How to fix an old patio sliding door that won't slide anymore
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- How to fix repair an old sliding glass patio door that rubs, gets stuck or just won't slide anymore. Sliding glass patio repair instruction for sliding glass patio door repairs with easy step by step instruction for how to repair doors.
Learn how to install doors and repair doors and you can make money with door installation and door repair skills. How to install a door and how to install door locks are skills that will make money and get you paid.
More information and recommended watchlist at www.askillthatp...
This is the best channel to learn how to install and repair doors because I show you all the steps of door installation and show videos of multiple types of door installation and door repairs.
You can make money installing doors and repairing doors and I show you how. When it comes to learning how to install doors and how to repair doors, there is nothing quite like my clear step by step process for door installation and door repair. My videos show you how to use all the tools like routers, power planers, drills, drivers, circular saws and more. Once you learn these techniques, you will have a skill that pays, and you could make a living as a door installer.
Isn’t it nice when someone goes to the time and effort to help other people in a video like this?
I appreciate that. I really should have replaced the wheel, but this was my neighbor and he just needed to get the door working for a party that day. I'm amazed by how many people have enjoyed this and thanked me. Very humbling. Thanks for watching.
There are spray lubes that dry off and leave a lubricating coating. Also a garage door spray lube is not oily and will work.
Yes, it's very much appreciated
Thank you from a novice. Appreciate your knowledge and easy quick video. And what a great neighbour you are.
Glad you enjoyed it. I've been doing this a long time and happy to share what I've learned along the way. thanks for watching.
Great video, now I have enough knowledge to try the repair myself. I'm just concerned about the weight of the door to not drop it. Harbor Freight should have those suction devices gazers use to lift it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
GLad I could help. I would NOT recommend the suction cup devices. They aren't so much for weight as they are for maneuverability. Just get a helper and take it easy. they really aren't that heavy, they're just awkward and make sure to replace the wheel. My fix was temp only. Good luck and thanks for watching.
Thanks for the advice.
I have old Pella (wood) sliding doors, circa 1978. They do stick quite a bit, unfortunately. Just can't get enough clearance to lift the door out, wood to wood contact with the wheels retracted. Need about an 1/4" taller frame or shorter door. Might be just as well as I think replacement parts would have to be hand-made. 😀
Here's a tip. Try to remove the trim from the top. It's usually easier than it looks. Here's a short video that shows me doing it. Door models vary but the idea is the same and with those wood sliders, you need to pry out nails or unscrew the top piece like I did here. good luck and thanks for watching.
th-cam.com/users/shortsVZHagx-8cuM
@askillthatpays That isn't possible on wood Pella doors. Try all positions along the rail. Sometimes there's a good spot. There is a clip at the bottom of Pella that usually needs to be removed.
Very useful, but removing and reinstalling the sliding door is probably a 2-person job. They can be big and heavy. Now can someone tell us how to put pocket doors back on track (they slide from the top).
I always work alone, so I've figured out how to do these things, however, in many cases, lifting and moving doors can be a 2 man job for ease and safety, and I always recommend to replace these types of wheels. This was a short term emergency fix for a party. Thanks for watching.
Great video, I learned something from it. And no music, perfect.
I'm glad you enjoyed. It seems to be a crowd favorite, so I'm glad I made it. Thanks for watching.
Do not use petroleum based products on door track. It only attracts more debris. Use spray furniture wax instead.
Great tip, but few people stock them. Thanks for watching.
I'm sure you've heard this before, but while WD40 can lubricate, it is not designed as a lubricant. It's a water dispersant. Once the track and rollers have been cleaned, a dry silicone spray or treadmill belt lubricant works best to lubricate the track & rollers.
Good call.
I use a spray Dry Moly. Never comes off, never attracts dirt.
Former Sliding glass tech assistant here, this is very true. WD40 is a temporary fix that will gunk up the track. Get any sort of lubricating wax from a big name hardware store instead. You would not believe what a track can look like when the customer says "oh I just drown it in WD40 whenever it gives me a little trouble" 🤢 almost completely black.
