Sliding Door Rollers/Bearings 1985 and Newer, Alternatives

[djkeev]

Well......even though I can apparently buy quiet bearings from
Germany for $100+......

I'm plugging on!

My new plastic bearings arrived. Dry out of the package they aren't quiet like metal bearings are....... I lathered them in PTFE......

But, I purchased them..... They are going in!

Installing new bearings without removing the door is quite honestly easy!

Simply open the door and find the lower track guide arm.
There are two H6 allen headed bolts there.
To make life easy, draw around them with a marker so you know where they were. Eliminates a lot if annoying adjustment later!

Remove the two bolts while holding the bottom of the door with gentle upward pressure.

Have a box or something about the height of your door bottom there so you can rest the door on it once it comes loose.

I clamped the roller unit in my vise and pulled off the 609 bearing. A battery terminal puller with a small spacer screw works superbly!

The upper 609 bearing is also easy to do, a helper (which I did NOT have) would make it almost simple!
Simply lift the door off the box and drop it slightly disengaging the upper roller.
Remove the clip and pull off the bearing.

When finished put the front tracks all back together.

The rear track?
Even easier!

Look at the top of your track, you will see a raised spot about mid span......

And looking from the side....

Stop the door at the raised hump, lift up a little and swing the grooved roller off the track.

Gently drop the door down and set it on your box again.....

I found my portable jump start battery height to be just about perfect!

Put on the two new 608 bearings and reassemble!
Easy!!!!

Here are some photos of my Delrin grooved roller on the door edge protector covered track......

What's the noise level?

Well...... Not the whisper I had hoped for but it is darn quiet!

I do have concerns about the open plastic bearings, more the two rear outside ones. But really? They are so cheap and so easy to replace...... It is a price that I'll gladly pay for a quiet door!

All told...... The final 6 bearings cost me less than $30. Plus shipping......

I'll post a decibel video when I can.....

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[61Scout]

Just wanted to post another option for folks dealing with the rounded lower track bearing. So I fixed up the slider door on my brother's van the other day. I removed the assembly and found the bearing was quite sticky/gummy. Instead of pulling it and replacing it, I tried something else. First I popped off the plastic cover, then I submerged the bearing and assembly in paint thinner for several hours. While it sat, I occasionally picked it out of the glass jar and would gently spin the bearing back and forth in my fingers. After a half day of this I felt all the grease had been removed and the bearing felt much better. I then let it sit on some paper towels on the bench and let it air dry. After it was nice and dry I found I was able to pack the bearing with some green sticky grease. Just using my thumb and working it, working it, working it. In just a few minutes I saw grease coming out of the backside. Reinstalled the plastic cap and done! Is it new? No, of course not, but this particular bearing didn't have a lot of play and I made the judgement call that it still had some life. After repacking it's significantly smoother and quieter. Here's a picture showing the grease popping out the backside.

Another thing I found, was that I did indeed have a replaceable bearing (251.843.361B) on the bearing that rides the track on the backside. So if your van has a replaceable bearing here, it's a 607 bearing inside. So one 607, two 608s, and two 609s.

-Kevin
_________________
1986 Westfalia Weekender Wolfsburg, RJE 2.3
1985 Tin Top, Subie 2.2 + 5MT
Floppy Mirrors no more: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=653018&highlight=
Remove the front spindle nut with ease: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=679567&highlight=
Remove the rear wheel bearing housing without messing with the big 46mm nut: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=679507&highlight=

-Nec Spe, Nec Metu

[djkeev]

OK...... An update.

I installed my new plastic roller bearings and then life got in the way of Vanagons.

My work is an eight week seasonal type where we GO like wild fire for about four months.

Anyway, the Van was put outside and I Haven't touched it.

I needed something out of it and opened the sliding door and thrust it rearward as I normally have done and I swear, I Almost threw it into the next County!
That thing slid so well it was unbelieveable!

Very happy with my door function.
It may not whisper like I sought but it rolls mighty fine!

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[DanHoug]

slider bearings needing some love... putting in Delrin V and bottom track bearings, steel for the rest. cleaning the slider latch of old grease, filing the dog teeth sharper, lubing and then coarsely pounding out dents in the slider from an accident over 20 years when my wife got T-Boned. as i say, this 87 Westy is a ratty soul but we take her anywhere.

_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[do.dah]

[ALIKA T3]

I made a batch of Delrin rollers back in 2016.

Been using them at the shop for customers and on my own vans for years.

I have to say, the V roller failed on my Syncro after 2 years, and tracks were in mint shape (time capsule van with 15K miles when purchased).
I think offroad is not good for them, it got worn out split in half, luckily in my driveway!

I had also the rubberized German skateboard bearings on that outer track fail in short order after driving through Baja California. Luckily I found a SK8 shop in Mazatlan after crossing to the mainland.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

[skemems]

Appreciate your honest experience with these... If that's the case....I will deal with slightly noisier metal rollers for durability.
_________________
87 VW Westfalia - EJ25
86 VW Westfalia - EJ22
85 VW Westfalia - WBX 2.1 project

[do.dah]

[DanHoug]

finished the slider with 6 new bearings... Delrin for V and bottom, just steel for the rest. what an incredible difference in smoothness, just a light finger push moves the door the entire track length. the screech is gone but still sorta noisy. whatever.

i put some Moly Mist spray can moly based paint on the bottom track as the roller needs to skid sideways as the door closes. it's hard stuff and it sure closes nice, mebbe not from the slick paint but Delrin on a hard moly coated surface ain't bad regardless.

new springs in the latch and all the hard grease cleaned out. i've had a few pop-opens in these last years so that should be done with. cog dogs were in nice shape but i trimmed their nails anyway.

the red cap is for do.dah

_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[DanHoug]

had everything together and noticed a click as the door approached about 4" from close. what the heck.

took the trim panel off again, removed the back end of the door off the track and saw the 2 rollers make a turn and go into a channel with a spring loaded, hinged flap. except my rollers were loose in the channel and no way actuated the spring flap. go out to my parts van and find there is a piece of molded urethane that helps the roller make the turn and then takes up space to wedge against the spring flap. pop it out of the parts van and glue it with RTV into mine. click now greatly reduced. door works so well. something to check at your next door roller servicing!

top side of spring flap

underside

pivot of flap

urethane piece

glued in

_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com