Anyone know where to get replacement Matco drawer slides?

[wood4heat]

I’m still working on my FIL’s old Matco toolbox and have another issue. One of the slides on the full length top drawer needs replaced. The inner and outer channels have separated and although it still slides in and out that side droops even empty. I certainly wouldn’t trust it with the weight of tools. I called Matco and was told the slides are no longer available. He gave me Matco’s Part number, CHRN-024U, and told me they were supplied by Knape & Vogt Manufacturing. He also told me it was a 24” full extended roller bearing slide. I called Knape & Vogt but they were unable to cross reference the Matco number. Their rep gave me an email address and told me if I sent pictures and measurements of the slide they could look. He didn’t sound confident though. So I am back here hopeful that the collective wisdom on AS might point me in another direction.

The box is a Matco # MB2010SX manufactured on 4/15/93
Looking for the 24” extended roller bearing top drawer slide, Matco # CHRN-024U manufactured by Knape & Vogt.

I mention that it’s for the top drawer because that one is the full with of the box and the slides are much larger that the rest of the drawers.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

 

[Nathan Graff]

pics of the slide?

 

[wood4heat]

I got nowhere with Knape & Vogt so I left the damaged slide with a machine shop this morning. They think they can straighten the bent channel and install new rollers bearings. I will let you know how successful then are.

 

[Cope1024]

Check out this thread at Garage Journal. I was selling Matco Tools back then (1990-1993), and the only brand I ever saw was Accuride.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=314219

 

[wood4heat]

So I stopped by the machine shop and got my slide back. They tried but were unable to fix it. Gave them $50 for the effort but now Im back on the hunt. I’ll check out the link on garagejournal and see if that leads anywhere. Thanks.

 

[wood4heat]

I was selling Matco Tools back then (1990-1993), and the only brand I ever saw was Accuride.

Any chance you still have a contact at Matco who might have some information? The slides have “Matcoglide” stamped in them.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Matco doesn't warranty their toolboxes?

I have a Snap On box, it's about 20 years old. I've gotten several replacement parts for it (including slides) at no cost.

 

[wood4heat]

Joined the Garagejournal forum as E92FF and asked there. Getting a lot of responses so far!

 

[Cope1024]

Any chance you still have a contact at Matco who might have some information? The slides have “Matcoglide” stamped in them.

No, everyone I knew is gone. The guy at Accuglide supposedly can help you. The slides mount the same no matter who made them.

 

[Cope1024]

Matco doesn't warranty their toolboxes?

I have a Snap On box, it's about 20 years old. I've gotten several replacement parts for it (including slides) at no cost.

Your dealer did that, not Snap-on. BTW, they use the same slides.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Your dealer did that, not Snap-on. BTW, they use the same slides.

Snap On did. I called them to order slides expecting to pay out the nose. They said it was a warrantied item and sent them for free.

 

[wood4heat]

Your dealer did that, not Snap-on. BTW, they use the same slides.

I just noticed this, you say Snap On and Matco use the same slides? I wonder if there is any chance Snap on would have these.

 

[Nathan Graff]

Worst thing you do is find a truck, and take it in and ask, and find out that they don't work.

 

[Cope1024]

I just noticed this, you say Snap On and Matco use the same slides? I wonder if there is any chance Snap on would have these.

Possibly. Or call Accuride. The slides on my Matco boxes are Accuride. I had the two pair I told you about that are K-V, but the majority are Accuride.

 

[wood4heat]

Possibly. Or call Accuride. The slides on my Matco boxes are Accuride. I had the two pair I told you about that are K-V, but the majority are Accuride.

I talked to a knowledgeable sounding tech at KV yesterday. He told me my slides were actually manufactured by Waterloo who KV bought in 2013. Unfortunately they don’t have records of what Matco used, or any of Waterloo’s old tooling. I ordered universal ball bearing slides off of Amazon and will figure out how to make them work.

Thanks for all the help though!

 

[wood4heat]

So, Friday last week I got the universal 24” fully extendable ball bearing slides. Got looking at them and the dimensions were visibly identical to the busted Matco slide. Got to thinking that if I took the new slide apart I could replace the bent inner channels of the old slide with perfect new inner channels of the new slide... well visibly identical is not quite identical in reality. Pretty damn close though! The new ball bearing rollers were slightly larger than the old ball bearings. New one wouldn’t go in, the old ones were too sloppy and new on bottom/old on top didn’t quite work either. I took a few measurements and determined a 15/64” ball bearing would do it. Took a chance on ordering a bag of them and...

BOOYAH!!! The original older channel locked into the box just as Matco intended and I attached the inner channel to the drawer with four 5mm machine screws and nuts. The new slide rolls a little smoother and easier than the old slide but I expect that will even out with the weight of tools and a little time. I’m just stoked to start loading tools!!

Thanks for all of the help!

 

[Cope1024]

I just woke up and smelled the flowers. What you have is Matco's "Space Station" . The customer could customize the drawer arrangement. Your copy is really close to the default arrangement. The original owner got a brass plate with his name on it.