Doors and Windows - sliding glass door panel removal?

I just moved into a house built in 2001. Basement has what
seems like a good quality sliding glass door. I want to move
something large into the basement that would require both the
moving and fixed panel of the SGD to be removed. The moving
panel comes out easily from inside, but i see no obvious way
to remove the fixed panel. Absolutely nothing visible for removing
this. There are however about 1" horizontal slots at the top and
bottom of the fixed frame near the edges--but on the outside. I see no indication of mfr except for the mfr code of "ELL-1" on the AASM inspection sticker. But I could not find this mfr code on AASM web site.

Is it common for fixed panel to be integral to the
frame itself? Any ideas appreciated?

Many aluminum sliding doors will have a keeper screwed onto the fixed side of the interior jamb. Others will have a threshold that snaps down into the operating side of the threshold so that the fixed door can't slide, and you would remove that threshold piece in order to slide the fixed panel toward the center of the opening. One other kind has some screws that actually are driven through the bottom stile of the door which secure the fixed door to a framing member. Some wooden doors have long screws near the glass that secure the door to the jamb. But some vinyl doors are single sliders, where the fixed sash is actually part of the masterframe, and it won't come out because the center mullion is welded to the rest of the frame.

thanks for the info. It appears to be vinyl--at least vinyl clad. So i suspect fixed panel is part of the masterframe as you say. Not conducive to moving big stuff in and out of the basement...

Can the 'big thing' be dismantled enough to get it through the door?

not easily. Its a homebuilt airplane thats partially done.

You could take a couple digital pics of the center mullion- top and bottom, and maybe of the fixed side... then upload them to a file sharing web site, and post a link to the pics here. Maybe one of us could see a way to remove it? Or, if nothing else, it would confirm that it's a single slider and can't be done?

ok, below is a link to a couple photos of the fixed panel.
These are all of the top. I can take a few more if needed

http://www1.snapfish.com/share/p=176271167258768480/l=235541632/g=8188734/cobrandOid=1000131/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

thanks

Could not get it all typed in, sure wish this forum would allow addresses. But I know of no fixed panels that are installed as part of the framework, they are all installed at installation or at least are removable. Look for brackets or screws at the center(edge) of the fixed door, or at the frame edge. Sometime the doors are just held in place with rubber weatherseals.

The picture of the fixed panel (outside) with the 2 rectangular holes at the top, makes me believe that someone installed that panel upside down, since those holes should be at the bottom (they are weep holes, meant for water to drain out).

So if someone installed it upside down, it surely ought to come apart. How about some pics of the bottom of the fixed door inside and out, the door threshold (with sliding door opened) and also the top outside center of the center mullion?

Maybe we'll slowly get this figured out?

Looks like a removable retaining trim on side. And yes also looks like the weep holes are upside down.

See Pic http: NOLINKSTOWEBSITESFORPERSONALGAIN.NOADVERTISINGINFORUMS.COM

those same weep holes are on the bottom also. Is there any standard as to which side the slider is on (inside vs outside). It looks to me like most Pella have the slider outside. Their literature even makes a bid deal on how this prevents drafts when wind blows direct on the door. But i got some literature at Lowes on the Thermastar (by Pella) which shows the slider on the inside with screen on outside--just like what i have.

Pella salesperson i spoke with said their units indeed do come to the site all assembled and that the fixed panel is really fixed. But i dont know if that includes this Thermastar brand--i did not know to ask at the time.

I can add a pic of the bottom--but it looks just like the top.