Garage door wobbling as it goes down
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2,530 Posts
Nil,
Start out like already mentioned and slowly move the door up and down by hand. Check each of the rollers and make sure you don't have a worn out one, it'll be easy to spot if you do. When you have a single width door like that with side extension springs, it is critical that the spring tension is balanced so one side isn't pulling harder than the other. It'll make the door crab walk on the way down, side to side. Also check the track closely and make sure the door isn't binding on the track. The track is closest to the door at the bottom. It widens out as it goes up.
Mike Hawkins:smile:
Start out like already mentioned and slowly move the door up and down by hand. Check each of the rollers and make sure you don't have a worn out one, it'll be easy to spot if you do. When you have a single width door like that with side extension springs, it is critical that the spring tension is balanced so one side isn't pulling harder than the other. It'll make the door crab walk on the way down, side to side. Also check the track closely and make sure the door isn't binding on the track. The track is closest to the door at the bottom. It widens out as it goes up.
Mike Hawkins:smile:
Hi Everyone. Thanks for the suggestions. I did move the door manually and it does move but not very freely; that's is... it is not smooth.
About the roller... I checked the rollers in the track and there seems to be plenty of space between the roller and track. Rollers are spinning and are not getting stuck. The rollers are all metal.
Here a few pictures and a another video that I took this morning:
I noticed that this bolt has play on it. A quick inspection on the other door revealed the same play but other door does not have similar issues.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ffguq57xozjd51e/Photo%20Jan%2007%2C%209%2001%2036%20AM.jpg?dl=0
Door disengaged:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bscou4msvu5xi8n/Photo Jan 07, 9 02 30 AM.jpg?dl=0
Right upper track - it's NOT bent; picture was taken as pano on iphone:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1x3pe73v6levcio/Photo Jan 07, 9 03 36 AM.jpg?dl=0
Left upper track - it's NOT bent; picture was taken as pano on iphone:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/isi35myhiktqazd/Photo Jan 07, 9 03 47 AM.jpg?dl=0
Finally the video showing the up and down motions:
Suggestions please and thanks in advance!
About the roller... I checked the rollers in the track and there seems to be plenty of space between the roller and track. Rollers are spinning and are not getting stuck. The rollers are all metal.
Here a few pictures and a another video that I took this morning:
I noticed that this bolt has play on it. A quick inspection on the other door revealed the same play but other door does not have similar issues.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ffguq57xozjd51e/Photo%20Jan%2007%2C%209%2001%2036%20AM.jpg?dl=0
Door disengaged:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bscou4msvu5xi8n/Photo Jan 07, 9 02 30 AM.jpg?dl=0
Right upper track - it's NOT bent; picture was taken as pano on iphone:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1x3pe73v6levcio/Photo Jan 07, 9 03 36 AM.jpg?dl=0
Left upper track - it's NOT bent; picture was taken as pano on iphone:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/isi35myhiktqazd/Photo Jan 07, 9 03 47 AM.jpg?dl=0
Finally the video showing the up and down motions:
Suggestions please and thanks in advance!
Joined
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16,407 Posts
It seems to me in the vid it works smoother under tension (up) than under compression (down).
Check the rails for parallel, especially on the vertical section where the jerking seems prominent.
Check springs for equal tension. Spring tension isn't very important until the door is in its last half of closing. Space between coils of the 2 springs should be close to equal when the door is closed.
Lube all spindles, rollers, rotating parts and chain with aerosol silicone lubricant using the straw so it gets to the place it's needed.
Check the rails for parallel, especially on the vertical section where the jerking seems prominent.
Check springs for equal tension. Spring tension isn't very important until the door is in its last half of closing. Space between coils of the 2 springs should be close to equal when the door is closed.
Lube all spindles, rollers, rotating parts and chain with aerosol silicone lubricant using the straw so it gets to the place it's needed.
OK - checked the vertical part of the tracks. On the right side the inside track is bending towards the right. Please see pic. I have noticed this before but not sure if this would the issue.
How would I replace this part of the track - it's riveted. I cannot replace with a small bolt and washer otherwise it'll catch on the wheel.
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How would I replace this part of the track - it's riveted. I cannot replace with a small bolt and washer otherwise it'll catch on the wheel.
Joined
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2,372 Posts
As you are in the garage looking out, it appears from your video, the problem is with the left track about a foot down from the bend to go horizontal.