Brilliant. Seemed as complex as a black hole but now even I can fix my damn door. Thank you.
Great to hear and if you do this, be sure to replace the wheels. It's very easy and inexpensive. The only reason I did this temp fix is because it was my neighbor who needed to get this working for a party in one hour. Thanks for watching.
Thanks, excellent demonstration...I took the old roller wheel assembly to Home Depot and bought a new set
I'm glad you enjoyed it. It seems to be a crowd favorite. Thanks for watching.
If you are going to spend all that time. Just replace both wheels
Agreed, and here's more information. This was my neighbor who asked me for a quick fix as he was having a party that day and the door wouldn't move. I decided to shoot some video just to see what the issue was. It was a weekend and neither of us wanted to drive to Home Depot to get wheels, so I just got it working and he got the wheels the following weekend. Thanks for watching.
Great video. An alternative to the WD-40 might be wax based bicycle chain lube. It's a liquid lubricant with wax suspended in alcohol. You apply it and the alcohol evaporates
That's a great one. Gun cleaner, candle wax. spit, lithium, pb blaster, graphite and a few others I don't recall. Love the contributions from ALL you guys. Keep them coming and thanks for watching.
The gentleman has shown you how the door's rollers work and how to remove the door. Since you've gone this far just install new rollers. They're cheap. Don't do this job twice.
You're absolutely right, and I did replace those at a later date. Here's the situation. It was my neighbor and he asked me to look at them. I hadn't planned on making a video, but decided to shoot since I was doing it. When I showed him everything, he said he'd grab rollers next time at depot, since he wasn't paying, I just got it working. Definitely replace those things if you're going this far. Thanks for watching.
I had a property management business working on estates in a water environment, where aluminum track corrosion was an everyday problem. 25 years ago, I used to get stainless steel track covers; they were small C-shaped covers that came in 2 - 3' or 2 - 4' sections for those size doors. You cleaned the old pitted aluminum track well with acetone, ran a small bead of silicone down the inside of the C channel, and installed it over the track. You ran the door over it several times to set it in place, then did the same to the other side. Even if the old wheels were frozen, the door would glide over the SS like new. Whenever I had the door off, I would replace the wheel carriages or at least replace the iron adjusting bolt with a SS one to make future maintenance easy.
Great tip. The ones I've tried in the past from depot had about a 50% success rate so that's good to hear. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
What luck. Turns out the door you repaired is exactly like mine. Thanks for a great, straightforward video.
I'm so glad this helped you. I had no intention to make this video, but the client I was working for said, "Pete, while you're here, can you look at my sliding door?" This has turned into a crowd favorite so I'm stoked that so many people like you have found it helpful. Thanks for watching.
WD-40 is a SOLVANT not a lubricant. Good for cleaning and degreasing, but if you only apply WD-40 and you don't lubricate besides, it will soon become dirtier.
Agreed, and yet, we all use it. I've heard everything from candle wax to lithium grease. I love the suggestions. Keep them coming and thanks for watching.
It has some lubricating properties. It is difficult to get regular oil where it needs to be without removing the Assembly.
True WD40 does not lubricate. It’s a water displacer. Hence the WD. Just use a proper canned lubricant
Thanks so much for taking the time to make this video. Straightforward and to the point. 🙂
Happy to help and if you're going to try this, replace the wheels. I did a temp fix because it was an emergency. Very easy and cheap to replace the wheels. Thanks for watching
Dude, thank you so much for making this video!!! I was able to repair my 90yr old grandmas sliding door on my own. She's so happy!
That's great to hear. It was actually made by accident. My neighbor was having a party in the afternoon and this door got stuck. He asked if I could look at it real quick, and just get it work. I thought I might as well take some footage in case it's interesting. That's why I didn't replace the wheel. He got a new wheel and we fixed it the next week, and I'm amazed by how many people have enjoyed this video. Thanks for watching.
WD40 is mostly Stoddard solvent (mineral spirits) with some light oil added. Good for cleaning/freeing up, but not for long term lubrication. Also any wet lube attracts dirt so I use a PTFE based lubricant on the tracks.
