How a bifold door hangs
The panel nearest the jamb carries the weight. It has a spring-loaded top pivot that sits in a bracket in the track and a bottom pivot that rests in a bracket on the floor or the jamb. The other panel has a spring-loaded guide wheel that slides along the track. All three adjust, and nearly every problem is one of them out of position.
| Job | Fix |
|---|---|
| Door has come out of the track Guide wheel or top pivot popped out | Reseat and tighten |
| Gap at the side when closed Or the door rubs the jamb | Move the brackets |
| Door drags on the floor or carpet Common after new flooring | Raise the bottom pivot |
| Doors do not meet in the middle Pair of bifolds | Adjust the brackets |
| Door wobbles or drops out repeatedly Pivot hole in the door is worn | Fit a repair bracket |
| Broken pivot or guide wheel Plastic parts crack with age | Replace the hardware |
Put a door back on its track
- Fold the door and lift it up, compressing the spring-loaded top pivot, until the bottom pivot clears its bracket. Lift the door out.
- Check the top pivot, bottom pivot and guide wheel for cracks, and tighten the screws on the track and the brackets.
- Set the top pivot into its bracket in the track, then push up and drop the bottom pivot into its bracket.
- Press the guide wheel down and let it spring up into the track.
- Open and close the door a few times and check the gaps.
Adjust the gap and the height
Side to side. Loosen the set screw on the top bracket and slide it toward or away from the jamb, then retighten it. The bottom bracket adjusts the same way, usually by lifting the pivot out and moving it along a toothed slot. Aim for an even gap down the jamb side.
Up and down. The bottom pivot is threaded. Lift the door off the bracket and turn the pivot, or turn its nut with a wrench, to raise or lower the door until it clears the floor and hangs level.
Fix a worn pivot hole
If a pivot wobbles in the door, the hole in the edge of the door has worn or split, which is common on hollow-core bifolds. Glue and clamp a split, or fill the hole with a glued hardwood dowel and re-drill it. Metal repair brackets that screw over the corner of the door and hold a new pivot are sold for exactly this problem and are the quickest lasting fix.
Replace the hardware
Pivots and guide wheels are sold as inexpensive kits. Take the old parts to the store, because pin diameters differ. Replace a bent track too, since a kinked track will keep throwing the guide wheel. If the panels themselves are damaged, see how to fix a hole in a door, and for new doors of any type, door installation cost.
Common questions
Why does my bifold door keep coming off the track?
Usually a loose top bracket that has slid out of position, a cracked guide wheel, or a worn pivot hole in the door. Tighten the bracket set screw first, then check the parts.
How do I raise a bifold door that drags on carpet?
Lift the door off the bottom bracket and turn the threaded bottom pivot to raise it. If it is already at its limit, the door needs trimming at the bottom.
Are bifold door parts universal?
Mostly, but not entirely. Pin diameters and track profiles vary, so match the old parts or buy a kit that includes the track.
Related guides
Methods follow standard bifold door hardware adjustment practice. We update these figures as we complete jobs.