you wanted to paint. Best bet is to clean up down there first with a wire brush and check its not actually rotted out then give it a coat of that stuff.

Then pack the runners with grease. WD40 is ok for rusted up items but tends to evaporate eventually - no substitute for a proper greasing.

Post by **Don-Tucker** » 17 Jul 2006, 13:38

Another good one is Rocol Corplan rust converter fluid,you paint it on the wire brushed rust and it converts it to a nice hard black surface ready for painting.
Allthough grease is great for parts that move one on top of the other it won't penetrate into a bearing surface,I would prefer engine oil as it tends to stay there longer than WD40.
Don

Post by **kathyshack** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:03

thanks for the advice. i did wire brush it, and you could sort of see through the gap in places where the white bit meets the other bit. not sure if you're supposed to be able the see through there, ie whether that is a seperate piece or not. We put tonnes of grease on there and wd40. it slides easy when it slides if that makes sense, its just the sticking bit when its first opened, that makes me think its something to do with the mechanism being out of align or something.
i'm not sure of the door was ever really fitted properly, as it has a different key to the rest, and its quite mad when you look at the rust here as there isn't any at the other side. (only recently started using this slider really).

Post by **Grun** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:08

Kath,
PM'd you with the offer of some scanned pages from a manual, if you do not already have one.
Mike

Post by **Grun** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:11

OK Kathy,
Got your PM now.
We always use to say "When all else fails...read the manual!!

Mike

Post by **kathyshack** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:14

he he he, and there was me thinking men didn't read manuals!

Website · Post by **CovKid** » 17 Jul 2006, 14:15

Use it a lot and see how you go. If it continues to stick you'll eventually figure out why

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