Appreciate that tip. You viewers are awesome. I received nearly a dozen different suggestions for lubricant. Thanks for watching.
You must be happy you didn't have to split the window casing to get the wheel out....
In 15 years of doors, never broke a window. I have had to buy a few wood doors though. Thanks for watching.
Good video! Not sure if this has been pointed out but Prime-Line has "Repair Track" for sliders and I can tell you from my own use, it is awesome! Very easy to install and durable (good, quality stainless steel). I installed it 8 years ago, along with new wheel assemblies (very inexpensive) and the door has been great since!
Great tip and it depends on model. Some can accept a retrofit like that, while others have to be destroyed to the point where the frame and surface below can be nearly impossible to save. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching.
@@askillthatpays I've only got the one example, but it was destroyed and that solution has worked very well for years now.
Good vid. Didn't even need sound to understand with the great hand gestures
Great to hear. Might have been better if I'd showed replacing the wheel as this is a type sold at depot, but this task was something they asked me to do at the end of the day and I didn't want to drive to the store at that hour so that's why I fixed it in that manner. Thanks for watching.
Outstanding video. Much appreciated.
I'm glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching
Thank you very much! I have wanted this information for over a year. I'm so happy you were willing to provide this to all of us!
You're welcome and it's best to replace worn wheels if you're going through the trouble of doing this. This was an emergency repair for my neighbor who was about to welcome guests for a party. We replaced the wheels the following weekend once time allowed. I'm glad you enjoyed and thanks for watching.
Very good video and well explained. Thanks 👍
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
gosh, I didn't see you lift and swing the bottom of the door out. That's hard I know. So don't show us.
As I do these mostly one handed, I do my best to show as much as I can, but they don't always work out perfectly. Setting up camera shots can get very time consuming and this repair was a favor for my neighbor who needed to get it working for a party in an hour, so I just did as much as I could. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching.
Cardboard is not a good choice as shim material because it will get wet, rot, and fall apart. A really good option is polyethylene: cut shim strips from a milk jug and stack them to get the dimension you need. They are waterproof and will last forever.
You're absolutely right. The only reason I didn't was because this was neighbor's and he just wanted to get it working for a pool party, so I helped him out. He went to depot the following week and got a set of wheels. Thanks for watching
@@askillthatpays Maybe you could repost with an overlay text block explaining about the temporary short cuts? LOL they could even be their own video :)
Best explanation I have ever seen
That's great to hear. I run into so many of these old doors that I decided it might be helpful to explain how they work and I'm amazed at how popular it is. I'm glad I could help and thanks for watching.
Suggest using candle wax in lieu of WD40 on the guide track. WD attracks dirt, dust, etc. We have used the wax successfully for years! Good video! Spend some time - save $$$ !
That's a great tip. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching.
Wax also works on jambs of double hung windows.
Also works on wooden drawers that slide wood on wood
Great Fix. I find that they need to be lubricated every couple months. Frost seems to heave my base somehow and causes restriction.
My doors are similar, 1970's build. I have naver taken the roller Ass's out but good to know what to expect.
Great to hear and I recommend replacing the wheels. Even though I got this working, it's just a short cut because it was my neighbor's house and he needed to get this working for a party that day. Take out your wheel and take it to the Depot. There are only about 5 types and they stock them. Thanks for watching.
5? The Prime-Line catalog lists about 200-300 different rollers depending on whether you count alternative wheel sizes and materials (plastic, metal, stainless). And there are many more not listed there.
I have an old sliding door ... probably 35 to 40 years old. For some reason there are no holes for adjusting the rollers, I have looked repeatedly. Is there any way to make adjustments other than removing the door?
Not that I'm aware of. Some are fixed and some have to be removed and adjusted from the bottom. Good luck and thanks for watching.
Thanks, just what I needed to get started on a balky sliding door.
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. It's best to replace the wheels. I did this temp fix because it was my neighbors and he was having a party in a couple hours and needed to get them working.
