Got two clients (actually one client & one friend) who have pocket doors
that are off their tracks. Pain in the ass. Both are different but
similar; as near as I can tell, one was probably installed in the 1960s,
the other one probably 15 years ago or so.

Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their tracks?
I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with zilch so far.

Many thanks to anyone who can give me a clue here.

David Nebenzahl wrote:
Got two clients (actually one client & one friend) who have pocket doors
that are off their tracks. Pain in the ass. Both are different but
similar; as near as I can tell, one was probably installed in the 1960s,
the other one probably 15 years ago or so.

Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their tracks?
I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with zilch so far.

Many thanks to anyone who can give me a clue here.

Take a look here at how they should be installed and how to repair them.

You should be able to remove one trim member in the top of the door
opening and access/remove the door.

http://www.johnsonhardware.com/pdindex.htm


Boden

On 8/7/2008 9:18 PM Boden spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Got two clients (actually one client & one friend) who have pocket doors
that are off their tracks. Pain in the ass. Both are different but
similar; as near as I can tell, one was probably installed in the 1960s,
the other one probably 15 years ago or so.

Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their tracks?
I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with zilch so far.

Many thanks to anyone who can give me a clue here.

Take a look here at how they should be installed and how to repair them.

You should be able to remove one trim member in the top of the door
opening and access/remove the door.

http://www.johnsonhardware.com/pdindex.htm

Thanks--great stuff! I'm hoping I can get them working without having to
cut into the wall.

David Nebenzahl wrote:

On 8/7/2008 9:18 PM Boden spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Got two clients (actually one client & one friend) who have
pocket doors that are off their tracks. Pain in the ass. Both
are different but similar; as near as I can tell, one was
probably installed in the 1960s, the other one probably 15 years
ago or so.

Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have
any clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on
their tracks? I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up
with zilch so far.

Many thanks to anyone who can give me a clue here.

Take a look here at how they should be installed and how to repair
them.

You should be able to remove one trim member in the top of the door
opening and access/remove the door.

http://www.johnsonhardware.com/pdindex.htm

Thanks--great stuff! I'm hoping I can get them working without having
to cut into the wall.

The usual problem is that the two parts of the hanger have
disconnected. Use a lever under the bottom of the door to raise it so
the two pieces slot together, then turn the latch until it clicks to
lock everything together.

Here's a closer look:
http://jhusa.net/images/2610/2610Ficon580.jpg
And here's a drawing:
http://jheurope.com/images/jh/bulkpa...ad580/1120.gif

The instructions above are simple, but performing them is tricky.
1. Put a lever under the bottom of the door. You'll use your foot to
raise and lower the door.
2. Align the peg on the wheel section with the large end of the keyhole
opening in the plate on the top of the door.
3. Raise the door just enough that the peg enters the keyhole.
4. Slide the peg sideways into the smaller end of the keyhole.
5. Turn the locking plate until it clicks around the peg. This locks it
into place so it doesn't come apart again.

I use two screwdrivers to slide the parts of the hanger back and forth
and a lever to raise and lower the door. The first time you do this
will require 6.5 hours to learn the technique. ;-) Following efforts
take as little as three minutes.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their tracks?
I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with zilch so far.

I had a similar problem.

The links and pics posted by previous posters show pretty high-end
trucks and tracks. On mine, the track was a single rail and the
trucks had a single wheel. I got the door off by taking of the trim,
but there was no way to get the track off and a new one in. I ended
up cutting through the drywall on the back side of the wall and
installing high-end tracks and trucks.

A contractor friend suggested that I try using a car jack or something
similar to spread the pocket as much as possible to get access, but it
didn't work because there were cabinets on both sides. It might work
if you have open walls.

-Zz

On Aug 8, 11:36*am, Zz Yzx wrote:
Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their tracks?
I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with zilch so far.

I had a similar problem. *

The links and pics posted by previous posters show pretty high-end
trucks and tracks. *On mine, the track was a single rail and the
trucks had a single wheel. *I got the door off by taking of the trim,
but there was no way to get the track off and a new one in. *I ended
up cutting through the drywall on *the back side of the wall and
installing high-end tracks and trucks.

A contractor friend suggested that I try using a car jack or something
similar to spread the pocket as much as possible to get access, but it
didn't work because there were cabinets on both sides. *It might work
if you have open walls.

How much do you think you could spread the pocket before messing up
those little studs? You're also more likely to crack the drywall.

If the cabinets are not full height, you could open up the wall
further down and use bit extenders and self-tapping hex heads in a
magnetic bit holder. A pain in the ass, but it's rock and a hard
place.

R

In article ,
Zz Yzx wrote:

Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their tracks?
I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with zilch so far.

I had a similar problem.

The links and pics posted by previous posters show pretty high-end
trucks and tracks. On mine, the track was a single rail and the
trucks had a single wheel. I got the door off by taking of the trim,
but there was no way to get the track off and a new one in. I ended
up cutting through the drywall on the back side of the wall and
installing high-end tracks and trucks.

A contractor friend suggested that I try using a car jack or something
similar to spread the pocket as much as possible to get access, but it
didn't work because there were cabinets on both sides. It might work
if you have open walls.

-Zz

Agreed. When I installed my first and only pocket door, I had help and
advice from a friend. The first thing he had me do was throw away the
hardware that came with the door, and buy some real hardware. Once those
single wheel cheapos fall off the first time, they'll fall off once a
week, at least. Time to fix it right, whatever it takes.

Zz Yzx wrote:
Both have finished walls that are inaccessible. Does anyone have any
clever tricks for getting these goddamned things back on their
tracks? I've looked at them, scratched my head and come up with
zilch so far.

I had a similar problem.

The links and pics posted by previous posters show pretty high-end
trucks and tracks. On mine, the track was a single rail and the
trucks had a single wheel. I got the door off by taking of the trim,
but there was no way to get the track off and a new one in.

Not suggesting your track was this way but many have a keyhole slot...pull
track, it slides back to the wider hole in the slot, lift track off.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Not suggesting your track was this way but many have a keyhole slot...pull
track, it slides back to the wider hole in the slot, lift track off.

OUCH! Actually, the old rail DID have keyhole slots, but the
contractor (builder) didn't use them, it looked like they used
washer-head screws and a power driver, right through the rail base.
And judging by the condition of the rail (nasty bends in the lip,
paint on it but not on the wood inside the pocket), I bet it was
salvaged.

-Zz