As for the right side you identified as bowing out, you may be able to adjust the bracket in to remove the bow, or even add another bracket
As for the right side you identified as bowing out, you may be able to adjust the bracket in to remove the bow, or even add another bracket
Joined
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2,585 Posts
Agree with ^^^. Check you left track and rollers. Right side damage is being caused when the door binds and shifts right.
Joined
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16,407 Posts
Drill the rivets out and loosen the screw in that bracket. Re-rivet and tighten the screw in a position that allows the wheels to move free in that area. Those heavy black marks inside that track indicate a problem there.
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16,407 Posts
Maybe you are seeing an adjustment to keep the wheels from riding hard in the bottom of the channel that I don't see. I'm not from MO but show me before criticizing.
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2,530 Posts
SS,
Those brackets are riveted on for a reason. They dictate how far the track stands off of the wall. The track is closest to the wall at the bottom, furthest from the wall at the top. The track is closest together, side to side, at the bottom, splayed a little bit further apart as they go up. The whole track system is designed to act as a funnel. When the door is up, the funnel shape guides it down and as it gets closer towards the bottom, it settles in so it covers the opening by just touching. The door roller brackets on each side also space the door out. The bottom roller is right next to the door, the top most roller is spaced out according to the thickness of the door. This is all done so when the door starts moving up from the closed position, it immediately pulls itself away from the wall so it isn't rubbing on the door jambs.
So to get back to your show me question, those rivets should not be removed. That is not for an on site adjustment. The only adjustment is at the other end of the bracket where the slot is and the lag bolt. Loosen up the lag and you can move the track in and out.
Mike Hawkins:smile:
Joined
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2,530 Posts
Nilan,
One other thought I had. I had this happen on a door recently. The roller shafts were binding up a bit in the bracket where they're are mounted. I lubed each shaft using an aerosol garage door lube, which is available at the big box stores. It cured the problem. The roller needed to move in and out freely as the door moved up and down. It would bind up then suddenly release causing a jerky motion and a bang.
The other option, and I would do this if they were mine as I don't like side extension springs, is to change the spring system out to a torsion spring setup with a shaft, drums, cables and a torsion spring. You have plenty of headroom above the door opening to do this, takes about 14" of space. The door would travel up and down smoothly without doing what it's doing now.
Mike Hawkins:smile:
One other thought I had. I had this happen on a door recently. The roller shafts were binding up a bit in the bracket where they're are mounted. I lubed each shaft using an aerosol garage door lube, which is available at the big box stores. It cured the problem. The roller needed to move in and out freely as the door moved up and down. It would bind up then suddenly release causing a jerky motion and a bang.
The other option, and I would do this if they were mine as I don't like side extension springs, is to change the spring system out to a torsion spring setup with a shaft, drums, cables and a torsion spring. You have plenty of headroom above the door opening to do this, takes about 14" of space. The door would travel up and down smoothly without doing what it's doing now.
Mike Hawkins:smile:
Hi everyone!
First of all thank you so much for all your helpful suggestions and direction. I would have never thought to check the rollers on the left side since I saw the lower right side track is a little skewed. My brain was stuck looking on the right side only.
One of the upper left roller was binding up. I meticulously reapplied the lube (Blaster Garage Door Lubricant from Lowe's) to all parts of the rollers that move. Also applied lube to the upper part of the track and the rollers that the braided cables rides on.
After that door was much better.
I went ahead reduced the slop on the chain since it was sagging about 1" below the T-rail. And I also replaced the spring on both sides.
Anyways here is a video of the door in operation now. Please see video:
That was amazing... just posting a few pictures and videos and getting a resolve from every one. Thanks for coming together.
Many thanks!
~Nilanjan
First of all thank you so much for all your helpful suggestions and direction. I would have never thought to check the rollers on the left side since I saw the lower right side track is a little skewed. My brain was stuck looking on the right side only.
One of the upper left roller was binding up. I meticulously reapplied the lube (Blaster Garage Door Lubricant from Lowe's) to all parts of the rollers that move. Also applied lube to the upper part of the track and the rollers that the braided cables rides on.
After that door was much better.
I went ahead reduced the slop on the chain since it was sagging about 1" below the T-rail. And I also replaced the spring on both sides.
Anyways here is a video of the door in operation now. Please see video:
That was amazing... just posting a few pictures and videos and getting a resolve from every one. Thanks for coming together.
Many thanks!
~Nilanjan
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