replacing old single roller on sliding patio glass door

Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 11, 2023 1:06 pm

Hello, this is the roller I want to replace. It seems like the axle or ball bearing is worn so there is too much play and the door sags and sticks on this end. The other roller is in better shape but of course I'll replace both. It looks like your weather-tight roller might fit. Thanks for your help.

Bill

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Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 11, 2023 4:12 pm

EXPERT

Thanks for writing in! You patio glass door roller looks like our 81-129 Diecast Roller with a 1-1/2" wheel. Take a look over the dimensions and compare them to your existing roller. See if this is the right fit for your door.

Alternate image for 81-129

Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 11, 2023 5:03 pm

Thank you Jasmine for your quick reply! I agree this looks like the right match and I'll order them ASAP. Here's my follow-up question: do you think I've diagnosed my problem correctly and new rollers will fix it? Here's a photo as it is now, with the seemingly bad roller under the handle: the door sags and doesn't close at 90 degrees so there is a gap at the bottom, plus it takes effort to move the door. What do you think? Thanks, Bill

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Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 11, 2023 5:13 pm

Agh, I was too eager to order -- I ordered the rollers but I didn't think about ordering screws. Earlier when I was looking at your catalog I saw that screws seemed to be separate. Do you think the screws I have will fit or can we adjust my order to include the right screws?

Thanks,
Bill

Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 12, 2023 11:43 am

EXPERT

Hi Bill,

Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that your existing screw would work with the replacement roller. For our 81-129 we typically recommend either the 33-103 or 33-104. Since your order has already shipped, if your existing screw isn't a match, you could either purchase those from us or see if a local hardware store might have this size.

In regard to the gap in the door, there could be a number of reasons you are experiencing this issue; the rollers being one of them. The only way you'll be able to tell that there isn't an underlying issue will be to first replace the rollers. You should also check for any signs of obvious damage in the threshold and track.

If the problem persists after the rollers are installed, there could possibly be an issue with the frame itself. In which case, you may need to have a professional take a look at it.

I hope this helps!

Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 12, 2023 4:29 pm

Thanks Jasmine. Yes, I was able to pick up those machine screws at my local hardware store. I'm glad you told me what size I needed! We'll see how I do with the replacement rollers.

thanks,
Bill

Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 13, 2023 8:49 am

EXPERT

It was my pleasure to assist! Please feel free to reach out with any other hardware repair questions you may have.

Have a great day!

Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 15, 2023 4:53 pm

Jasmine,

Well, I miscalculated: your 81-129 doesn't work as I'd hoped. I couldn't get the screw hole in the top of the housing to line up with the hole in the door frame. Here's a picture of my roller and yours together. Obviously they're more different than I realized. After I took this picture I was in a hurry to put the door back together and in place, and then I regretted not taking more pictures and measurements of my old roller. I believe the wheel is 1 1/4 in. in diameter, and the housing is 1/2 in. wide. Do you have something like this?

Thanks,
Bill

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Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 16, 2023 9:05 am

EXPERT

Hi Bill,

I'm sorry to hear that the rollers did not work out for your door. Unfortunately, we do not have an exact match for your existing roller but take a look at our 81-262 to see if this might be a better fit for your door.

Alternate image for 81-262

Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 16, 2023 9:25 am

Thanks again Jasmine! This looks like it should fit so I'll give it a try. I was scouring the internet yesterday and I found something like this on another site, so I'm very glad that you have it and I can order it from you!

I was also pricing new doors as a last resort, and that renewed my determination to find a roller solution.

Best,
Bill

Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 16, 2023 11:09 am

EXPERT

Hi Bill,

I'm happy to help. I know that replacing an entire door can been extremely pricey so I do hope that this roller is a better fit for you.

Have a great day!

Home Owner from Holliston, MA

Oct 19, 2023 1:13 pm

Hi Jasmine,

Once again I was too eager. Even this roller is too big. On my roller, the wheel is 1 in. in diameter and the back of the housing is about 1 1/4 in. compared to the 1 9/16 of your 81-262. It's that extra length in the housing that prevents me from lining up the screw holes. On the other hand, my roller is 3/4 in. wide compared to the 1/2 in. of yours. The good news is I was able to get the old roller in place better so the door is functioning fairly well at the moment and I don't have to be in such a rush to fix it. By any chance do you have a roller with a 1 in. wheel and a 1 1/4 in. housing?

Thanks,
Bill

Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 20, 2023 7:41 am

EXPERT

I'm sorry to hear this roller didn't pan out. We don't sell another version of this assembly, unfortunately. The 81-262 is the best we can offer. I truly apologize that we can't offer something better.

Quick Learner from Holliston, MA

Oct 20, 2023 9:21 am

Jasmine, you have helped me a lot and I'm grateful for all the time you gave me. I've learned a lot about these rollers, and in removing and refitting the old one several times I've got it working better than when I started. I hope you see the nice review I gave you and Swisco!

Best,
Bill

Jasmine from SWISCO

Oct 20, 2023 10:52 am

EXPERT

Thank you very much for your kind words, Bill! I'm happy I could be of help. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance!

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