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solitairenc · 12-25-2007, 08:37 AM

Hi, had the same problem with the same door and found that over time the edges wear on the beginning of the part that slides. I just gently picked it up and it slid past the worn point and opened and closed after that. A little silicone seems the right thing but would suggest powdered graphite instead since the silicone will cause swelling probems in the future. Bob in NC

overlander63 · 12-25-2007, 08:42 AM

Something else you can do, is take an exacto knife, and cut the fabric backing where it slides in the tracks, and remove the part that is in the tracks. This is what causes them to bind, the fabric frays and gets bunched up. Lube is only a temporary solution. We have done this to ours, and have had great success.

JLD1942 · 01-28-2008, 02:17 PM

Ours stick now and then. I spray liberally with silicone spray. Wait a little bit and then start working it gently up and down until it goes up a little ways. Then reach under and spray again. It helps to make sure you have one of the little spray tubes that fits in the nozzle on the can so you can aim the spray at the track or fit it along the track on the outside. Once you get it free and have worked it up and down a number of times and it is smooth you are set. Wipe away any excess and remember to spray regularly in the future. If it is pretty sticky inside, that may mean that someone has been spraying the ends of the sliders with polish or dust spray...bad...it gums up the slides. You can usually tell that has happened by running a finger nail or any semi-sharp object like an ordinary carpentry nail along the track. If it comes out with gooey brown stuff, that is either old oil someone tried, end dust or polish. In that case you should clean the tracks with a grease cutting product. I think Mr. Green works. I did not take ours apart because ot he difficulty of getting them back together again. I just sprayed with a cleaner, worked slider up and down, and got as much gunk out as possible with Q tips and a rag.

Good luck. Joan

crowbar68 · 01-28-2008, 02:44 PM

there are a few good threads already written on this subject. do a search and you will find (like i did) a dry teflon based spray is all you need to fix the problem. they glide nice and work fine. i sprat about once a year and keep can in camper. the spray is not cheap 4-6 bucks, there are about 3 brands to get and worth it. cheper than cabinet doors!

cb

papagord · 05-20-2008, 08:09 AM

Well thank you all. I am having the same problem and came to the forum to seek help and I got it!!!

Lunar Module · 05-20-2008, 01:33 PM

We just rebuilt our entire kitchen and purchased new tambour doors. We liked the look of the old kitchen and wanted to keep the integrity of it. The new doors work great. When my old tambour door got stuck, I used a putty knife near the base to help guide it back onto the track it rolls up in...if that makes sense.

It seemed like it was kinked in the roll up area.

mebbecky · 07-29-2008, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbrushgal

Lots of good info here. I will try the suggestions. Thanks for all your help.
Cheryl

Can you possibly send me pictures of the work you did with the tambours? Thanks! Becky Paulette Appomattox, Va
becky. paulette(at)gmail.com

overlander63 · 07-29-2008, 08:45 PM

Becky, welcome to the forums. I changed your email address slightly so bots searching for addresses on the 'net don't start sending you a bunch of spam.

argosyglow · 06-05-2021, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbrushgal

The door below my kitchen sink is a horizontal sliding tambour door.Anyone know how to get it to open all the way or completely remove it and reassemble it? My manual does'nt explain how to do it.
Thanks, Cheryl

We had the same problem in our 1976 Argosy and after years of mashing of teeth and many cuss words we ripped it out (no easy project) and made new doors for underneath the sink. My husband was able to salvage enough of the tambour door to glue inside the molding of the new doors so it still has the same feeling. But it's so nice to be able to access the complete cabinet under the sink. The tambour doors are wonderful and we love them in the other areas of our trailer but the door under the sink is just to big and winter causes it to swell up and even with heat in the trailer it's still impossible until warmer weather. We used Aerospace III in the track but after awhile even that failed to work as the wood on the tambour began to split and crack. Good Luck!