How Do I Fix the Rollers on My Garage Door?
May 16, 2022
Garage door rollers play an important role in allowing your doors to roll through the vertical and horizontal tracks with ease. If they break, the door can jam as it opens and closes, so how do you fix the rollers on your garage door?
Depending on the material and wear and tear, rollers typically last between 10 and 20 years. Replacing the rollers takes a few expert-level steps and the doors run smoothly again.
What Are Garage Door Rollers?
Garage rollers are the small wheels on your garage door. The wheels fit into tracks on either side of the door, enabling it to move up and down.
These wheels often contain ball bearings to reduce friction, letting the rollers move more smoothly and quietly. The wheels attach to a shaft that fits into a steel bracket on the garage door. When they’re working correctly, these rollers move along the tracks and guide your garage door up and down.
Types of Garage Door Rollers
Garage rollers come in a variety of materials, each with advantages and disadvantages:
- Plastic rollers: Made of hard plastic, these basic rollers are inexpensive and often come with new garage doors. However, they typically only last a couple of years.
- Steel rollers: Durable and cost-efficient, steel rollers are a solid step up from hard plastic. However, they’re often noisier than other rollers and need regular lubrication. Rust may also be a concern if they’ll be operating in a damp environment.
- Nylon rollers: While more expensive than either plastic or steel, nylon rollers have become a popular choice. Their highly durable nylon is quieter and more weather-resistant than steel and these rollers require very little maintenance overall.
Knowing the type of garage door roller, you have will be very helpful when you need to fix or replace them. You’ll be able to estimate how long your rollers will last and how frequently you’ll need to maintain them.
What Tools Do I Need to Change My Garage Door Rollers?
Choosing the right tools for the job can be challenging. There are many different types of screwdrivers and clamps, so which are the right ones for changing the garage door rollers? Here’s a comprehensive checklist:
Having a partner or helper is optional but highly recommended. Working in pairs not only makes the project go faster, but it also lowers the risk of injury or causing further damage to your garage door.
How Often Should I Replace My Garage Door Rollers?
How long garage rollers last largely depends on the type of rollers you have. While basic plastic rollers usually only last a couple of years, steel rollers and nylon rollers can last decades.
The life of your rollers also depends on the average number of daily cycles your garage door goes through or how many times it opens and closes on a daily basis. When buying garage door rollers, you can measure their longevity by their cycle ratings. While you’ll likely have to estimate your average daily cycles, this rating can still give you a good idea of how long the rollers should last.
How Do I Know If I Need New Garage Door Rollers?
Once you know what to look for, you’ll find there are various other signs that can let you know it’s time to replace your rollers:
- Old age: One of the easiest ways to know if it’s time to replace your garage door rollers is to check the cycle rating. If you remember when you bought them, this rating will give you an idea of whether or not your rollers are approaching the end of their lifecycles.
- Noisiness: If you hear a constant grinding, scraping or screeching noise, it may be a sign that you need to replace your garage door rollers. You may just need to add some lubrication if you have steel rollers, while plastic or nylon rollers may be on their last legs.
- Shaking: Rusted garage door rollers can cause your garage door to vibrate and shake as it opens. Check the tracks for signs of rust, especially if you have steel rollers.
- Slow operations: Even the most durable materials can only last so long. General wear can make your garage door rollers less effective, making your garage door open more slowly than usual.
- Visible signs of wear: Make sure you inspect your garage door rollers every so often for signs of damage. Check for cracking and chipping, loose parts and any broken seals on the rollers. Your garage door is made up of a lot of intricate parts — it’s important to check every once in a while to make sure everything is still intact.
Still not sure about the condition of your garage door rollers? Get in touch with an expert from Halo today!
How to Replace Garage Door Rollers: Step-By-Step
Worn-out or broken rollers are a common garage door problem. Learning how to replace garage door rollers can help you identify potential issues. Here are the steps to replace the rollers:
1. Position the Garage Door
When replacing middle and top rollers, it’s easier to work when the door is down. Secure the bottom rollers with C-clamps to prevent the door from accidentally rising. When replacing the bottom of the door, remove the clamps and lift the door up completely.
2. Disconnect the Power Supply
Shut off the power supply to avoid any accidents. Note that you’ll need to leave it on when changing the middle and top rollers to move the door down.
3. Examine Your Rollers
Look for cracked, loose, or broken rollers. If they’re older than 20 years or past the recommended removal date, replace them.
4. Inspect Tracks and Parts
Check out the tracks to ensure they aren’t bent, as this can cause intense vibrations that loosen the bolts and screws holding it together. Use a flathead screwdriver to tighten any loose screws. Ensure the springs and chain haven’t loosened. Sometimes, it’s not the rollers causing the shaking or noise but the tracks or other parts.
5. Clean the Tracks
When changing garage door rollers, it’s important to remove dirt or grease from the tracks before working. This step keeps the garage door running smoothly and makes replacing rollers easier.
6. Unwind the Torsion Springs
Garage door springs function as a tension source for the garage door. You’ll need to loosen them to make it easier to work with the door. Note how many quarter turns you take when loosening them so you can adjust them back to their original state when you’re done changing garage door rollers. Wear protective goggles when handling broken springs to prevent injuring your eyes.
7. Remove the Hinges From the Middle and Top Rollers
When replacing the middle and top rollers, you’ll need to remove the hinges. With the hinges removed, it is easier to replace the rollers, and you can simply reattach them when you’re done. When replacing the bottom rollers, you should never remove the hinges, as the bottom bracket has the cable attached and without the bracket, the cable flies loose, which could be extremely dangerous.
8. Attach the Garage Door Rollers
Stand on the ladder for extra height and stability, and slide the garage roller onto the track. Ensure it’s properly aligned with the track and moves smoothly back and forth. If you grease your garage door and tracks, this process should go smoothly. Repeat this step for every garage door roller until the track is full.
9. Reconnect and Test
Rewind the torsion springs and put the hinges back up. Garage doors will last longer if you know how to test them. Turn the power back on and open and close the doors. If you hear a loud noise or the door is wobbling side to side or slipping off alignment, you might need to repeat these steps or schedule a service with a professional.
Safety Tips for Changing Garage Door Rollers
While you can change garage door rollers yourself, it’s best to leave this task to a professional. The process can be extremely dangerous if you’re inexperienced. Here are the top safety tips from experts:
- Always cut the power before you start working.
- Make sure to unplug the garage door opener.
- Never remove the hinges when changing bottom rollers.
- Ensure a family member or friend is in the house should you require assistance.
Contact Halo Overhead Doors for Your Garage Door Repair Needs
Garage door repairs can be tricky, and it’s best not to take any risks. Our technicians all have over five years of experience in installing, maintaining and repairing garage doors. Since 1991, we’ve provided only the best garage doors and services, and we can’t wait to help you next. Contact Halo Overhead Doors today!
