I need a replacement part for the sliding door - it's for my wife's uncle who has a wheelchair lift and is disabled and can't leave the house because his van's door won't close easily. The problem is in the door guide in the middle exterior of the door, the part looks like a little trolley with a small wheel that rides along the horizontal rail, it is attached to the door with a bent round bar. When you try to shut the door, the guide rotates in the track due to a busted piece on the back end of the trolley, and it gets wedged in the track and prevents the door from moving. You can see the round bar that's attached to the door rotate when it gets wedged. If I push the round bar to prevent it from rotating while also closing the door, I can slide the door closed. I need this piece, but he siad the mechanic told him it's no longer available from Ford, can someone verify this or tell me what the part is called? I'm sure this has happened to others here, does anyone have a solution? Is a junkyard the only source? How do I remove the trolley from the exterior track? Can I fix the damaged part on my own? Thanks for any responses.

 

This is from the Ford service CD:

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Up or Down Adjustment

1. Support door assembly to prevent slippage when loosening guide.
2. Remove lower guide latch shield to access lower guide attaching screws.
3. Loosen three lower guide attaching screws.
4. Adjust guide with plastic hammer to obtain door up or down position.
5. Tighten adjusting screws. Remove support.

CAUTION:
Lower guide roller must be horizontal to assure hold-open latch function. Also, the upper roller assembly must not be less than 2.0 mm (5/64 inch) from the bottom flange of the upper track. The front striker is not used for up or down adjustment of door. Raise and lower guide if vertical adjustment is required.

Center Hinge Assembly

1. Remove door trim panel.
2. Loosen four rear hinge assembly mounting bolts.
3. Move hinge assembly up or down until desired door adjustment is obtained.
4. Open door and check door and striker alignment.
5. Adjust rear door latch striker up or down as required.
6. Tighten striker.
7. Close door slowly, check rear latch striker clears latch.

Striker, Rear Latch

1. Mark location of rear striker.
2. Loosen and move striker in or out to obtain a flush fit with body sheet metal.
3. Tighten striker.

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Fore and Aft Adjustment

Center Hinge Assembly

1. To access center hinge, remove door trim panel.
2. Loosen four hinge attaching bolts.
3. Support door, move door fore or aft to adjust hinge.
4. When required adjustment is reached, tighten bolts and check alignment.

NOTE:
Alignment must be performed with correct bumper on front face door. Bumper is required to maintain door margin.

Lower Check

NOTE:
Lower check should engage lower guide assembly to hold sliding door assembly in full open position.

1. Inspect lower end of check for body sealer and remove any excess.
2. Install check in horizontal position.
3. Lubricate lower check striker at least once a year.
4. If striker binds, use multi-purpose grease spray D7AZ-19584-AA or equivalent.
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There are some pics, of course, but I don't know how to attach them here and it's a pain hacking them out of the CD anyway.

 

Go to the ford dealer and see for yourself. They used that same basic part from about 1975 on. I was a partsman in a Ford dealer in the 80's and we sold a ton of those hinge assemblies. Since that same basic van body style was made into the early 90's I believe, I bet it's still available. check for yourself. It looks like a nasty job. The mechanic probaly doesn't want to do it. Hey try a Body shop even. They have tons more experince with that door hanging hinge stuff anyway.

 

 

i have a 1989 ford van with the same problem, but all ford dealers tell me its not avaiable ,and the interchange is 1989to1996 for that trolly hinge. i live in midwest and all the vans that year around here have been scraped, so im needing that little plastic piece to,does anyone anywhere have a line on where to get it?