How to Fix a Bent Garage Door Track in 5 Easy Steps

Picture this: Saturday morning, you’re ready to kickstart your day with a quick drive to the local farmer’s market only to find that your garage door is jammed thanks to a bent track. Dread starts to creep in as you think about the potentially expensive repair bill. Don’t despair! This once frustrating issue doesn’t have to ruin your weekend plans or break your bank. Fixing a bent garage door track is easier than you think. With our five simple steps, you could be out shopping for organic turnips and fresh baked bread at your local market before lunchtime! Ready to get started? I promise, by the end of this guide, tracks will only bend to your will!

To fix a bent garage door track, you will need to identify the damaged section, loosen the hardware holding the track in place, straighten the bent section, tighten the hardware and then recheck the alignment. We recommend consulting with a professional garage door technician or repair service if you are unsure about any of these steps or do not have experience working with garage doors.

What Causes a Bent Garage Door Track?

Garage doors are an important part of any home or business place. They keep your valuable assets, such as your car, safe and secure from external threats. However, over time, garage doors may face issues that can prevent them from functioning correctly, such as bent garage door tracks. There are many reasons why a garage door track can bend or become damaged.

One of the leading causes of a bent garage door track is an accidental impact caused by a vehicle, bike, or other object. When this happens, the heavy weight of the door forces it out of alignment and causes the track to bend.

Extreme weather conditions such as high winds or storms can also cause garage door tracks to warp and twist. Moreover, prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures and humid climates can also contribute to the wear and tear of the garage door tracks over time.

Another reason for bent garage door tracks is poor installation or lack of maintenance. A substandard installation may lead to uneven distribution of tension in the system causing twists and turns in the garage door track over time.

For instance, we had a customer who installed their own garage door without proper guidance from professionals and noticed early on that the door was not opening properly due to misalignment with the tracks. The customer soon realized they needed professional help when they attempted fixing it themselves but ended up bending one side of the door track completely rendering it unusable.

Therefore, regular maintenance of your garage door is vital if you want it to function smoothly and avoid any expensive repairs down the line. Keep your door free from debris and check for any loose components frequently to ensure optimal performance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing a Bent Garage Door Track

Fixing a bent garage door track may sound like an intimidating task at first, but with some basic tools and safety measures in place, you can easily tackle this issue yourself. To help you get started, here’s a step-by-step guide that outlines the five easy steps to fixing a bent garage door track.

Identifying the Bent Section

The first step to fix a bent garage door track is identifying which section of the track is bent. If you’re not sure where to look, start with the lower section, which commonly faces wear and tear due to debris buildup or physical damage. You may also hear a scraping noise as your garage door moves, indicating a potential problem.

Loosening the Necessary Hardware

After identification, it’s time to loosen up the necessary hardware including nuts and bolts holding the bent section of the track in place using an adjustable wrench. Keep these screws and bolts aside for reinstallation after straightening out the bent section.

Straightening and Restoring Track

Using vise-grip pliers, clamp on to the damaged track and gently apply force in the opposite direction using leverage for bending it back into shape. Make sure there’s no over-tightening of pliers risking damage to any other part of your garage door sections while bending back.

Tightening the Hardware

Once the damaged section has been straightened, you will need to tighten back all nuts and bolts using an adjustable wrench equally without stripping or over torquing them and rerouting cables around restored tracks if needed.

Now that you know how to fix a bent garage door track, it’s essential to understand when it’s time to call in a professional instead of fixing it yourself or when regular maintenance is becoming more than what DIY solutions can handle on their own.

Identifying the Bent Section

It can be challenging to identify where exactly the track is bent, especially if you are not familiar with garage door mechanisms. However, before getting started on any repairs, it is essential to locate the section of the track that is damaged.

One of the tell-tale signs of a bent track is a noisy garage door that shakes or rattles when in operation. Take a closer look at the rollers and notice whether they ride up and down smoothly along the tracks. When a garage door track is bent, the rollers may get stuck or require more force to move along.

Another method to identify the damaged section is by visually inspecting the track. Look for any warping or bowing of the metal and any visible gaps between sections. A tape measure can be useful for this step as well; you can check if there is any discrepancy in distance between various points on both sides of the track.

If you’re still unsure about where the damage lies, consider contacting a professional garage door repair company like Canadoor Garage Doors. They have expert technicians who can assess and diagnose your garage door issues accurately.

For instance, a homeowner in Ontario had been experiencing trouble with their residential garage door for weeks until they called Canadoor Garage Doors for help. The customer noticed that their door was increasingly noisy and shaking, but they could not determine which part was causing the issue.

After contacting Canadoor Garage Doors, a technician was dispatched immediately to their home in Barrie. They identified that a bent garage door track caused the roller wheels to slip off and jump out from time to time during operation. Within an hour, they had fixed it and restored efficient functioning to the garage door.

Now that we’ve talked about how to identify where your track is bent let’s move on to loosening hardware.

Loosening the Necessary Hardware

Before attempting to straighten the bent track, it is crucial to loosen all necessary hardware. This includes not only loosening the bracket holding the track in place but also the bolts that connect the sections of the track together. Follow these steps:

1. Begin by clamping locking pliers or a C-clamp onto the track close to where you plan to work. This ensures that the door does not move while repairs are being done.

2. Next, loosen and remove any hardware that holds the broken section of the track in place.

3. Loosen bolts and screws connecting the affected portion of the track to adjacent sections.

4. You may also need to remove some rollers temporarily from the track for easier access.

Loosening hardware will provide enough room for you to repair or replace damaged parts without stressing other unbroken components.

