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I have a set of four pocket doors in a converging bypass configuration:

diagram

The hardware is around 15 years old. I don't know the brand of the hardware, but they look similar to Hettich TopLine Grant 7000-series (catalog pages 5.16-5.17). The track is identical to part # 7003, but the carrier and top plate connect to each other differently than parts 7000 and 7222, with the post sticking down from the carrier instead of up from the top plate. (I could find no other manufacturer that makes a double-track I-beam/T-beam track that has a carrier that looks like the ones we have, so I assume this is an old variant of the 7000 series that has since been discontinued.) These doors also have a floor track that looks just like the "Continuous Guide Channel" part 1222 that is available for the 700-series (catalog page 10.6).

The problem is that one of the doors has fallen off the track. An overenthusiastic "helper" decided to pull even harder and managed to get the carrier jammed with only a single wheel still on the track:

off track

The trim is multiple layers of wood and extends several inches above and below the door frame, so I really don't want to have to pull it all off.

As far as I can tell, if I can disconnect the door from the carrier, the release of all that weight will allow me to unstick the carrier, evaluate it for damage, and either reinstall it or replace it.

Looking at one of the other doors on the track, I see that the top plate hangs from a bolt that is part of the carrier, and that a nut holds the bolt tight in the top plate:

carrier detail

If I can loosen this nut, I should be able to lift the door slightly and push it sideways off of the carrier's bolt.

The problem is that I don't have a tool that can reach the nut (even for the doors that still slide; definitely for the door that is stuck). In the first image, the nut is clearly visible, but I just need a tool that can reach it.

What kind of tool(s) do I need for this?

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  • While taking down all the trim is going to be a pain, you may want to evaluate whether it's really a greater pain than finding/making the appropriate tools to attempt this repair without removing the trim. Bear in mind that sideways movement of the door may knock trim loose anyway. Involve your overenthusiastic "helper" in the repair so (s)he learns the consequences of his/her actions. A time-out may be temporarily distressing, but helping with the repair emphasizes the effort you have to go through while also teaching valuable skills.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 17:23

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The hardware kit would've come with a thin, offset wrench for accessing that nut. By loosening it you allow it to slide out the slot. There are other ways to go about this, but I'd find or make a new wrench.

Your local hardware store may have aftermarket wrenches. The big river does. A grizzled neighbor probably has 7 of them in a coffee can. Otherwise, a little Dremel work on some 1/16" bar stock should do. It's probably 7/16", 1/2", or 12mm.

Failing that, pull the screws in the upper track channel and take the whole thing down. You'll need a wrench to reset it, though.

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    I bet trim was installed after installing the doors, and the flat wrench that came with the set would be too long to use given the very limited angle of rotation between the trim pieces. Making one as described here is a good idea, one that's just the right length to give enough leverage to get the nut loose, but short enough to turn a little over 60 degrees between the trim on both sides.
    – jay613
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 16:43

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