How To Fix Ikea Drawer Slides

We have a Z-Gallerie bedroom set we purchased on Craigslist and recently one of the drawer slides on one of the dressers came apart. The ball bearings dumped in the drawer (and they are always greasy to pick up) and so I just took off the slide and collected the parts and went to the internet to see if I can find a replacement. I tried contacting Z-Gallerie but I could not tell them what model of dresser this is and it is not manufactured anymore so they were not any help and with not much luck in finding a replacement drawer glide (and with ALL the options to consider of length, thickness, height, and more), I decided to repair it…

How to Repair the Drawer Slides on a Z-Gallerie Dresser

Hardware:

Z-Gallerie 6-Drawer Dresser

Tools Needed:

Heavy Needle-Nose Pliers
Channel-Lock Pliers
Vice (optional)

Drawer Slide Dimensions

I've repaired our drawer slides multiple times and this last time I went ahead and carefully measured the slides while I had them out

The slide is a 3/4 extension-type slide, approximately .354″ thick, .67″ tall/wide, 14.75″ long when fully shut, and around 25.75″ long fully extended (technically a 3/4 extension slide at 14.75 closed will be 25.8125″ extended). I searched pretty hard and no one makes anything that narrow (the .67″ dimension). So I called Z-Gallerie and inquired and the first thing they wanted was proof of purchase. I don't have that because I bought it on craigslist so clarified that I wasn't trying to make a warranty claim, I just wanted to purchase a replacement part. I was then told that their policy is that I have to prove I purchased it. Well, so much for that.

Z-Gallerie Drawer Slide

I then decided I was going to try to repair them…

Step 1: Locate all the drawer glide bearings.

I counted the ball bearings I had recovered and realized that there should be 12/slide and after going over the carpet with a magnet (a rare-earth one I harvested out of a hard drive) I was able to locate 20 of them and I determined that would be enough. I measured the bearings and their diameter is 0.118″ as seen below:

Z-Gallerie Ball Bearing Diameter Measurement — This is the caption

Step 2: Carefully bend open the metal rails.

After playing around with how they fit back together and what (is supposed) to hold them together I decide I was going to lightly bend open the ends of the outer rail as seen below, so I can re-insert the bearings:

Plastic bearing guide (has 3 holes in each side for the bearings)

Step 3: Re-insert the plastic bearing guide and bearings.

Insert the plastic part that holds the bearings, inserting the bearings in pairs as I slide the parts together. Make sure to place the plastic bearing guide on the inner rail oriented in a way so the tab on the inner rail keeps the bearing guide from sliding off the end (the metal tab should stop it from sliding off). Gradually insert the inner rail, pressing the bearings down into their holes as you go:

Inserting the first pair of ball bearings

Inserting the second pair of ball bearings

Repeat the process for the third set (that is, if you have them–I did not).

Step 4: Bend back the metal rails.

Push the slide all the way together and then gently squeeze the outer rail back into shape. Be careful not to bend it too far because then the drawer will bind when you are pulling it out to the end of its travel.

Step 5: Repeat as necessary.

I took the second rail off the drawer and it came apart as well so I had to repair them both. Once I figured out how to do it, it was easy though:

The repaired rails.

Now you saved the $20 bucks you couldn't spend on the replacement rails (since you can't find them anywhere like me) on what is most likely a $600 dresser. We didn't pay that for the whole set and that's why we love Craigslist. Mission accomplished.

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