Slide door rail rust

D

DarranKing68

Member
VIP Member
T6 Pro
Hi

I have had my T6.1 for a short while now and noticed that the bottoms recess where the door runner moves along for the sliding door has lost the paint and is starting to rust.

What is the best solution to fix this. Would cleaning it up, and adding some form of protection such as a cover like I have on my paintwork by the steps work or is their something else wrong here I need to address.


IMG_1995.jpeg
 
Paint it with Built Hamber DeOx gel to remove the rust without damaging surrounding paint.

Then grease it, regularly wiping rh grease and applying a new to prevent grit build up which would damage the roller.

Alternative is door off, or at least bottom roller pro bodyshop to sort it.

If it's less than 3 years old it's a warranty problem anyway.
 
Nope the roller is running freely and the door shuts just fine, but I agree it has removed the paint all along the run
 
Is it my eyes or is there also rust on the body contour below the rail?
 
Sasquatch said:
Paint it with Built Hamber DeOx gel to remove the rust without damaging surrounding paint.

Then grease it, regularly wiping rh grease and applying a new to prevent grit build up which would damage the roller.

Alternative is door off, or at least bottom roller pro bodyshop to sort it.

If it's less than 3 years old it's a warranty problem anyway.
Click to expand...
Van is 4 years old, I do have extended warranty recently purchased bodywork isn’t covered
 
Last edited:
It looks like rust on the countries, and a fine line of rust just below the seam below that. Makes me wonder if there is indeed some kind of bottom roller problem?
 
Sasquatch said:
It looks like rust on the countries, and a fine line of rust just below the seam below that. Makes me wonder if there is indeed some kind of bottom roller problem?
Click to expand...
The rust is where the roller runs, the under piece is dirt I checked this morning. It has removed the paint where the roller runs, the roller is turning though. This may have been caused by a faulty roller previously and not treated, I have only had the a short time and didn’t see this when I brought it but didn’t look that closely at the roller guide
 
How about treating as best you can then maybe try some heavy duty tape or maybe a thin aluminium strip for the roller to ride on instead of the bodywork?
Anyone tried this?
 
Not the end of the world , just needs something to stop it getting any worse .
See how it cleans up and a coat of something :thumbsup:
 
Howzat said:
How about treating as best you can then maybe try some heavy duty tape or maybe a thin aluminium strip for the roller to ride on instead of the bodywork?
Anyone tried this?
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea. Treat it with DeOx, seal the surface, and then some thick heli tape perhaps?
 
If you put a dissimilar metal on the van it will corrode even faster, it needs sand blasting and a hard enamel paint IMO.
 
Ok so would detox gel be good to use here to clean up. Then primer and repaint. Agree that just because the roller is rolling it may remove it again so I will replace the roller as part of the repair.
 
DeOx gel is an oxalic acid in gel form. Sounds drastic, but it doesn't harm good paint in the slightest.

Id be inclined to remove the lower roller to access the full run and then do the DeOx gel. That will remove all the rust thoroughly, almost miraculously.

Your options are fill the pitting and repaint, using a paint that will dry sufficiently hard and quickly.

Or just repaint and apply a thin strip, a 2MM thick should do, of something to act as a rail. As DXX correctly points out, dissimilar metals run the risk of electrolytic corrosion so id use a high quality aluminium strip and isolate it from below by bonding it with sikaflex or similar.

In either case id fit a new roller. They're not expensive, and quite likely the surface of the old roller will be pitted and even impregnated with particles of rust and risks quickly damaging any repair.

None of it difficult, just a fiddly and time consuming ballache to be doing in December.

You could DeOx it, clean it up, and grease it to keep you going until spring when you could do a proper repair. Regularly wipe away and reapply the grease to prevent crap building up and further damaging the roller.
 
Hi Advice above is sound, I'll throw in my sixth penny worth. i have a caddy and its been like that for years and years. I never thought that it shouldnt be,

I regularly clean out the 'cavity' lower surface a roller and then apply marine grease (not sure it makes much difference what grease you use but it what i have.

And then as I say clean out and repeat. downside which grease it can attract dirt hence regular clean outs.

But I may derust and repaint as mentioned for extra protection, but it has been sound for years, 10 I reckon.

hope this helps

Ali
 
If you have the space to install a protective stripe as Sasquatch properly suggested, the ideal material is THIS
it is used in things like conveyor belts and chain guides. It is anti-friction and lasts forever. You need youst to find a proper adhesive tape, because I see it difficult to install screws.
Some 30 years ago I worked in a robotics company and we where using it everywhere. So when we had the same issue we used it also to fix the sliding door of our Renault van (or was it a Ducato?) .

I am shocked that there is nothing like that inside the Transporter sliding door. Where is the roller running? Over the paint???
 
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