pocket door hanger

[FredWanaker]

Have a pocket door. House is 43 years old. The original hangers lasted 20 - 25 years. Their replacements lasted 10 - 15 years. I went thru two sets in two weeks next. The last set started clicking about 4 weeks in, after all the trim was back on the door. Bought the best hangers I could find, slightly better made than the two sets that failed quickly. Finally got around to pulling the trim, door etc., and replacing the hangers. They are quiet but one doesn't want to stay stable. There is a nut that moves the rollers up and down as it turns - like it has a hidden gear on the back of the nut. It is supposed to stay where it is adjusted but the vibration of moving the door keeps changing the adjustment - and it is less that 24 hours old. So I ordered another universal style hanger that is supposed to be a substitute for the original. Has anyone else been thru this? Is there a simpler solution? For example, the original rollers from 1979 were ball bearings. Their replacements are plastic on a steel axle. If someone has found a better solution name it. I cannot replace the J shaped hanger to change styles on the hanger without knocking out a wall so replacing the whole system is out of the question. Just want something that will work so I can hang the trim, then paint and not screw with it again for another 20 - 25 years. I am 72 1/2 so that means I will never have to screw with it again.

Original style hanger w/ white wheels first photo. The is a nut on the back that adjusts it up and down. 2nd photo with red wheels is the universal one that is supposed to replace it.

 

[jar944]

Johnson makes roller bearing hangers.

1125PPK1

 

[Rusted Nut]

Johnson pocket door hardware is probably the best out there. Like anything else today, it won’t last like stuff from 25 years ago did.

 

[FredWanaker]

Johnson makes roller bearing hangers.

1125PPK1

Thanks for looking. Those take a totally different track. Johnson has made obsolete the style with the white wheels I pictured, and their site says to use the universal ones with the red wheels. My style has two bogies with something between a U and a V shaped wheels that ride in a J shaped track. Quite common on light pocket doors. They do not make a V shaped wheel with ball bearings, only flat wheels, which won't work in a J shaped track. They are more for a [_] shaped track.

 

[FredWanaker]

Johnson makes the red set 2312. It is a universal hanger. One pocket door site says that "COX" style 31-072-000 is discontinued so to use the Johnson 2312 universal hanger. My guess is that COX was the original and all the ones sold now are repops. I don't know but this is getting really old working on this door. It can't be going clank clank clank in the middle of the night, nor am I going to adjust the height 3 times a day. Hoping someone else has been thru this and figured it out. Maybe it is as simple as finding some made by COX if the 2312 doesn't fit.

 

[rharman]

Never had that issue. What about a drop of blue Loctite on the nut that keeps moving?

 

[FredWanaker]

It is really a gear that is riveted in but it has a nut head on it. I could try some instant glue on the washer that it spins. The nut sits on a cupped washer. When it turns it moves the bogie upwards or downwards. The cupped washer is supposed to hold enough pressure. Either way at this point the door will have to come back out to do that so I might as well use the best solution.

I also see that SWISCO makes one that adjusts with a screw for adjustment. https://www.swisco.com/Pocket-Door-...GrOoja_P0h6ZRzt_HpnHCSdkrazL3-QRoCLhcQAvD_BwE

 

[FredWanaker]

I just accidentally came across the original installation pamphlet in PDF format online. I'll try to find an old stock COX one. The PDF perfectly describes the pocket door I have. http://www.chaparraldoors.com/series31.pdf

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hi Fred, I feel your pain. The last time I worked on mine I reinstalled the trim using screws so I could take them off without damaging paint etc. I replaced the track on mine.

 

[nadogail]

Several years ago, maybe 27, I was called to fix a hanger that would not stay in the adjusted position. I used a self drilling TEK screw and pinned it into position.

I hoped for more business in that neighborhood so only charged the customer $5. I could do that because I was next door and had the screw in the same box as my drill.

 

[Zeke]

Several years ago, maybe 27, I was called to fix a hanger that would not stay in the adjusted position. I used a self drilling TEK screw and pinned it into position.

I hoped for more business in that neighborhood so only charged the customer $5. I could do that because I was next door and had the screw in the same box as my drill.

I have helped out many folks for the same reasoning and they always were appreciative but didn't bother to send more work my way. Word of mouth has been replaced by the net and who gets back the quickest.

