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Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

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williamjourdan
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Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by williamjourdan » Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:24 pm

Hello,

On my 1965 38 Chris Craft Challenger it has a sliding door. The door rests on a brass colored metal strip. I would like to remove the door and clean the slide and inspect door slide. When I lift up on the door it does not clear the door slide, is there a trick?

Lubricating this runner will make a mess, there must be a fix?

Thanks
1965 Chris Craft Challenger 38
CBA-38-0076

joanroy
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Re: Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by joanroy » Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:10 am

Welcome to the club! Sliding doors are always a problem. Tracks wear and thing get out of square and they start to bind up. Their installed and captured in place usually by a trim piece on top and a bottom guide. I've never worked on a 65 Challenger, but I suspect to get the door out either the top trim has to be removed or the brass retainer slide on the bottom has to come out to allow the door to drop clear for removal. Look it over carefully and try to figure out how it was installed and find the fasteners. There's always a fix and it shouldn't require using a pry bar. Once it's out you can repair/replace the track or sometimes it's necessary to re-cut the door to fit if the opening is out of square. Post some pictures. Good Luck!

williamjourdan
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:26 pm
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Re: Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by williamjourdan » Tue Oct 27, 2015 10:00 am

Thank you for your reply.

Thankfully my door is still square with things but it's possible the track has tilted in a bit. It has worn down the screw heads that hold the metal rail in place. I'll look at the top trim piece, I think this may be what needs to come loose to remove the door.

I'll post up a picture later today.

Willie
1965 Chris Craft Challenger 38
CBA-38-0076

williamjourdan
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:26 pm
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Re: Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by williamjourdan » Tue Oct 27, 2015 10:10 pm

So... I guess I did not try hard enough to remove the door. If you open it "ALL" the way it does pop right out.

It's a big heavy door, the brass rails are worn out.

So the question is do I have to fabricate new ones or can they be bought and where?
1965 Chris Craft Challenger 38
CBA-38-0076

williamjourdan
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Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:26 pm
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Re: Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by williamjourdan » Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:27 pm

Here are a couple pictures
Attachments
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
1965 Chris Craft Challenger 38
CBA-38-0076

Peter M Jardine
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Re: Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by Peter M Jardine » Thu Jan 21, 2016 5:26 pm

Beeswax would be a low mess lubricant... or a very high quality silicone spray.

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Doug P
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Re: Cabin sliding door - difficult to open

Post by Doug P » Thu Jan 21, 2016 6:27 pm

Peter M Jardine wrote:Beeswax would be a low mess lubricant... or a very high quality silicone spray.
Or, rub a candle

Try an RV supply store for sliders

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