The forces exerted on a hanging load like this pose an incredible challenge on both the hardware as well as the fasteners.

Speaking from experience, I once built something similar using two heavy-duty full extension drawer slides mounted to the underside of a desk. As long the load was simply suspended it was relatively solid, but after only a few months of regular use the ball bearings started to fail.

The challenge is the force of gravity acting on the slides which are designed to be used in a vertical orientation. Those forces are compounded when the hardware is open and rotational forces also apply.

Is this going into a cabinet, have you considered using traditional hardware but mounted against the top of the carcass, with your "drawer" hanging from it? (Similar in concept to the pantry slides someone recommended)

Try pocket door hardware.

Huh, that’s pretty close, but it’s like the opposite since that one goes on the bottom. I do think there’s a way to make that work almost the way I want, though, so thanks!

I believe you are looking for a Center Mount Slide like this.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/slides/undermount/50509-center-mount-slides?item=02K4012

When I look at those, they actually most of the time look like they’re double. Sometimes the initial picture shows them by themselves, but they’re almost always mounted in parallel

I searched for pantry slides and found a few.

I think they are just called vertical drawers/cabinets. I'd look into how they build them for vertical pantry pull-outs as they need to carry a lot of weight.

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Looks like a 'Little Giant' brand. based on the picture there is a bunch of muck, so it is possible the opening that allows fluid to supply liquid pressure to the diaphragm. If it is plugged in, that could be the problem. Also, the discharge looks undersized too. this makes the pump work harder and has less performance (volume) . Replacement diaphrams can be bought if it torn. In the end replacing the pump is the recommended fix. I sold them for years.

always pressurize before burial

That doesn’t mean they couldn’t get access to one for bigger things. Like I said they probably have funds for using one just not for personal residential problems

Maybe, but I doubt it. My water company is literally a small pole barn that houses a small excavator, pickup and a trailer to haul the excavator. There is a small office attached to it where they do the administrative stuff and a 10x30ft shed that holds materials. There are 3 employees and I have their cell phone numbers are given out so that they can be reached in the event of an emergency.

When I moved into my current house the water line from the meter to my house busted. That line is about 100ft long. Besides coming and turning the water off, they were no help. I asked about special devices that they could use to listen for a leak or help mark where the waterline was so I knew where to dig. They said they had nothing like that.

15 is old for a pump. But I have seen older. The floats are cheap, a new pump is way more. But there are sweet pressure controls on the new ones. And variable flow rates too.

If you can afford it, go new. But a new float will get you through winter.

Have an upvote for calling it a spigot.

At 15 years old you should absolutely replace the whole thing.

Christ almighty. My water line is 1’ down and electrical is about 8” 😂.

When I had a 2” line to my barn break it was fairly easy to get the area of it. Took a bit digging through oak roots to get the exact spot. Was gonna suggest similar but at 6’. Wooooh no idea how to find that easily.

Did you mark the splice locations? Or know where they are?

I do agree with many though, could be a blockage.

What did you mean by pressure drops when you cut off the spigot?

Yeah - I'm wondering since it's at least 15 years old if I should just replace the whole thing.

Get your shovel and your gloves. Start uncovering the buried line from one end or the other, either end will work. when you find damp soil and damp or running water, commence repairs to stop the leak.

Those diaphragm switches always screw up. Add a float to the circuit. They sell add on floats. Just make sure you get the right one. Some open on rise and some close on rise.

I like this comment. Check that no water is being used and go look at the meter. Maybe you could unscrew the screen on a sink in the barn and see if any stuff comes out. When they install new water lines in Florida they pressure the line and attach a pressure meter for 24 hours or so to text if there is a leak. You could do that fairly easily.

Also I live below the frost line by a few hours. Our water line could be on the surface of the ground. 6 feet is nuts.

I tried to confirm it by filling up the well with water. Since the pump only turns on after it is submerged and then some, I sincerely doubt how it could be a float. So I agree, it seems like it must be a diaphragm.

Do you know relatively where the lines run and the splices are? If you have a high degree of confidence, you could leave the water pressurized for a few days, then try driving a steel pipe down near the splices to see if you can locate a soggy patch of sub-surface dirt - kind of like attempting to take core samples of soil. Obviously you want to make sure you don't inadvertently punch a hole in your electric or damage the line further - hence the need to know where the line is!

Yea but we're talking barn to house. Not utility main

In any case yea 6' is reasonable but it seems deep for this scenario

If it’s 250’ it’s most definitely poly pipe