Don't lube the track with WD40. Dust and dirt will stick to it like a magnet. Use graphite powder lubricant only on the tracks.
Appreciate it. We've had about 8 different suggestions for lubricants. All great ! Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for this! I'd like to suggest that you ad a little bell to your channel so that your subscribers (I just subscribed) will be notified of your new videos.
Thanks for watching. And I always recommend replacing the wheels if you're going to do this. Very cheap and easy. This was just a temp emergency fix for a party.
Great video, probably would have been good idea to replace the rollers since you're all ready there.
AGREED. The only reason we didn't was because it was a favor for my neighbor who needed to get this thing working in one hour for a party he was having. I encourage all to simply get new wheels if they're going through the trouble of doing this. Thanks for watching.
There are replacement rollers available if they don’t adjust. They are not very expensive and are better than Putting something under the roller. There are even replacement tracks available but they won’t be the full length as the original.
Agreed and we did that a week later. This was an emergency fix for my neighbor who needed to get this door working in one hour for a party. Thanks for watching.
It appears your slider removes to the outside. I've never seen one that way. It seems that could be susceptible to burglary.
This is how most of the old models work. There is blocking in the upper track that you can't see that prevents the door from being lifted. The door has to be opened in order to remove it. Thanks for watching.
@@askillthatpays Yes, it's routine to place a stick in the track above the door to prevent it from being lifted and moved inward from the outside. But that is done from inside on my units. Also access to the screw which raises the rollers, (lowers the door), is possible from the outside on yours.
Also, the outside track would be more prone to collecting dirt and debris.
My parent's door is from 1961 and as I type this I remember it was originally installed backwards and had to be redone properly.
My sliding door is installed exactly like this. I assumed it had been installed incorrectly, but several others in our MH Park are like this. I need to replace the roller unit on mine, now that I understand how it's done. Thanks.
There is a snap-on rail you just put over the existing rail. I had to do this on my patio doors. Due to the door's weight, the existing track rail would flatten down over time.
I've had about 50% success rate with those. With doors from the 60's - 70s it's nearly impossible, but some times they do work. Thanks for watching
I replaced my wheels around 10 years ago and now need to do it again. To get the sliding glass door out i had to remove the stationery door as well. Im going from memory here but lifting the sliding door just would not work, it was just the smallest amount too much to pull out towards me at the bottom. I couldn't lift it any higher without hitting the top and it just barely wouldn't clear at the bottom. Anyone got a trick so I don't have to do that again? I remember years ago looking at my clearance problem at the top and wondering why I couldn't just take a Metabo cutting blade to the top and solve my problem but i didn’t do it and took out the stationery door.
Move the door to the open position and see if there is any kind of bumper on the top track. If not you might have to take apart the top track in some way. See if there is any way to do it. Here's another video that shows a different kind of slider for which I had to remove the top guide. Thanks for watching.
th-cam.com/users/shortsVZHagx-8cuM
Sorry you're giving bad advice
For the amount it cost to get you there and phaff about with the old worn wheels just put new cartridge in and clean/work on the track.
Because 6 mths later those wheels you fixed will be back to square one again, dont use WD40 worst thing you can do. The bearings nowadays are sealed and oils hold dust which wear the track even quicker.
I hate these cheap arse sliding doors they are always going to be a problem in the future
Not "bad" advice, just temp advice. This was a favor for my neighbor who needed to get that door working in one hour for a party. He had no time to go to the depot and I wasn't planning on making a video, just thought I'd do it for fun. I advise all who contact me to get a replacement wheel if they're going through the trouble of taking it apart. Thanks for watching.
Why not just replace both wheel assemblies and install an item called "cap track " it is applied over the worn out track .
We did the next weekend. This was an emergency fix for a party that was starting in an hour on a Sunday and neither of us felt like driving to the depot. Thanks for watching.
need to do my door
How do you know what wheel set to buy??? If your replacing the how set. Great video, Thanks
Great question. This was actually a temp fix to get the door working for a party that day, and we got another wheel the next week. There are only about 4-5 different types of wheels for these and Home Depot or Lowes carries them. Take a pic or remove it and go to one of those stores and you''ll probably find it. Thanks for watching.
