2002 Mainship Sliding door rollers

[CaptainJay]

Need to find new rollers for the starboard side sliding door on my 2002 Mainship 390 trawler.* Mainship no longer stocks them.
Captain Jay

 

[Steve]

This palce sells parts for home doors maybe some of the rollers can interchange?
http://www.allaboutdoors.com/index.php?cPath=74 If there is a mainship owners group maybe someone there can help
Steve W

 

[jleonard]

Remove the door and rollers and you will be able to match them up at a well stocked Lowe's or a local True Value type hardware store.

 

[koliver]

Your rollers came with ordinary steel ball bearings, hence the failure. You can replace with the same, from Home depot, or search for all stainless, and get many more years than the originals. Search online. I found some from a hardware supplier in North Carolina that shipped to Vancouver. Years ago and I don't have the old invoice any more, sorry. Those came with aluminum track to ride on, but that corroded and wore low spots, so I recently replaced the tracks with SS. Those from Speedy Glass, who sell them for domestic sliding door retrofit. Now smooth running, and should last for quite a while.

 

[Arctic Traveller]

It's quite common for the rollers to rust up.* Lots of folks simply remove the rollers and place a thin strip of plastic on the bottom of the door.* When I did this, the door went from impossible to open to opening on its own in big seas...........* Arctic Traveller

 

[Riverguy]

Lots of good advice here...

Unfortunately for the 350/390s, Mainship used a very unusual door that requires rollers only 1/2" wide (which is the width of the channel inside the bottom of the door).

I took mine apart last week to identify the rollers and then spent a couple of DAYS looking at every hardware store within 25 miles, to no avail.

What I eventually learned is that the doors were made by "Better-Bilt" and that the specific roller is quite rare, seemingly the only roller that was ever made in a 1/2" width. (and yes, I did try to force-fit a commonly available 9/16" wide unit and failed)

Here is a picture of what came out of the bottom of my door (in pieces):

http://bartonkramer.com/art/product...ors/2-1-2_rollers-and-track-caps/illo/514.jpg

Once I knew the exact dimensions, I was able to locate them on Amazon!

Prime-Line Products D 1758 Sliding Door Roller Assembly with 1-1/8-Inch Steel Ball Bearing - Amazon.com

Unfortunately, these do not appear to be available in stainless steel or nylon, so I am just going to pack the bearings with the best grease I can find and make it a point to re-grease them regularly.

Hope this helps other Mainship 390 owners, I understand these roller have been a constant source of trouble...

 

[David O]

Thanks, RG.

 

[Xsbank]

Sorry, but what a piece of crap to put on a boat! I suppose they might be ok if you never went near salt? Maybe have a machine shop make some up in 316 and you can sell them, these must be crapped out on every Mainship.

A word of warning, once you install that piece the door will slide like crazy so remember to go easy on it. I lubricated one of my sliders and my wife nearly launched it off the boat because the "new" door slid so well.

 

[fryedaze]

I did roller replacement on our doors. Check this site out. 81-241 1-1/4"dia Stainless Steel Concave BB Wheel : SWISCO.com

Search the website for "stainless" and you may come up with something that fits.
As metioned by Artic Traveller above some folks just go to a high density poly track modification. Here is an example.
The Trawler Beach House: Sliding Door Repair For Exterior Door

 

[Riverguy]

Success!!!

I installed the rollers found on Amazon almost a year ago (after saturating them in Boeshield). The door still operates perfectly. Even if I have to change them every other year, this is goodness...


Prime-Line Products D 1758 Sliding Door Roller Assembly with 1-1/8-Inch Steel Ball Bearing - Amazon.com

 

[vividsea1]

Great info but... how the heck did u get the side door out to replace rollers... I got the back door removed, repaired and reinstalled with a lot of effort and nashing of teeth but the side door is a whole different story

 

[Heron]

fits.
As metioned by Artic Traveller above some folks just go to a high density poly track modification.

That's what I did.....I made up some low friction blocks to ride in the existing track and It's been a perfect solution. Occasional lube with a silicone grease and it's been perfect for 2 years..

 

[vividsea1]

Understand the plastic vs. rollers but how did u get the door out to replace the rollers with the plastic blocks... there is a trim piece that has to be removed top and bottom but it is impossible to get even a 90-deg screwdriver in the space between the trim and flybridge... on my back door it took an impact driver to loosen these die to AS to aluminum corrosion... regardless of gowbi replace the rollers I still have to get the door out to do that!

 

[Riverguy]

Understand the plastic vs. rollers but how did u get the door out to replace the rollers with the plastic blocks... there is a trim piece that has to be removed top and bottom but it is impossible to get even a 90-deg screwdriver in the space between the trim and flybridge... on my back door it took an impact driver to loosen these die to AS to aluminum corrosion... regardless of gowbi replace the rollers I still have to get the door out to do that!

When you unscrew the bottom track from the fiberglass deck, it can then slide outward (to starboard). This allows you to lift out the door.

 

[Gulf Comanche]

I had a similar problem w/ the bearings on my sliding doors, found exact replacements here: kscdirect.com, go to bearings and search for the type that is shown on yours.

 

[skipper724]

390 sliding door wheels

Ace hardware stocks the correct wheels. They are two different sizes. Getting the door out is a job for two people. Take wheels out and take them to Ace.

 

[Dougcole]

Did mainship change the rollers after 2002? I'm worried about my 05 400 now.

 

[kendad]

Riverguy, I have a 1998 350 mainship that needs rollers, I have purchased the 1/2" wheels, question is did you disassemble the door frame? I at wits end trying to figure how to!

 

[Hammer]

Where are helm door screws to remove bottom track

When you unscrew the bottom track from the fiberglass deck, it can then slide outward (to starboard). This allows you to lift out the door.

Where are the screws for the bottom track on the helm door? I don't see them anywhere. Are they on the bottom of the bottom track? Or the side?