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Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:45 am

nowadays, parts that aren't brand-x/China ?? Looked at some Temkin bearings last wk=made in korea.

Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:37 am

allsierra123 wrote: did it quiet your door down any? man mine is loud.
no and I cant see how the upper 2 guide bearing really do much of any thing
except guide the door they dont take any stress

When I look at the lower bearing in my original pic
http://members.shaw.ca/trclark/vwvan/P3310001.JPG

This is the one that takes most of the load & causes all the noise
and this mine & looks like a home brew from previous PO
after the original prolly split

Can anyone tell me that has good original does the bearing actually contact/run on the tiny 1/8" lip of the slider or is it really supposed
to roll in the track of the slider ??
it would seem like a better design to run in the track as opposed to the lip)

any pic of original install would be nice

seems alomost like if you sprayed that lip/track with truck bedliner then all the noise would go since the roller would roll on the rubber liner

Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:35 pm

Bedliner?

The bearing would never roll again.

It may not be noisey--and only becuse it wouldn't be rolling anywhere.

Slapping some high temp, low wash off grease on the roller rail would keep the inside of groove on the bearing from galling & pitting like your's is now.

That's why it's making noise as the door moves.

Your bearing's are suffering from a bad case of Petrolis neglegtis.

Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:37 pm

Terry Kay wrote: Bedliner?

The bearing would never roll again.

It may not be noisey--and only becuse it wouldn't be rolling anywhere.

hey TK does a std roller roll on the lip or does the bearing physically run on the flat part of the track

Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:48 pm

"Hi
Cheepskate alert
I have asked bit over on thesamba
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=350008
for a cheeper deal to get my 85 sliding door back in shape I hit total pay dirt with the 2 upper guide bearing use ANY skateboard bearing"

There ya go--this cover's the whole thought behind this thread--

If ya can't do the job right--do it on the cheap.

<<Any one ever spedn the time to fond a 5-10 compatible bearing to replace the main guide bearing taling about this one http://members.shaw.ca/trclark/vwvan/P3310001.JPG
one suggestion I did find that is not quite right was here
http://www.mcmaster.com/#3434t23
but they say the bearing is bit thick & not enuff left of the shaft to thread a nout on but otherwise is good fit with a tack weld>>

Another good idea--if it don't fit quite right-weld it on the hinge, so the next time it needs servicing / changing it's a total nightmare.
You've just turned the roller swivel to junk--done.

Forget about all of this kids stuff.

If you really want to screw up your Van's sliding door mechanisim, get a set of barn door roller's--hang the sliding door off of them after you've welded the brackets to the drip moulding.

Now you don't have to do much searching for specialty bearings either--any Farm Supply Store has the roller's and the hanger's in stock.

The first line cover's it all---
Cheapskate alert--good one.

Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:35 pm

Nice find on the skateboard bearings, just did it, very sweet.

Now I see why TK fought this one so hard...I should have known... :wink:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=527799

Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:38 pm

It seems to me that the lower front roller carries more weight and probably lives in worse conditions than either the rear or upper rollers. That is probably what is making the noise- either the bearing or perhaps a rough rusty guide channel surface.
BTW, if anybody knows of a repair part for the lower slider track and rocker panel, let me know. (I tried to talk Gerson into a few years back. Maybe now he's go for it.)
Al

Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:36 pm

BlackDogVan wrote: Nice find on the skateboard bearings, just did it, very sweet.

Now I see why TK fought this one so hard...I should have known... :wink:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=527799
yah The parts to rebuild the slider list for $219.97, plus tax.

Guide Roller- $120.57
Washer-$3.78
Top Roller's- $71.84
Circlips-$0.84
Gasket-$4.37
Cap-$ 2.97
Seal-$8.40
Seals-$ 7.20

$71.84 buys you many life time supplies of skateboard bearings :wink: :wink:
it would be no surprise to see TK rebrand a few skateboard bearing for the Top Roller in few mths after ppl forget this thread .. :twisted: :twisted:
but its great he's here just would not be the samba w/o TK hehe

Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:06 pm

<<I'm in a different position than you guys fixing/ hacking away/ shoemakering on your Vans'
I rebuild the rear sliding door hinges for other folks who aren't quite as inventive, adept, as you are.

I can't afford to have a roller skate, Radio Flyer Wagon, or baby buggy wheel bearings fail.

I have no inclination to jip the job, just for the sake of getting the job done on the cheap.

I do the repair one time and it's done for another 20 some years--or until the Vehicle turns to dust--whichever comes first.>>

A portion of a message I already wrote--

Tim, , You happen to own one of the more expensive vehicles on the planet to maintain & keep running.
Not my fault.
I didn't cause you to make this selection of rides--

I'm pretty sure that if anything broke beyond the scope of the skate board door bearings, and it couldn't get done on the cheap-the Van will be parked.

SS Kresge, Woolworth, Or your Local Ben Franklin doesn't carry Vanagon Parts.

Sorry.

I thought I had seen it all--I've never seen anyone self proclaim to be Humpty Dumpty of the Jip Jobs.

Weld aload bearing to it's support shaft?

Good one.

Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:41 pm

tclark wrote:
but its great he's here just would not be the samba w/o TK hehe
Dare to dream my friend. Dare to dream.

Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:32 pm

<<It seems to me that the lower front roller carries more weight and probably lives in worse conditions than either the rear or upper rollers.>>

I think your right Al.
But I'm sure that the back side with the open bottom catches a bunch of salt, & crud being blown off of the back wheel--and I haven't seen or heard of too many folks yanking off that rear panel just to clean and lube the rear bearings or track on a regular basis.

<< That is probably what is making the noise- either the bearing or perhaps a rough rusty guide channel surface.>>

Probably both.

<<BTW, if anybody knows of a repair part for the lower slider track and rocker panel, let me know.>>

You need both or what??
I have both---

Hasta,

Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:19 pm

Replacing the entire lower slider track sheet metal would be an enormous undertaking. I have fabbed up liners to repair the area where the roller rolls, but it would be nice to have a piece that incorporated the lower rocker as well. Nobody makes such a part that I know of.
Al
Terry Kay wrote:

<<BTW, if anybody knows of a repair part for the lower slider track and rocker panel, let me know.>>

You need both or what??
I have both---

Hasta,

Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:29 pm

What a enormous undertaking ?

A little T&M ??

I may have exactly what you need.

Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:52 pm

If the McMaster grooved bearing works other than the shaft being too short to support it, it looks like (from my armchair) an easy fix would be to tap/drill the shaft out of the mechanism and tap the hole to accept a bolt. Then get a bolt of the appropriate length to accommodate whatever bearing is most appropriate. Yessir, I'd pay myself $115 for that amount of work especially considering that the $5 McMaster bearing would very likely last JUST AS LONG as the $120 VW one. If I ever did have to swap it in the future, I'd be saving another $120 and if for some reason it turned out the VW roller was 24 times as good, then installing a slightly shorter bolt to accommodate it would be a breeze.

Andrew

Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:54 pm

Go for it Andy.

You & your rear hinge can be the test unit.

Do let us know how much time you get buried in this project, and if you screw up the hinge in the process.

Your an adept lad--see how it goes and report when the project is all done.

Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:04 pm

All my rear hinges currently work fine and I'm pretty sure I have one spare in a box somewhere, so it's not a high priority for me at the moment. I imagine drilling out the shaft, tapping it and installing a bolt would take me less than 1/2 hour.

On another note, I have seen rollers bearings like the McMaster one at Home Depot. They are used for rollers for some models of sliding glass doors. I actually have some on the glass doors of a green house in my backyard.

Andrew

Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:34 pm

Andrew A. Libby wrote: On another note, I have seen rollers bearings like the McMaster one at Home Depot. They are used for rollers for some models of sliding glass doors. I actually have some on the glass doors of a green house in my backyard.
Andrew
Youd da man my , Skateboard, Radio Flyer Wagon, jip joint plastic patio door roller installed & slam dunked & bolts right up after i chased the race just hair or maybe 2 & countersunk the back end away from the bolt so it rides up on the ridge of the shaft
patio door roller specs ID=1/4" OD=1 1/4" , wide/thick=5/16"
note that is 2/16" thinner than the mcmaster part so its real close off the shelf to the required thickness

that was freebe from the basement junk box
Now Just have to get the ss steel version of the patio door roller.
I think for that i will still chase the race but not counter sink it but just file that ridge off the std axle then the roller can move further back on the shaft
hell maybe just file that axle down from .260 to to .250 all the way then you have a real std patio roller replacement roller off the shelf for $5-$8

see here
http://www.crlaurence.ca/ProductPages/showLine.asp?GroupID=6173
SS

http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/D/D1693_8985.html
That looks like it is prolly 24X better than the VW non-SS and raise you hand if ya thinks TK will now offer the new improved door hinge with SS roller over on here -> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=527799 for $300
:) :twisted:
NonSS
http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/D/D1502_9121.html

oh yah that door slides like well yah y know greased lighting

Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:20 pm

tclark wrote: Andrew A. Libby wrote: On another note, I have seen rollers bearings like the McMaster one at Home Depot. They are used for rollers for some models of sliding glass doors. I actually have some on the glass doors of a green house in my backyard.
Andrew
Youd da man my , Skateboard, Radio Flyer Wagon, jip joint plastic patio door roller installed & slam dunked & bolts right up after i chased the race just hair or maybe 2 & countersunk the back end away from the bolt so it rides up on the ridge of the shaft
patio door roller specs ID=1/4" OD=1 1/4" , wide/thick=5/16"

that was freebe from the basement junk box
Now Just have to get the ss steel version of the patio door roller.
I think for that i will still chase the race but not counter sink it but just file that ridge off the std axle then the roller can move further back on the shaft
hell maybe just file that axle down from .260 to to .250 all the way then you have a real std patio roller replacement roller off the shelf for $5-$8

see here
SS
http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/D/D1693_8985.html
NonSS
http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/D/D1502_9121.html

oh yah that door slides like well yah y know greased lighting

No No NO! You can't do that!! You are not allowed to find a cheaper way to do something that TK sells. Bad van owner. BAD. Gosh, next thing you'll be talking about using hoses to replace your coolant lines...

Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:35 am

Glad to see you got that to work. I'd opt for the metal roller version, but I bet the nylon one would last a long time.

What's going on, did TK miss this post? Where's the usual berating?

Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:48 am

I'd like to know how you can tell if your sliding door is getting worn?

or do you just wait for it to fail?