Loud – Squealing – Screeching
Garage Door Rollers
Can drive a homeowner Crazy…
Every Garage door has them and most people don’t know what they are or what to call them. It’s the part of the garage door that helps it go up and down everyday.
What I’m talking about are Garage Door Rollers or “Wheels”. There are several different kinds of rollers for a garage door, nylon (plastic) rollers, 7 ball bearing steel rollers, 10 ball bearing steel rollers and 11 ball bearing neoprene rollers. Garage door rollers are an intrical part of a working garage door in that if they are not “rolling” damage can happen to the garage door as well as the garage door opener.
A frequently asked question is, How do I maintain the garage door rollers and How do I know when it’s time to replace them?
There is no simple answer, ask yourself, How often do I use the garage door on a daily basis? Most homeowners use their garage door on an average of two to four times every day. More if they have children or work out of the home. Lubricating them quarterly is recommended.
I am sure you change the oil in your car on a regular basis right? If you don’t, the vehicle will eventually start to have repair problems that can be costly. A little maintenance can go a long way. The same is true with your garage door and it’s parts.
How can you tell when it’s time to replace
the garage door rollers or “wheels”?
The “wheel” will be wobbling, squealing, dragging and/or rubbing up and down the track. It’s now time to replace them with better quality garage door rollers and extend the life of your garage door and garage door opener. The homeowner can replace the rollers on their own with a little instruction. Better quality rollers will last a long time with lubrication and maintenance.
Taking just 5 minutes to lubricate the rollers every three to four months will add years to the life of your garage door.
A brief explanation below will help tell the difference between the rollers.
Nylon (plastic) rollers are like a match box car. They have a metal shaft with a piece of plastic for the wheels. Over time the wheels stop rolling and they start to drag or “squeal”. When your garage door “wheels” drag on the track it puts a lot of undue wear and tear on your garage door opener. Sometimes when the “Wheels” are dragging flat spots will form on the roller making an awful sound when the garage door goes up and down. Builder grade garage doors frequently come with this type of roller.
7 BB (*Ball Bearing) steel rollers are like the old time roller skates that we used to strap over our tennis shoes. (Ok I am dating myself!) They wear out quickly and sometimes within six months of the garage door moving up and down. Builder grade garage doors often come with this type of roller because they are very “inexpensive”.
10 BB (*Ball Bearing) steel rollers have been used for many years and are usually still in good shape. They have ten small ball bearings rolling inside the “Wheel” up and down the track when your door is opening and closing. They are a great “Wheel” and last a long time if they are maintained properly. They need to be lubricated to keep the ball bearings rolling instead of dragging. These rollers are mostly replacement rollers after a garage door has had some problems and a service technician recommends to replace them.
11 BB (*Ball Bearing) steel neoprene rollers are like inline skates. They are very quiet rolling up and down the track. They are a great “Wheel” and will be like the 10 BB steel roller with no noise, they need to be lubricated with a garage door spray made specifically for garage doors. These rollers only come with brand new garage doors from some garage door companies. Not all companies use these type of rollers, several of them will use 10 BB steel rollers.
Now that you understand what a garage door roller is and the types that are available, the next question would be…
How do you lubricate your garage door rollers?
It is recommended if a product like WD40 is used – to use that at least once a month to keep everything lubricated properly. Spraying the rollers, hinges and big torsion spring located above your garage door is recommended. WD40 is a great product, it just doesn’t last long on garage door parts because it is made to displace water not lubricate parts or use a lubricant specifically designed for a garage door.
DO NOT USE ANY LITHIUM TYPE SPRAY!
Lithium will attract dirt, debris and overtime will stick to the tracks. When that happens the garage door will not roll up or down properly.
The best lubricant to use on a garage door has No Silicone and a penetrating oil to truly lubricate the garage door parts such as rollers, hinges and the big torsion spring located above the garage door. Lubricate your garage door quarterly to get the most life out of it.
Save the life of your Garage Door!
If you need your Garage Door Repair or Replacement Contact us today at A1 Affordable Garage Door Repair Services. We Service Plano and surroudning areas like The Colony, Sasche, Wylie and More!
*A ball bearing – The rolling part is a ball, which rolls between inner and outer rings called races. The balls are held by a cage, which keeps them evenly spaced around the races. In addition to these parts, there are a lot of optional parts for special bearings, like seals to keep oil or grease in and dirt out, or Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Ball-Bearing.html#ixzz3PIwzlUCb
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