Thank you dude! One of the best self-help vids I’ve seen. Gonna try that on our old sticky patio door.
That's great to hear. And even though I used a home remedy to fix that wheel, Home Depot carries most wheels and I recommend replacing them as they're very inexpensive. Good luck and thanks for watching.
Very helpful. Thanks! Wife and I just bought a condo where the older couple who lived there haven't used the three sliding patio doors in at least twenty years. They are VERY hard to open and close. I want to thoroughly clean the tracks and remove the doors themselves so I can clean and lube the wheels. If I'm successful, I may save $1k for each one by not having to replace them. Wish me luck.
Clean the tracks and replace the wheels and you'll be good for another 20 years. If track is damaged, HD does sell a piece that sits on top of the channel. I've only had a 50% success rate with it, but when it works, it's great. Thanks for watching.
You can buy a stainless steel capping strip for the aluminium tracks that will restore the original profile, they come in various sizes so you do need to know the height, width and length of the original track.
That's correct and they're now available at the depot. I've used them 4 times and they worked twice. It's a good product but in some cases they just would stay on. Thanks for your contribution and for watching. I appreciate it.
My door won’t open at all. Is there any way to get it off without taking the frame apart? Fairly sure the wheels are bad or there is just extreme dirt and debris between the track and the door.
yes.try a pry bar or something similar. check the upper channel and make sure there's nothing blocking the door from being raised. in most cases it has to be slid into the open position. if you can just pry the door up a little on one end and get a wedge or chisel under it, that's how you can get it started. good luck and thanks for watching.
Good job. Might be time to replace that old single pane door in the future.
If it was MY house I would but everyone has a different budget and desires. It's definitely time for an upgrade. Thanks for watching.
Great simple explanation! I really appreciate your help!
Thanks, I have one doing the same thing, hard to close. I'll try it in the morning and see if cleaning it and adjusting the wheel fixes it or pull the door and see if I can get new rollers.
You're welcome. I recommend replacing the wheels. The only reason I didn't do that in the video is because it was a repair that my neighbor needed done in an hour and didn't have time to go get a new wheel at the depot. We replaced it the following week. New wheels is the way to go. Thanks for watching.
Ads you cannot opt out of, I will never use that product...ever.
I appreciate that, and thanks for watching once.
Content creators especially smaller ones have zero control over ads. TH-cam changed how it runs ads.
Much easier to just replace the wheels. They are cheap enough and saves time
And that's what I advise. this was a quick emergency fix for a party. we replaced the wheels following weekend. thanks for watching
Wow, ty for this vid ! I understand so much more about the sliding glass doors here. All the best to you !
You're welcome and if you're going to try this, replace the wheels. This was an emergency fix for which I needed to get the door working in one hour for a party. Depot stocks the wheels. Thanks for watching.
wheel on one side is adjustable and the other side is not. i can not take the worn out wheel kit out of the door frame, any suggestion ?
I've never heard of one that isn't removal. Even though I didn't remove these in this video, we replace them once we got new wheels. Without seeing what you're working with, it's hard to provide a solution. Thanks for watching.
I was able to fix a friend’s sliding door thanks to you and your video. God bless and cheers!
That's great to hear. I'm glad you found it useful
Since I have taken it apart, shouldn’t I go ahead and replace both cartridges/wheel/wheel carriers with new ones? Are they a standard part across most door manufacturers or are they all different? If I take the wheel cartridge assembly to a good glass door shop are they likely to have a replacement?
Yes definitely. My vid was a temp emergency fix for a party. Even though the wheels are different across manufacturers there are only a few different types and HD carries them in most cases. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for the reply.
Just take an old candle and slide it along the pole thing in the middle on both sides of the door coming and going it will slide like new
I had no idea this video would generate so many ideas for track lubricants. Seriously, at least a dozen and all good. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
We have 4 of those doors on an out building, 2 left sliding ->
That's a creative solution. In my experience, there are about 4-5 types and usually available at Depot, but sometimes a local hardware store is better or just like you did, you gotta role your own. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching.
