Garage Door Rollers Off Track: How to Repair

The doors on your garage are moved smoothly up and down by garage door rollers. These are held in place by brackets that are attached to the door of your garage. The roller has a stem which fits into a bracket sleeve while the roller itself fits into a track. However it does not guarantee that it will stay there no matter what. It can jump off track from time to time and when that happens with no one else to fix it, you have to do it on your own. The good news is that the task is not that hard to do, and you can do it with tools that are usually found around the house.

Step 1 - Checking the Tracks

Before doing anything, make sure that the tracks are still well anchored on your wall. One of the main reasons why garage door rollers go off track is because the tracks have come off the wall. If the brackets that are anchoring the tracks to the wall are loose, tighten the bolts using a wrench or a ratchet handled with the correct socket size.

The tracks has to be checked for dents and damages as well. A bad dent will cause the garage door to go off track. This is is similar to what a damaged rail causing a derailment of a train. you can repair serious dents by pounding on them using the hammer and block of wood. If you have a rubber mallet around, use it instead. If there is heavy damage on the tracks, replace them instead so as not to cause a serious safety hazard.

Step 2 - Aligning the Tracks

Make sure that the tracks for your garage door rollers are in their proper alignment by using a level. If you have a horizontal track, they should have a slight angle towards the back of your garage. If you are using roll up doors, the track section should be precisely leveled. If they are not, loosen the brackets that hold them in their position. Once they are loose, tap on them carefully until they have a perfect alignment. Tracks should also be of the same height on the walls.

Step 3 - Cleaning the Tracks

Off track garage door rollers can also be caused by dirt and grime that accumulates on the track. A good household cleaning solution can do the trick.

Step 4 - Lubricating the Tracks

To ensure that your rollers will run smoothly and not run off course, lubricate it as well as the other parts of your garage door by using a spray lubricant. Powdered graphite can also be used as an alternative. This step will ensure that your garage door will open and close smoothly. Rollers are best lubricated with a silicone spray but you can also use household oil as alternative.

Step 5 - Check for Any Loose Parts

Loose parts may also cause your garage door rollers to come off track so tighten bolts and screws that appear loose. If you have a roll up door, check the hinges that connect the panels together. Loose hinges will make the door sag which can make it go off track.