couch problem

[Joe Wakeman]

I have had the bearings in the drawer slides come apart on the drawer under the couch. It looks like a overload case with the size of the drawer compared to the slide mech.

Has anyone added wheels to the bottom of the drawer to help with supporting the slides.

If so what size and height.

[CamillaMichael]

Have not read anything in this forum about "adding wheels" to the sofa drawer, but there have been some recent posts from members who have replace the drawer slide mechanisms with more heavy duty hardware...I attempted a search for those posts, but not success. You may try using the search function...you could have better success.

[nosticks]

It has a placard on weight limits. Not at the unit now, but as I recall, the wight restriction is not that high.

[camper4]

You can get replacement slides that are more rugged at Home Depot. They work much better than the originals.

[Joe Wakeman]

Went to HOME Depot got the new 100 pound replacement slides and still have the same problem. When second stage starts to come out the track drops out of place and we are back to the problem of damage to the bearing slide out. any Idea's?

[camper4]

I got the same slides and they work well. One thing I did when installing was to loosen the frame bolts to allow the width of the frame to swell or shrink when putting the drawer in for the first time. Then tightened the bolts, keeping the frame from moving in or out while tightening.
I would never put 100 pounds in the drawer. I think we have around 30 pounds in it.
Other than working on alignment of all parts, I don't have further suggestions.
Best of luck with it.

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

The sticker in our couch drawer said that 40 pounds is the limit on weight. We've never had anything heavier than two lap-size throws (those lightweight, fleecy ones) in ours, and on our first trip out (new rig, too), that drawer dropped down and we had those little BB-size bearings all over the place. Our dealer fixed the drawer, but on the next trip, the side rails pulled out of the fiberboard, taking the drawer down with it. We have a half-hearted fix now, but the drawer hangs down on one end; the tech installed the slides higher on one side than the other. So, when the weather is warmer we are going to replace the slides/rails with heavier ones from Home Depot--that is, if we can find a place where the particle board is still in one solid piece on both sides. It's fairly "holy" right now.
Carolyn

[camper4]

The drawer is JUNK. Mine is broken/cracked in a couple of places. It has been patched. A good project would be to build a replacement box and attach the existing front to it.

[Joe Wakeman]

Thanks for confirming the drawer is at best a joke. I contacted the manufacture and got next to nothing in information or assistance. I am trying to put wheels under the front to support the drawer when pulled out and hope the back of the drawer stays in the track.

[Wild Horse]

If you're drawer is coming out of track at 2nd stage, then your slides are not perfectly parallel...and it doesn't take much to throw them off. I'm not sure what glides you are using, but the good ones are more of a "sealed" unit, where they basically have a male and female side, with ball bearings inside. A piece of firring strip or something similar mounted on the opposite side of the outside bracket and one inside the drawer will allow you to put longer #6 or #8 screws in as well, offering much more support. I've not personally looked at one of these couch drawer setups, but there's got to be a limit to weight if this setup is attached to the couch frame and it flexs.
My other suggestion would be to look into glides that mount under the drawer, and have a wooden "plate" under it...then nothing would mount to the couch....and undermounts, IMHO, are much stronger.
Hope this helps...also, for quality glides, one place to go to is rockler.com
Bill

[Wild Horse]

BTW, there's companies that build quality drawers to whatever specs you give them...and I think Rockler still does it too. You shouldn't HAVE to do this, but if you have no other recourse.....

[mazboy]

my bottom draw slide came off and i just contacted the furniture company and got another set of sliding rails...have not put them on yet.
company said something about making sure it was level? and that there was a weight limit...can't remember that one.
furniture is not very good regardless....
good luck

[Joe Wakeman]

Well good luck is all I can say. The furniture never did send me a "quote" for new rails. I have shimmed and tightened or loosen every conceivable option. Had 2 other people who have fixed similar problems in the past with no luck.

I went to a dealer show his week and saw where the drawer has been redesigned in several different manufactures models with the same couch.

Will wait tell I get home where I have resources and redesign the drawer and slide mech.

Thanks to all who have contributed here.