closet doors jumping top rail - wits end

[Roly]

I've installed/repaired many. First thing is to mount the top rail at the right height. When the trolleys are adjusted to raise the door near the highest position, the door will hit the bottom of the track before the wheel is high enough to come out of the "J". The trolleys should also be close to the edges of the door; not 6"-8" in like I've found some to be. The bumper that keeps the rear panel finger pull exposed should be just above center on the back of the front panel.  The doors should roll smoothly and quietly, if not it might be time for replacement.

+1  Also check to see if the track is dirty or has debris in it.   Roly

[R Clark]

Also check the rollers to see if there are any flat spots.  The rollers are often just nylon plastic and flat spots can cause them to jump the tracks very easily.

Edit to add:  If you really want/need to get this settled once and for all, I'd recommend surfing Johnson Hardware's web site for a more robust solution like THIS.  Can get spendy, but cheapo is what you got now, so....

I recently replaced bifold door hardware with a Johnson setup.  The original was Johnson hardware, but the builder put a light duty set of hardware to hang bifold doors that weigh nearly 100 pounds per side.  I had been fussing with that hardware off and on for the six years we've lived in the house.  Finally spent the $200 to get the needed robust hardware for one set of doors; when the hardware one the other set of heavy doors fails, it will get similar treatment.

[Cooler]

Moving the push handle higher on the door will help some.  With a light door and a low push handle it is easy to get the rollers off the track.  The lower the handle, the worse is the situation.

[cams2705]

Do you have the door guide that is screwed into the floor that the keeps the doors nearly vertical when sliding them open?  If you don't, your pushing in on the door may be what is causing them to skip off the track.  Something like the below:

[EightFingers]

I have to second the Johnson hardware. I replaced the rail and wheels on two bypass doors and it really made things smoother. Only thing, one of the wheels was missing in the package. I called them and I had the replacement in five days. Great customer service.

[pconroy]

Thanks again all for the suggestions. Yes we have those guides on the floor, yes I've cleaned up the track. And thanks for the recommendation on Johnson. Those are the ones I found online too - expensive but seems like the "cry once" solution.

[Cooler]

Thanks again all for the suggestions. Yes we have those guides on the floor, yes I've cleaned up the track. And thanks for the recommendation on Johnson. Those are the ones I found online too - expensive but seems like the "cry once" solution.

I just replaced a pocket door slide and that was a very long cry.  Overhead doors are much easier to install.  Mount the wheels well to the corners of the door.  If you place them too much inboard they will jump the track.