As unusual as it may seem, an off-track garage door is actually a common repair that SACS garage door professionals deal with all the time. There are several reasons your garage door may have come off its tracks, including: 

• A broken cable 
• A bent or broken track 
• Worn or broken rollers 
• Loose or gunked up tracks
• Damaged garage door panels
• Loose hinges or hardware

One thing to avoid is trying to fix this issue yourself, as the garage door can collapse on you if it is off its track. That is a potentially deadly risk! Please give us a call and let one of our expert repair people come out to assess the situation and provide you with a quote. We may even be able to come out the same day as your call.

How Do I Know There’s a Problem with My Garage Door’s Rails?

There are some signs your garage door’s tracks are asking you for help:

• The garage door looks crooked.
• The garage door makes a grinding sound when used.
• The opener has trouble lifting and lowering the door.
• The garage door tends to get stuck at a certain point during lifting/lowering.
• There’s a visible gap between the rollers and the track.

There are a number of reasons you might need to repair your garage door’s tracks:

• The track has become warped from weathering.
• The track is bent or cracked.
• The garage door’s rollers have jumped the track.
• The track’s wall anchors have come loose.

Is Repairing a Garage Door Track Ever Safe to DIY?

You’ll find a bunch of YouTube videos of people putting their garage door back on track themselves. And, honestly, replacing a few rollers is something you can do yourself, so long as you know how to safely secure your garage door while doing the repair. If your garage door is minorly misaligned, the rollers need replaced, the tracks are dirty, or there is a simple bend in the track, you can usually do this yourself:

• With the door closed, use the red cord to manually disengage it from the garage door opener.
• With a ladder on-hand, lift the garage door up halfway – or past the bend, if that’s the issue.
• Put the ladder underneath the door, and secure on either side by placing clamps on the tracks.
• 4a. If you need to get the garage door back in the track, use pliers to carefully open the track just enough to fit them through. Once the rollers are in their proper place, carefully bend the track into its original position.
• 4b. If you need to unbend the track, use pliers to get the track back into its original shape.
• 4c. If the rollers need replaced, use the pliers to carefully open the track to access the rollers. Switch the old ones out for new ones (found at hardware/home stores). If you’re replacing metal rollers, it’s best to switch to nylon.
• 4d. If the track is gunked up and/or surface rust is starting to accumulate, use a bit of WD-40 and a mircrofiber cloth to loosen any debris or coatings. Wipe with a damp cloth to remove all WD-40 once the track is clean.
• After everything is back where it’s supposed to be, lubricate the rollers.
• Re-engage the door to the opener and run the “open” cycle. Now you can remove the clamps and the ladder.

You should be good to go!

More Complicated Track Problems Require Professional Help

But if it’s a broken cable or messed up track, it’s better to call us. Actually, when your overhead door jumps its tracks or becomes crooked and unbalanced, it’s better to stop using it ASAP and call us, period. A garage door needs to be perfectly balanced. When it’s not, it puts undue wear and tear on various parts of the garage door. This will eventually lead to several other broken parts, and even a door so far gone you need another one installed. 

Garage door professionals can realign and balance your garage door in no time, though, so play it safe and give us a call when your garage door is crooked, scraping as it opens and closes, or you notice any other abnormal things about its operation.

Sacramento-Area Garage Door Installation, Repair & MaintenanceGarage door off track in the Sacramento area? We are here to help you get your garage door functioning at its optimal capacity once again – we’ll come out to your business or your home to help ensure that your garage door is working safely and efficiently for your needs. Serving all of Greater Sacramento with the best in garage door repair services, we’re here to help with everything from broken tracks to opener installation to garage door panel repairs, and much more. Schedule an appointment today!