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Replacing glass shower door strike plate

5 years ago

How do you remove the u-channel or strike plate from a glass shower door without breaking the glass? I can’t believe it rusted so badly after only 3 years. Hopefully I can find a replacement with higher quality steel that will last longer (assuming I can manage to remove the old one).

Featured Answer

ci_lantro

5 years ago

I see the indents now.

I wouldn't try to remove the aluminum piece from the glass. Instead, I would use a Dremel and carefully grind away the lip on the aluminum channel (on the side closest to the handle). It appears that if you can grind the aluminum next to the steel piece that the rusted bit would lift out with some gently prying or slide out the end...

Then clean up the rest of the aluminum with a file so you have a straight edge.

Any idea of what you're going to replace it with?

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Comments (11)

tatts
5 years ago
Call a company that sells and installs these things. Let them do it.
millworkman
5 years ago
I can honestly say I have never seen one of those.
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Follow up (I'm OP): GC contacted the lead guy (owner?) of glass co., and within days they were at my house to discuss. They said the door's vertical sweep (which closes to the fixed glass 1/2 panel - see pic) could be replaced with a thinner one. And some glass cos. don't even put a sweep there. They said to totally disregard everything the receptionist said - she had no business diagnosing the problem. The thinner sweep would only be the top half of the door. But we're thinking your eye won't notice that the bottom half has a thicker sweep because there's a 1/2 wall, tiled, there. Get this: The day they showed up the door worked again (pivoted both in and out of the shower)! It was colder - wildly guessing the walls are expanding in heat, or maybe its just a stiff sweep problem (they didn't opine as to cause). Glass co. owner gave me his text and direct dial/vm, and said he'll install a thinner sweep whenever - i.e., if I want, I can wait until its hot again. The only thing I find annoying is that, well, I paid about $3,900 with tax for the glass (HCOL area), and seems I should have a door that fits with the usual sweep. And I'm concerned that if we go with the thinner sweep, maybe the walls will contract when it cold again. But I guess I would rather be done with this and, if it does leak in the winter, deal with that problem then. My 1 year warranty is up Dec. 2017.
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ci_lantro
5 years ago
I can't quite make sense of the photo...

If you're trying to remove just the rusted piece that is fitted into the aluminum channel...

I suspect the steel piece is held to the aluminum with VHB tape. I would try dribbling some solvent at the seam, prying gently to try to open up the seam a bit. Let be for a couple of moments and try wiggling something like a thin metal palette knife to separate a bit more, more solvent, more wiggling....
Sac
Original Author
5 years ago
The rusted steel strike plate is held in place by indentations in the u channel above (see notch in photo) and below. That makes me think it would be easier to remove and replace the entire u channel instead. I’m assuming that the inside of the u channel has silicone caulk attaching it to the glass. I tried fitting a knife in there but I can’t get it in there because joint is too tight.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
Maybe post a pic from further back so we can see the issue.
Sac
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Is this better? I just want to pull this off without damaging the glass or requiring hulk-like strength.
kudzu9
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
If you don't see any set screws on the other side it could be siliconed on, and getting it off may be dicey. It's also possible that the corroded piece is a slight wedge form and you may be able to remove it by gently tapping it up from the bottom, with a pin punch and a hammer. However, if you try this and end up shocking the tempered glass too much, the whole door could shatter.
Sac
Original Author
5 years ago
No screws, probably silicone. I want to make sure the glass doesn’t break. It boggles my mind how they would use a chrome-painted piece of iron for a shower door that would completely rust in a couple of years, yet make it so it’s almost impossible to remove, so you have to replace the entire door. What a ridiculous design.
kudzu9
5 years ago
ci_lantro-

I thought about suggesting using a Dremel, but worried there was a high chance of nicking the glass. But after reading what you wrote, I agree with your insight about just tackling the channel lip. With a steady hand and that far from the glass, I think it would work.
Sac thanked kudzu9
ci_lantro
5 years ago
Or use the Dremel to cut down the center of steel piece lengthwise. That might give you enough slack to wiggle it out the end.
Sac thanked ci_lantro

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