1st post...and its a plea for help

[white101]

Evening all,

have been lurking around here for years but only been an owner for 10 (wonderful) months.

My sliding door has been a little difficult to open and shut of late, so after hours searching through old posts and wiki and not quite finding the answer to my problems I turned to you tube and a great video from gowestys from the states. Trouble is they make everything look soooooo easy!

I cleaned out what little muck there was to discover my rollers, well roller, one was completely gone the other rusted solid. The guide roller was fine, I got the circlips off to remove the rollers and I am now stuck. hopefully pics below will explain

https://www.flickr.com/cameraroll

That's if I've done the picture thing correct?

Anyway, I can't shift the remnants of the old rollers to fit on the new ones. Am I looking at a bit of heat or hours soaked in wd40?

On top of that fat fingers here dropped the internal bolt which fastens the whole mechanism into the door down the inside of the door card. An hour job turned into a cursing fest.

[MidLifeCrisis]

FYI - your picture link didn't work ...... maybe try again?

[white101]

I'm trying, about as good with tech as doors it seems...

[white101]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130020644 ... 247669535/

[white101]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130020644 ... otostream/

new rollers ready to fit.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130020644 ... otostream/

What was left of the rollers on the door

[acw]

Hi
i have just removed the lower roller from my sliding door, same problem - the bearing inner is seized on to the pin so i got a thin cutting disk on a angle grinder and cut down from the top of the bearing inner. slow and careful with the grinder on its slowest speed. if you take your time you will be left with a flat on the inner, now grab it with a pair of mole grips and twist and apply some wd40 or similar. the flat will allow a better grip and it should free up.
take care and your time you are only trying to put a flat on the side to allow a better grip - not cut all the way through, if that fails try a flat on the other side.
a file or a hack saw wont work as the metal is very hard - i tried them first.

good luck

Andy

[MattBW]

I replaced all 3 on my door when it was being restored.

Big bearing was rather expensive about I think but the small ones although expensive from most VW sites are just actually standard non bearings and can be bought for a couple of quid from Brickwerks.

[white101]

Andy, I'll give that a go a flat edge might help budge it.

I have the bearings already picked them up for about £4.

Looks like a job for Sunday now having just seen the weather forecast

[white101]

Well I finally got the door fixed today, after watching that you tube video and taking advice from here, I now have a sliding door that runs perfectly.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130020644 ... 138947047/

got a bit of luck with the first seized bearing inner, after a week of elbow grease and GT85 I shifted one myself

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130020644 ... otostream/

The second was a bloody pain so I had to go with the angle grinder, which worked a treat. Use a very fine cutting disc if your going to try this. You can easily damage the main shaft and base. Anyway once it was off I used the old inner and a rubber mallet to pop on the new bearings.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130020644 ... otostream/

After a bit of fiddling with the door bolts, everything went back together just fine. My door card can't be fully removed so I had to put the 2 outer bolts in (but loose) and then get the good lady to wedge another bit of wood under the door to take the weight and lift the door to allow me to align the hole on the inner bolt.

Anyway its all done and despite missing a weekend away in Northumberland with friends I now have a van ready for Keswick in a fortnight, more importantly my daughter considers me a fully qualified mechanic cos I shoved a few bolts in here and there