Newness - Stiff Kitchen Doors

[Van Diesel VW]

I don't want to be heavy handy with my new van but am finding the sliding doors very stiff to open and don't want to force them and end up breaking them, the kitchen doors and slide back opening to the roof are worst. Is it possible to lubricate the runners with either a silicon spray or a beeswax polish or will they come looser over time with use.

 

[WelshGas]

I don't want to be heavy handy with my new van but am finding the sliding doors very stiff to open and don't want to force them and end up breaking them, the kitchen doors and slide back opening to the roof are worst. Is it possible to lubricate the runners with either a silicon spray or a beeswax polish or will they come looser over time with use.

Silicon spray works well for kitchen doors.

 

[Resfeber]

I don't want to be heavy handy with my new van but am finding the sliding doors very stiff to open and don't want to force them and end up breaking them, the kitchen doors and slide back opening to the roof are worst. Is it possible to lubricate the runners with either a silicon spray or a beeswax polish or will they come looser over time with use.

Don’t worry about the roof sliding access panel.
After a few months of use, you will find it opens about 5 to 10 cm all on its own as you drive along

 

[Hawthorn37]

I’ve used interior car cleaner - think it was Autoglym - sprayed onto a cloth, then rub along the track of the hatch. Made a massive difference. Re-applied about 4 months later when it was getting stiff again. No issues with kitchen doors though.

 

[dspuk]

I don't want to be heavy handy with my new van but am finding the sliding doors very stiff to open and don't want to force them and end up breaking them, the kitchen doors and slide back opening to the roof are worst. Is it possible to lubricate the runners with either a silicon spray or a beeswax polish or will they come looser over time with use.

The kitchen doors for sure should not be stiff. Our were fine from new (July this year).

However we had a similar issue with the roof closure. We persevered for a while because many said “it’s like that and gets better” but it did not, it got worse.

Eventually it just annoyed me too much so I lifted the bed and springs and had a look and found that the factory had put it on wrong and instead of sliding in it’s channel when being pulled under the bed it was actually routed under the channel on one side so was getting caught between the channel and bed base. A short fettle later to pull it all the way out out and slide it back in properly and its been perfect ever since.