When you close your garage door, do you hear squeaking and other noises that you wish were not there? Not only is the sound annoying, but it could indicate other problems. You might need the rollers to be lubricated. In some cases, they could be worn out and need to be changed.
The garage door rollers are like the joints in your body, particularly the knees. The knees support your weight, just as the rollers support the weight of the door when it opens and closes. They are under a lot of stress.
Did you know? One opening and one closing of a garage door is considered a cycle.
How Much does your garage door do? Watch this video . Learn more about the challenges your garage door faces each day.
Because of the work the garage door does, you need to be sure that you are taking proper care of it. Proper care helps to ensure that it will have a long life and that it will work smoothly and quietly for a long time. It also ensures your family remains safe. Watch your garage door and listen to it for signs of trouble.
Below, you will learn more about the steps taken to ensure that your garage door rollers are properly maintained, as well as how to know when they need to be replaced, and how they are replaced.
What Kind of Garage Door Rollers Do You Have on Your Garage Door?
Here are 3 popular roller types:
● In Black Rubber: These do not have ball bearings. They tend to work best for garage doors that are less than 10 feet wide.
● In Steel: These do have ball bearings. You will want to choose an option that has a minimum of 10 ball bearings.
● In Nylon: These rollers can be used for single or double doors. They have 12 ball bearings, and they tend to be quieter than the other options.
99% of residential garage doors have 2-inch diameter rollers.
Before Starting to Work, I Always Cut Off the Power!
Safety is essential when working with the garage door in any capacity. The first things that need to be done include:
● Cutting off the power
● Unplugging the garage door opener
If you were to work on a garage door when the opener is still powered, it could cause serious problems. Take a few minutes to turn off the power and unplug the opener. It helps to ensure safety.
How do I Lubricate Your Garage Door Rollers?
Regardless of the types of garage door rollers—nylon, steel, or rubber—you must never use oil lubricants on them!
Why shouldn’t you use oil? These types of lubricants are degreasers, but your rollers NEED grease to operate properly. Using oil lubricants would end up depriving your rollers of what they need.
Instead, I make sure you use a silicone-based lubricate , as it is the best way to maintain most rollers. However, I do not use silicon-based lubrication if they are made from steel.
● Steel Rollers: With these rollers, you will directly lubricate the ball bearings directly.
● Nylon Rollers with Exposed Bearings: For nylon rollers, you will add lubricant to the outside of the roller, as well as the area where the shaft meets the rollers
● Nylon Rollers with Sealed Ball Bearings: One of the benefits of these types of rollers is that they do not need lubrication but will last for the life of the garage door.
I Never forget
● I always use the straw that comes with the can.
● When adding lubrication, I only use thin coats
● I use a clean cloth to remove excess Lubrication IMMEDIATELY
● I check the rollers. They should roll, not slide along the track
● Typically, I will complete the maintenance once every 6 months
I lubricate other parts of the garage door at the same time. This includes:
● Hinges
● Locks
● Arm Bars
● Bearing Plates
● Springs : As a note, the springs should be lubricated, but this should not be done by homeowners. The springs are under a lot of pressure and they have the potential to be dangerous. Only your garage door maintenance professionals should handle this lubrication.
Should You Go with Nylon or Steel?
If you do have to replace your garage door rollers, which to buy – nylon or steel rollers 🤔?
Although the nylon garage door rollers have a higher cost than steel rollers, they do have some nice benefits.
● They are quite
● They are strong
● They will last 10+ years
According to Tim, from GarageTransformed , steel rollers:
● Are noisy
● Tend to rust and corrode
● Will need to have more maintenance to continue working properly
● Have a much shorter life, lasting only 3 to 5 years
How do I Replace Garage Door Rollers?
Important Safety Note : Never replace the rollers on your own; it is dangerous. Get help from a professional.
You should NEVER loosen the bolts used to secure the bottom fixture to the garage door. NEVER remove the cable from the bottom fixture.
Not following these warnings could mean a snapped spring. The door could fall, or it could jam. This could mean damage to the property or injury/death to someone in the home. Heed these warnings!
Why is the garage door so dangerous? The door’s weight and the spring tension can cause a host of problems.
If the rollers are having trouble and need to be replaced, it often means that there are other elements of the door that need to be tended to, as well. You should always contact your local garage door & opener technician for help.
Step One – The garage door opener needs to be unplugged
This will ensure that it is not activated accidentally while I’m working on the door.
Step Two – A winding bar needs to be used to unwind the springs
The springs need to be unwound before the hinges and rollers are replaced to help ensure safety. They are best replaced when the door is in the down position. Professionals will use a Vise-grip on the spring shaft, which will then lock the cable in place.
Step Three – I remove the rollers
● I start by loosening the screws from the hinge that holds the roller
● Next, I use a hammer to release the hinge by tapping it out
● Not to Forget: I need to replace the hinge and roller BEFORE I remove another. The hinges and rollers hold the door in place, after all.
● I remove the old rollers
Four – Now I will replace the rollers using the new ones
● First, I will slide the roller into the correct location
● Then, I tip the roller back into the track so it fits properly
● I will then place the hinge over the bolt holes
● I like using bigger screws or Loctites for the best results
● Finally, I tap the bolts back from the outside. I will do this through the hinge holes. Then I can tighten the nut
The steps above need to be repeated for each roller. After that has been done, I can move on to the final step.
Five Step– It is time to wind the springs. They need to be brought back to their original tension
● I make adjustments if needed
● I remove the vice grip
You Want Professionals Handling Your Garage Door Rollers Replacement and Your Garage Door Maintenance?
Professionals really are the best choice.
The garage door is dangerous and not something you want to tackle on your own. Now that you have seen just how much it takes to replace the rollers and to maintain the door, it’s time to get in touch with the pros.
Contact us at 506-375-4105.
We specialize in garage doors and openers. We have a team of skilled repairmen to help.
We can provide you with a tune-up service and answer questions you might have about garage doors and openers. Check out more about our services and repairs .
We can also provide you with an email quote .
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