Why do you have a bent garage door track?

Tracks are responsible for keeping the garage door in place. It also carries the rollers that are responsible for opening or closing a door.

With bent garage door tracks, you need to consider repairing or replacing them. However, it depends upon the type of damage incurred on the tracks that can determine the possible solution.

Reasons why your garage door track might be bent

Bends on your garage door track are common when there is a lot of movement, and the vertical track that attaches to the wall becomes misaligned. Due to frequent usage, the parts wear out, requiring immediate repair.

While you may also accidentally hit the track with lawn equipment or a car, causing the brackets to bend – which can prevent the door rollers from operating freely.

Other reasons may include:

• Obstructions like dirt and sand can hinder the door’s operation by preventing the rollers and cables from moving. The tension thus created can also bend the tracks.
• Broken Cables: Sometimes, one cable out of the two that connect the sides of the door can snap or break.  It can cause one side of the door to halt, and when you try to open such a door forcefully, you can end up bending the track.
• In many garage doors, there is a metal spool around which the cable is rolled up. If the spool is damaged or malfunctions, one side of the door will become immobile and cause a bend in the track.
• Insufficient lubrication on the rollers can also slow their movement, which will eventually cause one side of the door to stop functioning altogether. The resulting tension can also create a bend in the track or cause damage to the door cables.
• Certain chemicals like industrial salt sprays or even salty rain can damage your garage door track. Such chemicals can react with the metal panels and damage them over time.
• Lastly, your garage door track can also deteriorate on its own with time. Make sure you lubricate all the parts to prevent any dust and rust from accumulating.

Bent garage door track? Here’s what you can do:

Your garage door track is just marginally bent? You can straighten the bent parts and ensure all bolts are holding the tracks together.

In most cases, you can repair your garage door if the damage is minimal or if the track has slightly misaligned.

However, the track may need a replacement if it is severely twisted or develop cracks. To completely replace the garage door track, you should call a repair technician.

Always remember that doing all by yourself can further damage your garage door track – an expert, however, can also figure out the best technique to remove, repair, or replace a deteriorated part.