For example, one homeowner had tried every possible method out there to fix their bent garage door track. After many failed attempts with various online tutorials and DIY guides, they decided to call in Canadoor Garage Doors for help.

A technician was highly attentive and knowledgeable about different types of tracks and could quickly identify the cause of damage upon arriving on-site. They then proceeded to loosen all hardware as recommended before beginning any corrective action on the track.

Think similarly about a loose tooth before it falls out: imagine a person trying various methods themselves at home, none proving effective or maybe causing more problems than solutions. By contrast, a trained TDA specialist has vast experience in diagnosing dental issues and performing necessary procedures safely and efficiently.

Now that we’ve successfully loosened all necessary hardware let’s continue with our stepwise garage track repair guide by discussing how to straighten out and restore it back in shape!

Straightening and Restoring the Track

Now that you have identified the bent section and loosened the necessary hardware, it’s time to straighten and restore the track. This step needs to be executed with extreme caution, as applying too much force in the wrong direction can cause further damage to your garage door.

To begin this step, hold onto the track and gently bend it back into shape. You can use a pair of pliers or a hammer to help straighten the track, but make sure not to apply too much pressure as it may cause it to break.

Once you have successfully straightened the track, check its alignment using a level. If it’s still slightly uneven, gently adjust it until it is straight and level. After completing this process, tighten all of the hardware that you previously loosened. This ensures that everything is secure and stable before closing your garage door.

Sue was able to fix her bent garage door track by following these steps carefully. She said she was amazed at how easy it was to complete once she understood what needed to be done. Sue advises that taking your time during each step is important so as not to miss anything or cause further damage.

It is essential not to rush this process since patience can save you from creating more problems. While fixing your garage door on your own might seem like a cheaper alternative than hiring a professional, an inexperienced person can end up causing substantial damage which could lead to more expensive repairs in the future.

Think of fixing your car; while some people are capable of doing small repairs themselves, such as changing windshield wipers or oil filters, few would try their hands on more significant repairs like transmission repair or engine replacement without prior experience and knowledge.

These steps are simple enough for most homeowners to do themselves if they’re confident and cautious; however, if you are not comfortable with any of the steps or find yourself in a situation where you’re unsure, it’s best to contact a garage door repair professional.

When to Contact a Professional for Garage Door Repair

While fixing bent garage door tracks may seem like an easy enough task, there is always the risk of causing further damage. Below are some warning signs that indicate that it is time to call a professional:

1. If your garage door seems to be off-balance and does not open or close smoothly.

2. If there is visible damage to the actual garage door, such as cracks or holes.

3. If your garage door shows signs of wear and tear due to age, and you haven’t kept up with regular maintenance thoughts like lubrication.

Attempting to repair significant damage without proper skills can cause even more problems such as safety hazards, damaging other parts, producing unnecessary expenses down the line can cost time and money.

David knew his garage door was old, but he was confident he could fix the bent track on his own. Unfortunately for him, he ended up making matters worse and had to hire professionals to fix the mess he created. The resulting costs made him realize that at times it’s better to leave it to the experts from the beginning.

While it is understandable that many people want to take care of their home repairs themselves, attempting tasks best suited for certified professionals can cause greater harm than good. It is crucial to understand when a situation demands a professional before causing irreversible destructions.

At CanaDoor Garage Doors, we have many years of experience dealing with different types of garages and providing quality service across Ontario. We offer same-day and emergency services at competitive rates while trusting in our licensed technicians’ expertise who provide explicit solutions to all your garage door needs.

Maintenance Tips to Prevent Garage Door Track Bending

Proper maintenance of your garage door can prevent a bent track from occurring. Neglecting it, however, can cause significant damage to your automatic garage door system that could be costly to repair. Here are some easy maintenance tips to help you avoid future track bending:

Performing Regular Visual Inspections: Take some time at least once a month to inspect the tracks and rollers for dents, bends or flat spots. Also, check for any loose bolts and screws.

Keeping the Tracks Clean: Dirt, debris or rust build-up on tracks can cause friction and resistance, resulting in undue stress on the tracks and rollers. To clean them, wipe them down with a damp cloth and lubricate with silicone spray.

Lubricating the Moving Parts: Not only will it keep things running smoothly, but regular lubrication of hinges, springs and bearings throughout the year will also extend their lifespan. Spray lubricant onto these areas twice yearly.

Balancing the Door: Imbalanced doors can put extra pressure on the tracks and rollers, leading to eventual damage. To check if your doors are balanced properly, disconnect your automatic opener by pulling the release handle while in its down position; with the opener disengaged, bring the garage door up manually halfway. If it remains in place when you let go then it is aligned correctly.

Protecting Against Extreme Weather: Temperature fluctuations can lead to metal contracting and expanding which can put too much strain on tracks and roller systems. You may protect against extreme temperature shifts by insulating air vents and sealing drafts as this will create an even temperature environment that keeps metal temperatures consistent all year round.

By following these simple maintenance tricks and conducting a visual inspection of your entire system regularly basis, will help diminish problems such as denting, bending and even breakage of tracks. Proper maintenance is the key to getting the most out of your garage door to minimize the need for costly repairs or full replacements.

• Regular maintenance of your garage door is crucial to prevent a bent track from occurring, which could result in costly repairs. By performing visual inspections, keeping the tracks clean, lubricating moving parts, balancing the door, and protecting against extreme weather, you can reduce damage to your automatic garage door system. Proper maintenance is the key to getting the most out of your garage door and minimizing the need for costly repairs or full replacements.