Why the put a plastic wheel down there? So, ridicule.
It seems metal would be better but don't think the cost is justified. This door worked for over 20 years before the wheel failed so that's pretty good. Thanks for watching.
Replace it with a swinging garden door!
OR just do a simple repair. Thanks for watching.
Hmm, cleaning is all fine and dandy, but we didn't see how taking off and putting the door back in, which is another tricky part.
That's true but keep in mind that I'm not doing these in a studio. These are actual jobs I'm doing and I'm usually holding the phone with one hand while doing the work, so I can't always set up shots and show everything because it gets very time consuming and I'm sure you understand time is money. Thanks for watching.
@@askillthatpays ok, you convinced me, it's for real then.
The Door will Lift up into the track above so the bottom (wheels) will clear. Pull the bottom out a few inches then lower door.
Good to have able helper with hands on.
Brother you just saved me $4,000.00 I was going to pay for new patio doors that wre not working at all on a house I was flipping. Thank you.
Great to hear and make sure you change the wheels. This vid was an emergency fix for a party. We replaced the wheels later. Thanks for watching.
u need to get rid of them those doors have plate glass in themm there too old
I will notify the homeowners that you have offered to pay the cost of replacing them. Materials and installation $3000 - $8000. Would you like their contact information? Thanks for watching.
this is exactly what i am looking for, thanks for sharing
Glad I could help. If you're going to do this, it's best to replace the wheels and not do a temp fix like I did. We had to get this door working for a party and replace the wheels later. Thanks for watching.
I need to do this. Mine sounds like rocks dragging. I would like to order new wheels but I guess I wont know what kind I need until I take it apart?
That's true. The hardest part is lifting the door. They need to be in the open position to do so, otherwise they hit a safety bumper on top. Once off, remove a wheel and take it to the depot. There are only about 5 different types and unless the door is ancient, Depot will carry them. good luck and thanks for watching.
Thank you very much for sharing how to fix it. My door also has the same problem but I don't want to fix it because when I pull it, it makes a very loud sound so I know if someone wants to break in. enter my house
LOL. You're not the first one to say that. Many clients with these make the same comment. Should you ever decide to repair it though, be sure to replace the wheels. This was a temp fix only. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for your time and efforts.
You're welcome. I'm happy to share my experience whenever I can. Thanks for watching.
I lube the track with Vaseline, it works great, lasts and its not visible.
That's great. I've received all kinds of tips on how to lube the track. Thanks for sharing yours and thanks for watching. I appreciate it
I can't thank you enough for this video! After 16 years of lifting the door and using our body weight to push it open, we watched your video and fixed it the next morning. Only $17 for wheels and it's like new! It glides so well now that we had to put in a new handle because the old one almost crushed my fingers when I closed the door. Thanks again! PS: For anyone doing this, I highly recommend using a wire brush, cleaning liquid, and paper towels to clean the track. Ours was full of tiny metal shavings from the old wheels and door.
So glad this could help you and YES, always replace the wheels. This was an emergency repair to get the door working for a party. We replaced the wheels the following week. Thanks for watching.
I forgot to remove a wooden stick I use to prevent someone breaking in. It is now stuck and can't open door. Any suggestions how I can remove it?
Yes. Very easy. I assume it's about 3-4 ft long. Pick the mid point (2-3ft) and hit it with a chisel or reciprocating saw. All you'll need to do is score it deeply. Then put a pry bar underneath and pop it up. Thanks for watching.
Thanks I'll try it
It worked. Thank you again.
Super helpful. Thank you!!🇨🇦
Glad you like it. If you're doing this, it's best to replace the wheels. I did a temp fix because it was my neighbor and he needed to get this thing working that day for a party. Thanks for watching.
Isn’t the movable sash supposed to be on the inside?
THANK YOUUUU
you’re great explaining everything.
Does anybody know where to buy the screens?