 

[FredWanaker]

Hi Fred, I feel your pain. The last time I worked on mine I reinstalled the trim using screws so I could take them off without damaging paint etc. I replaced the track on mine.

that would require cutting into the wall. Cox and their sister company tell me that the series 31 has been discontinued for years and that no one buys pocket doors any more so it is hard to get quality parts. Barton and Kramer show a photo of the Cox hanger, and it says COX on it, but we all know about old photos on things for sale. Both Lowes and Home Depot carry it by order only. No one seems able to tell me if the ones being sold under that part number are really COX units or if they have been superseded to general junky ones. It wouldn't be so bad but almost everything we run into these days requires doing our own customer service. Spent the whole day running errands like this, stopped by McD since we had not eaten since last night. $21 for 2 fries, big mac and qtr lb'r, no drinks. I sure hope the folks in their youth today have jobs in 10 years and can afford to live in a home. Don't eat out much anymore. A container of grass seed that used to cost me $35 is now $81. Thanks for all the help, I am rambling. Just want the door fixed in a way it stays put.

 

[FredWanaker]

Well the ones from Lowe's came in. They show COX parts in their photo but what arrived is a made in china cheap reproduction labeled #2017 by Barton and Kramer. My thumb is still sore from pushing on the parts so hard, trying to get the swivel for the wheels to work. The rivet it stamped so hard the parts are frozen and unusable. They are junk and going back to Lowe's. Will try the universal Johnson set next, even though they are a different design. Life should not be hard but the plethora of chinese made junk out there sure is a waste of time.

 

[Snip's]

Following along....
I have a pocket door that has come off the track... One of the track screw has backed out and dropped into the cavity...
I've pushed it back into the wall cavity and there it has been sitting for the past 5 years...
The painted wood trim has kept me from making an attempt at repair...
I'm at a similar age as you... Not sure If I'm going to leave this project to the next occupant...
Or... Your success might push me to tackling it... I probably should take another crack at it...
Oh... And I hate track doors...

 

[jmdirk]

Following along....

Oh... And I hate track doors...

Came here to say this. Interesting idea. Generally horrible execution.

 

[YOM1963]

Came here to say this. Interesting idea. Generally horrible execution.

I have had success with Johnson pocket doors over the years. I have three in our current house and there will be two in the house we're moving to once its renovation is complete. Doors in the current house were added 10 years ago and no problems thus far. Also no guarantee that they will work at 25 years

 

[Snip's]

The screws holding the track to the header for my pocket door are 30" deep into the door pocket...
I see no way of fixing this without tearing into the wall structure...
The quick fix is to attach a piece of trim over the pocket opening, sealing the mess and pretend the pocket door doesn't exist...

 

[jmdirk]

I have had success with Johnson pocket doors over the years. I have three in our current house and there will be two in the house we're moving to once its renovation is complete. Doors in the current house were added 10 years ago and no problems thus far. Also no guarantee that they will work at 25 years

There's one in our house. No idea of brand, probably 30 years old. It still rolls fine. But rubs and is noisy. Was looking to tile the wall in the bathroom it's used for, but then thought better of that since the wall structure is so flimsy.

 

[FredWanaker]

so time to close this out although the door is not full trimmed back out or tweaked yet but enough to post a final outcome.

COX has not sold or made the Series 31 hangers in years. None showed up on the auction sites as old stock. Likely won't either. I was told by several people who sell doors that they no longer make pocket doors because no one uses them anymore. I am pretty good hunting down old stock and after many attempts, no one had them. FAIL

Generic Chinese made Cox 31 type set at big box stores, local hardware etc., hopped and went thump thump thump after a couple weeks FAIL

Barton Kramer made set is stamped COX 31 series on it IN THE PHOTOS BUT THE STORES SHIP A GENERIC CHINESE COPY THAT COMES IN A Barton Kramer blister pack. Parts are so tightly riveted they are frozen - FAIL

Other styles at Big Box and local hardware do not hold height so the door gets out of whack quickly - FAIL

Swisco set fits well but they are hard to adjust, not robust and noisy. They are also too long on one side so the inside one has to be moved. Started to drag after a few runs of the door. Had them on but they tended to jump sometimes, so I took them off - FAIL for me but maybe if nothing else was available.

Universal Johnson set do not look like the originals, one has to remove trim and use a special wrench to adjust them, but they are the heaviest duty, are very quiet, and smooth. Looks like they will be the ones I keep on it. - THUMBS UP for now. I'll buy a spare set.

 

[jar944]

I was told by several people who sell doors that they no longer make pocket doors because no one uses them anymore..

That seems odd, I see pocket doors considerably more often today than previously. They seem to be the sole reason guys are buying lock mortisers now.

 

[dfiler2]

Pocket door are very popular around here, all the big box stores carry the kits and they are very DIY. Though I'm sure finding parts for an old one would be a challenge.