How to Adjust Sliding Door Rollers

  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 45
What You'll Need
Screwdriver
Small brush
Vacuum cleaner
Silicone spray
Replacement wheels
Cloth or sponge
What You'll Need
Screwdriver
Small brush
Vacuum cleaner
Silicone spray
Replacement wheels
Cloth or sponge

Before adjusting sliding door rollers, you might want to clean out the tracks with a small brush and a vacuum cleaner to make sure that whatever problem you may have with your door is not caused by some dirt or foreign objects caught inside the track. If the door is hard to slide in either direction, you can then spray a bit of silicone spray onto the glider wheels. Some lightweight sliding doors such as sliding screen doors that have spring-loaded rollers riding under a top track may be off the track and drag along causing lots of friction. This can be fixed easily with a butter knife by prying the wheel down with it then slipping it under the track to slide it back in its place.

With any sliding doors, if the bottom rollers are set too low, it may cause the door to drag against the track. This adjustment is described in step 1.

Step 1—Loosening Screws

Use a screwdriver to rotate the adjustment screws located at the base of the door frame on each side. If you want to merely adjust the height of the wheels, you need to turn the screws clockwise. However, to remove the door, rotate the screws counterclockwise. This causes the wheels to retract and the door to lower. If you're dealing with a heavy door, you might want to ask a friend to help you lift the door up and away from the tracks, as doors such as patio doors can be awkwardly heavy to handle.

Step 2—Removing the Door

Unscrew the head stop and remove the door carefully to inspect the rollers. Replace damaged rollers and wipe off any dirt or particles with a cloth. You could also lubricate the wheels with a silicone spray to facilitate easy movement.

Step 3—Fixing the Door

Put the rollers back into position by placing them into the access hole. Make sure you clean the tracks before replacing the door. After placing the door on the tracks, rotate the adjustment screws, and secure it with the head stop. Also, ensure that the door moves back and forth without rattling or stopping.

When carrying out repairs, remember to avoid leaving the door unattended when it’s lowered as it could fall or cause injury.