Depot has one or two style, but in my experience, a local hardware store sometimes has the best solution. Thanks for watching.
Thank you. ...going to work on it, fingers crossed
I noticed these particular model design of doors had the sliding door outside instead of inside the house. I wonder why? Because this design, the dirt in the backyard sometimes accumulates in the track blown by the wind or if someone put a stick in the track to jam the sliding door you can't get out.
1950s home. Thanks for watching.
IICF installer asked if we wanted sliding door inside or outside but unfortunately Dad said outside not understanding difference. So we have one sliding glass door on outside and other on inside where is should be. Inside door slides much easier, always less dirty and we can drop rod for extra security.
Thanks for a helpful video.
Thanks for watching. AND I recommend replacing the wheels as this was a temp emergency fix. The wheels are so inexpensive and easy to replace.
@@askillthatpays I can't get the door out to change the wheels.
good man
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed. Happy to pass on some knowledge
I personally made the mistake of using WD40 on my sliding glass door rail after cleaning it up good. While it did slide better for a while, the amount of filth it attracted which clogged it back up with greasy sludge was not worth it. Not sure what the answer is, but in the long term my personal experience was not good with the WD40 unfortunately.
If you read through the comments there have been almost a dozen lubricant suggestions. Keep in mind that I can't carry EVERY product known to man. WD40 is the most versatile product and has served me well, and I understand everyone has their preferences. Keep in mind that this door survived 50 years with no lube. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
Use Dry Lube- never WD-40, especially if you're by salt water! Just gums everything up...
We've received soooo many suggestions for alternative lubricants. Much appreciated and thanks for watching.
Or you could buy a new double hung patio door, be much more energy, efficient, quiet, nicer, looking open and close easily for several more years to come😅
Of course that's an option, but in contracting, you quickly learn that everyone has their own budget and desires. Thanks for watching.
I feel it's a mistake to not have replaced the wheel assemblies. They are not expensive, you have the door removed so do a full refurburish. The new wheels can be easily adjusted and roll smoothly, and will the be good for another 15-20 yrs.
You're not wrong. This was a favor for my neighbor who was having a party in an hour and needed to get this thing working. I wasn't planning on a video, but just decided to shoot some footage. I had no idea this would be so popular. He got the wheel the next weekend and we replaced it which is what I recommend. Thanks for watching.
Are replacement wheel assemblies available for 20 year old sliding glass doors? How much do these doors weigh?
Yes, replacement wheels are available. Home Depot stocks about 5 types. The only reason we didn't replace it was because this was an emergency and he needed to get the door working in an hour for a party. We replaced it the next weekend. Thanks for watching.
Are these wheels available at Lowe’s or Home Depot? Great video! I was going to call handyman but am feeling pretty confident right now….
Yes, and I SHOULD have replaced them, but I was doing a favor for my neighbor and he said he'd go to the depot to get them later. Take out an existing wheel and bring it with you. There are only about 5 types and depot has them. Good luck and thanks for watching.
There are hundreds of types.
Home Depot has 5-10.
Lowes usually has 2 or 3 if they carry them at all.
Lowes doesn't seem to stock many sliding door parts at all.
Ace and True Value usually have a much better stock. Of course they're usually more expensive, so do what you have to do.
At least here in California.
Is there supposed to be anything at the top of the door to prevent it from being able move up when slid so the wheels don't come off the track? My wheels are protruding about the same as yours. However, there is enough of a cap between the door and the upper track that the door can tilt and allow the wheels to come off the track.
It sounds like you're missing some type of lip or moulding. I would recommend buying a piece of moulding like a 3/4" x 3/4" strip and nail it in place to cover that gap so the door can't tilt. Good luck and thanks for watching.
What a super video - thank you
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and it you attempt something like this, it's best to replace the wheels. This was a temp emergency fix to get the door working for a party. Thanks for watching.
@@askillthatpays Good tip, makes sense, thanks.
Super!!! Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching
The replacement wheels are really cheap I think around $5.00 per wheel, just replace them. You already have them out.
