How to Fix a Garage Door That’s Off its Tracks

Automatic garage doors can be surprisingly complex devices. When they get out of adjustment, the door can become jammed partially open or refuse to open at all. This can lead to a difficult situation if you are unable to lock your home, or unable to get your car in or out of the garage. Luckily, the diagnosis and repair of a garage door that’s off its tracks is a fairly simple process.

Determine the Side of the Garage Door That’s Off its Tracks

Most garage doors share a similar mechanism. When looking from the inside, there will be a pair of tracks with skateboard-like wheels running through it. Often, the cause of an off-track garage door is that the track has gotten slightly bent, or the wheels have come out of the track. Therefore, the first step is to ascertain which side is causing the issue.

Locate the Jammed Wheels

After you have determined which side is jammed, look at the guide wheels of the mechanism. Most garage doors will have either one or two sets of wheels per panel. Typically, one of these wheels jumping the track will be the cause of your issue. When you locate the wheel, make sure it is sitting square with the door and that the wheel spins freely. If it does, then you can begin to put the door back in its track.

Gently Relocate the Wheels and Test the Operation

Using a small pry bar or a rubber mallet, gently apply pressure to the off-track wheels until they pop back into the track. This may require a fair amount of force, so be careful. If you find you need more help, look to a reputable Visalia garage door repair professional. Once you have the wheels back in track, carefully inspect each track to see if it has become bent or crooked. The tracks themselves may need adjustment to prevent further issues.

After the wheels are back in their tracks, you should be good to go. Test the operation of the garage door manually first, and then using the automatic mechanism while watching the wheels for any signs of binding. After that, you’re done!