Shower door rollers ensure that your shower door moves seamlessly when opening or closing it. If not correctly installed or worn out, they can cause grinding noises when sliding the door.
Different manufacturers provide specific installation instructions for their shower door rollers. However, the basic procedure for installation or replacement is similar for most shower door rollers with an easy out-of-plumb adjustment. Usually, the process of installing shower door rollers is simple enough for you to do it yourself.
First-Time Installation of Shower Door Rollers
For a first-time installation of shower door rollers, you need not worry about whether the rollers are a good match for your door as the shower door is packaged together with the rollers upon delivery. Below are the steps for installing your shower door roller.
What you will need:
- The shower door rollers
- Screwdriver
1. Identify the panel’s top and bottom side and the front-facing and back-facing side of the panel
The outside panel is the one facing the shower or bathroom. Also, identify designated areas for fitting the rollers. Usually, the shower panels have holes at the bottom and top where the roller will be installed.
2. Prep the roller for installation
Remove the screw cover on each roller and unscrew the roller, ensuring you place the screws safely to avoid getting lost. Clean the roller channels to confirm that no debris that could make the sliding of the rollers difficult.
3. Install the rollers
The nut-side of the roller is installed against the panel. When installing the rollers, ensure that the outside of the roller faces the outside panel’s room and the shower for the inside panel.
Now, fix the roller channel over the panel, ensuring the screw slot aligns with the panel’s roller hole. Hold the roller firmly on the panel and screw the nut securely. Replace the screw cover. Do this for all the rollers on each panel.
4. Reposition the shower door panel back into its frame
Most of the rollers have a spring mechanism that allows you to clip the rollers in and out of the door frame. Once all the rollers are well-positioned into the frame, slide the panels back and forth to ensure that it is sliding smoothly. If need be, adjust the fit into the frame by adjusting the screw at the roller’s bottom.
Replacing a Shower Door Roller
If your shower door roller is faulty, you may need to replace it with a new one. Here are some signs that your shower door roller needs replacing:
- The shower door keeps falling off its tracts
- The door makes noise when sliding
- The rollers are too loose
- One or more rollers are broken
- If the shower door rollers have obvious signs of tear and wear
Below is the procedure for replacing your shower door rollers.
What you will need:
- Replacement rollers
- Screwdrivers
- Silicone lubricant (optional)
1. Buy the right replacement shower door rollers
You will need to provide your local home improvement store with your shower door model, dimensions, and edge type to find matching shower door rollers. While some online websites offer free parts matching, you could also determine the right replacement by yourself.
Pay attention to the current shower door rollers? Are they single-wheeled or double-wheeled? Do they have a quick-release functionality or not?
Stick with the current type of roller unless your door frame is compatible with another or allows for an upgrade. For instance, while your shower door may originally have been fitted with a single wheel roller, some may allow for an upgrade to double-wheeled rollers. However, while upgrading to a doubled wheeled roller would have your door slide more smoothly, if the double-wheeled roller is not compatible with your door, then it won’t work.
Measure the size of the current door roller wheel to determine the size of the replacement wheel accurately. In most cases, the size of the shower door roller wheel is in mm. Remove one of the old rollers and measure its diameter to know which size to buy for the replacement. Although the old shower door roller may have noticeable signs of wear, it is unlikely that the abrasion may have significantly changed the wheels’ size.
2. Remove the shower door from the frame
Slightly lift the shower door upwards and outwards to take bottom rollers off the frame. Then, remove the entire door from the frame and safely place it down.
3. Remove the faulty shower door rollers
Remove the screw covers and unscrew all the rollers then pull them off from the roller.
4. Replace the faulty rollers with new ones
Remove the screw covers from the new rollers. Clean the roller channel to get rid of any debris. Then, position the new rollers on the panels and screw them securely.
5. Position the shower door back in its frame
Snap the bottom rollers into the frame tract. Once well positioned, slightly but firmly push the panel downwards to allow the top rollers to snap into the top track. Slide the shower door back and forth to ensure it is working correctly. Ensure that the door fits well on both the bottom and top tracts to prevent it from popping out of the frame or falling.
If the roller channel makes a clenching sound against the panel, consider applying some silicone lubricant for smooth sliding. If that doesn’t work, you might have wrongly installed the shower door rollers, and you will need to reinstall. Or, you might have purchased the wrong size or type of replacement rollers.
Since rollers ensure that your shower door slides smoothly, it is paramount to keep them in tip-top condition. Ensure that they are well installed, and in case they become faulty, ensure to replace them promptly. Adhere to any manufacturer’s installation instructions specific to your particular model of shower door rollers. If need be, feel free to contact your local plumber to help you with the installation or replacement of your shower door rollers.
