Pocket door problem

I have a 1950's home that has a pocket door between the kitchen and dining room. The door has been off the track for at least the eight years we've been here; to close it we sort of drag it over until it's shut.

Upon examining it, I see that the front ('first') roller is completely broken off. The rear ('second') roller seems to be gliding on the track OK.

I can't imagine there being any way to replace the roller without tearing into the moulding and door header. Is this the case?

If so...any tips on how to accomplish this? Is it worth doing? I'm sure there will be some major repairs to the wall - up above the door -when all is said and done. (The walls are plaster, by the way.)

Thanks!

Jon

 

Pocket doors are great when they work right, and a great pain in the ass when they don't.

To access it so that you can repair things, yes, you need to pull off the trim on the pocket side. Then you should be able to swing and lift the door out of the track. Once the door is out, replacing the rollers on it is easy. But, what condition is the track in? If it is usable (smooth on both sides -- no dents or dings), replace the door, replace the molding, and you are done. But if the track is damaged so the door can't roll smoothly, you are in for a major wall repair. Replacing the track means essentially installing a new pocket door. If that is the case, decide if you really want to go through the hassle, or just case the opening and have no door there.

 

Lefty,
When you say to pull off the trim on the pocket side, are you referring to the side of the door frame (where the door comes out of), or the top (header) of the frame? Or both?

Your post gives me the impression that, once the proper moulding is removed, the door would be able to swing out and be removed, then repaired, then replaced. I can't imagine this being possible.

I think my track is in pretty good shape, near as I can tell. Seems to be just the one roller that wants to torment me and make my life a living hell.

Thanks for the input.

Jon

 

If you look carefully at the track, you will see that it is probably a "C" shape. Most of them are. Pull the jamb side of the trim (where the door slides into) off, and you can probably swing the door out. IF pulling just the one jamb out doesn't provide enough width for the door to swing, you can remove the opposite jamb, the one the door hits when you close it. You may only need to pull the part out that is on the open side of the "C". You may need to remove the header trim on the open side of the "C" also. Just depends on who made the door.