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In my kitchen, all our drawers appear to use a wooden rail "hanger" (at the top of the drawer) to slide in and out:

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The problem is our utensil drawer is probably one of the heaviest, and it finally gave out, so I replaced it with a new rail and hanger kit from local home improvement store. However now, a month or so later, the drawer "drops down" when pushed in all the way, and the hanger seems to be worn down quite a bit:

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I could replace the hanger again, but it seems like something is inherently wrong here. I'm guessing the wood/plastic hanger system isn't quite meant for a heavy utensil drawer, and there's some better solution? A general contractor wanted an enormous sum to even come take a look, so I'm hoping you kind folks might have some advice. Thanks!

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  • all the answers below are workable, but I will add that if you can get a ball bearing unit or some other metal as suggested and put it on both sides, or even on the bottom, anything you add for travel should offload weight and distribute it to the new rail
    – noybman
    Jul 26, 2019 at 3:57

3 Answers 3

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If the drawer doesn't fall on the trip to the back limit, it would indicate that the plastic hanger is doing fine until it reaches the end of the support rod. Perhaps you'll find unusual wear on the far end of the rod.

As an option, consider to reverse the hanger clip so that it is on the inside of the drawer, shifting the hang point clear of the (possibly) failed rod end.

If you have a makerspace in your area, you may also find you can have a modified hanger created on a 3D printer. Using PETG (stronger than PLA or ABS), you could have a longer hanger clip (front to back) or a more narrow closure at the top to prevent the drop-out.

If you can find a second clip, attach one to the inside of the drawer and one to the outside, although that may not be as effective as a modified version.

Consider also to apply some wood paste wax to the rod surfaces to reduce the wear on the plastic.

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  • awesome suggestion to reverse it for a quick get by now fix ;)
    – noybman
    Jul 26, 2019 at 3:54
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You might want to try installing a rail on the bottom frame of the drawer along with the two rollers, one on each side. Then attach the roller bracket to the back of the drawer. You'll be supporting the drawer from the bottom, not the top. Ideally, the rail should be centered but the support from the drawer below might be in the way but being a little left or right of center will work fine.

This type of drawer support is available at many home stores and online.

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Given the weight carried, is it possible to put in proper drawer slides? Shim out supports from the sides of the cabinet to support the slides.

Warning: After converting one, you will probably want to switch them all.

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