Correct and we did that a week later. This was a favor for my neighbor who needed to get this working for a party that day. Once he got the wheel the following weekend, we put it in that's what I recommend to anyone who tries this. Thanks for watching.
I actually have a perfectly functioning sliding glass door from 1969, I did have to clean it up and use WD 40 when I moved into my apartment 7 years ago. At least I didn't have to remove the door.
That's great to hear. In my experience, if the door is protected from the elements, cleaned regularly and not abused, they can last a lifetime. Glad to hear yours is in good shape. Thanks for watching.
Thanks, you can also replace those wheel assemblies inexpensively.
Yes and we did a week later. This was a temp fix for a neighbor who needed to get this working in an hour for a party, and I encourage anyone who tries this to just get new wheels. Thanks for watching.
Hahah just change a brand new roller instead cost less then USD 3 for 1 pair some are even USD 1 per pair
Agreed and we did the next weekend. What I didn't mention in the video is that this was my neighbor who had guests arriving for a party in an hour and he asked me to just "get it working." I encourage all who do this to just replace the wheels. Very inexpensive and easy. Thanks for watching.
100% silicon might be better than WD-40, as WD-40 attracts dust and dirt.
Thanks for the contribution. Since posting this video, I've received at least a dozen different suggestions for lubricants. All good. Thanks for watching.
Tip: Make sure you haven't lowered the roller (raised the door) too much or you won't get it back in the track.
Appreciate that, and thanks for watching.
very complicated, i had someone come , and change wheels in 30 minutes, not for me though.
Yes, it's pretty easy once the door is off and I recommend that anyone who does this, should replace the wheels. It's very easy and I did that temp fix because it was my neighbor who needed to get this working for a party he was having in an hour. Thanks for watching.
Do you know how difficult it is to replace the wheels? I don’t know the manufacturer of my door.
Most sliding doors work in the same manner regardless of model. Figure a way to get the door, then remove a wheel and look for it online or take it to depot or to a local door supplier. Here's a short I made of a more modern door. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
th-cam.com/users/shortsVZHagx-8cuM
Security tip for anyone who patio sliding doors. In the inside track put down a lenth of wood the same size as the space left in the track when the door is closed. Someone busts the lock they still wont get in for the wood stopping them sliding the door.
That's a common solution thanks for sharing. Also, this was just an entrance to a sun room, which holds the back door to the house, so not a high security issue, but still a good tip. Thanks for watching.
Awesome tip, thank you!
Yep - people used to saw off an old broom handle to use as a blocker like this sometimes.
You didn't mention it, but those wheel assemblies can be bought at LOWES.
Yes and I always recommend they be replaced. This was an emergency for my neighbor who needed to get it working in one hour. We replaced thew wheels the following weekend as they are very inexpensive at depot, Lowes and local hardware stores. Thanks for watching.
From WC, my wife came up with the idea to cut a piece of old broom Handel just the right length to fit in the door frame when door is closed! It would take a super strong person to brake that piece of wood and open the door! Also my wife uses candle wax to lubricant the door rail, works good and doesn’t attract dirt or dust! Slides good, very little noise! Sorry for any bad spelling!
Great ideas and used by many, so thanks for sharing and thanks for watching.
We were taught that on the slide rail to use a bar of soap and slide it back and forth on the rail. Wd40 attracts dust and dirt.
Everyone has their thing. Most do nothing, so anything helps. Thanks for watching.
I just had the rollers replaced on a 30 year old sliding glass door. Did I want to pay the technician, no, but I didn’t want to try replacing it myself.
There's no shame in that. If you're not comfortable with doing this, there are things that can go wrong. You got the proper thing done and that's what counts. Thanks for watching.
Spray the wheel and tracks with SuperZilla, its a natural plant based lubricant.
LOL. I'll put it on the list thanks. I've heard candle wax, gun cleaner, graphite, pb blaster and probably 3 others. Much appreciated and thanks for watching.
Much appreciated cheers 🍻
You're welcome and thanks for watching. I appreciate it