Signs Your Garage Door’s Tracks Are a Little Bit Off-Kilter

Every time your garage door opens or closes, it glides along the track on a set of rollers. The track has to be set to exact measurements in order for the door to precisely open and close. Even a slight misalignment could result in the door suddenly stopping, jerking or reversing its direction. Understanding the signs that the tracks are slightly off-kilter allows you to arrange for a swift garage track repair before the situation gets worse.

Rubbing Sounds

Listen to your garage door as it goes up or down on the tracks. Try to take note if there are any positions where the sounds that the door makes are different. If you hear a rubbing sound, this suggests that the rollers are encountering more friction at that spot. The friction is likely due to a slight misalignment of the track at that specific location.

Change in Door Speed

While watching the garage door move along its tracks, look for a change in speed. If the door seems to slow down at a particular spot, this is another sign that the track has a slight misalignment. Notice whether the door speeds back up again or if it remains at the slower speed as it completes the opening or closing process.

Gaps Between Rollers and the Rail

Look closely at the garage door as its rollers move along the rails of the track. The rollers should make full contact with the rails. If there is a gap at any point in the movement of the rollers along the tracks, there could be a misalignment at that location. Try to pinpoint the location where the gap is located between the roller and rail. Observe both sides to see if the gap happens on both tracks.