400: Glass sliding door

[jugga]

Hello guys,

The glass sliding door between our salon and cockpit is getting really hard to move, especially closing it is difficult - to the point that my 5year old can’t close it at all. I sprayed mclube on the top and bottom sliding rail, and that helped for a minute, but now it’s getting stuck again. Cleaned the sand and dust out of the bottom rail, but the door fits snug between the freezer cupboard and the backpanel of the helm station, which makes it very hard to clean that space.
I’d like to take the complete door out so I can clean more thoroughly, has anyone of you done this before, is there an easy way to do it ?

Thanks in advance !

[svrevelations]

I am busy with our glass sliding door this very moment. We had the same situation as you. We found that the sliding doors wheels are worn out. The wheels were also made from the wrong material - a graphite type of material which quickly wears out against the harder aluminum track it runs on. New wheels are now being turned by a machinist - the new wheels will be in aluminum similar to the hardness of the track.

[jugga]

Originally Posted by Revelations

I am busy with our glass sliding door this very moment. We had the same situation as you. We found that the sliding doors wheels are worn out. The wheels were also made from the wrong material - a graphite type of material which quickly wears out against the harder aluminum track it runs on. New wheels are now being turned by a machinist - the new wheels will be in aluminum similar to the hardness of the track.

Oh wow, thanks. It could be the wheels indeed, at least that’s how it feels like. But how did you get the sliding door out exactly ?

[svrevelations]

Originally Posted by jugga

Oh wow, thanks. It could be the wheels indeed, at least that’s how it feels like. But how did you get the sliding door out exactly ?

Our sliding lifts of the tracks when almost closed and from inside the saloon area. Two guys grab each end and simply lifted it of the tracks. Our sliding door is just under 2 meters wide and it was quite tricky to get the door to the outside due to the cockpit shape and all the fixed stuff there. Removing the wheels was a simple task of unscrewing the wheel carriages from the sliding door - then removing the wheels from the carriages.

[svrevelations]

Here is a sketch how we removed our sliding door - yours is most likely the same.

[Tornadosailing]

Originally Posted by Revelations

Here is a sketch how we removed our sliding door - yours is most likely the same.

That's exactly how mine came out, except I also had two guides screwed to the backside of the door that needed to be removed, and the latch for holding the door in intermediate positions needed to be held up.

[feebs]

On my L400 steel bearings became rusted & seized, resulting in roller wheel not turning & wearing a flat spot. Have replaced bearings & made new wheels from a hard bush material purchased from a bearing supplier. All ok now.

There are a couple of threads on this subject which describe removing sliding door & bearing sizes- I would post link... but .... not to sure how to do that...

[witzgall]

All,

Be super careful when you remove, store, repair and replace the doors. At my previous employer, we had to replace a set on a Lagoon. They had none in the USA (never stocked), and I think the cost to ship would have been something upwards of $7k up front, with no word from the manufacturer or dealer on who would be responsible if they did not fit, or were damaged in shipment. We had a set made up by an outfit in Florida, and they were a nightmare. They really did not know how to read a drawing. The first set they sent was over an inch too tall. The second set we were able to fit, but not until we made significant modifications. And they were insanely late on delivery on both sets.

Chris

[jugga]

Originally Posted by Revelations

Here is a sketch how we removed our sliding door - yours is most likely the same.

Nice, very clear, thanks ! I was able to get the door out as drawn, but not before I removed two teflon spacers on both sides of the top rail, and after I skinned the knuckles on both of my hands. The bottom wheels on one side were completely seized, I cleaned them, got the little axls out and sanded all the grime off with a super fine grid sandpaper.
Just as I wanted to re-install a massive thunderstorm broke loose over our heads here in Colombia ... windgusts blowing buckets of rain right into the cockpit and inside my boat. This off course happens just on the moment when you’re unable to close the door because ... well you get the picture.
One of those days I guess, time for a beer now !

[sambos76]

Howdy,

slightly off topic.. On our boat, the lock in the door has been removed and a very rough padlock style latch installed - its horrible. All the internal sliding shafts etc are gone. Has anyone had to replace there lock in the sliding door or have any suggestions on replacement??

Appreciate any help/ideas...

Cheers
Sam

[Tornadosailing]

I found out that a lot of FP use SouthCo locks on the sliders. Sadly, not mine, but my friend Danny's Salina does. You never know.

[warren460]

Is they are further information on replacing the locks?

[Ncove]

I know this is an old thread, but were you ever able to find a solution? The lock on ours does not work and we need to replace as well.

[sambos76]

We ended up using an aluminium sliding door handle and put the latch on the frame inside. Then we got some flat white aluminium panels and ran them the full length of the door frame to cover the old wholes. I will send some pics - this description even confused me.

[Ncove]

LOL...thank you sambos76. Pictures would be great as I stood looking at my door this weekend while reading your description and admittedly, am not sure I am following how you modified the door.

Thanks again for your help on this.