Garage door maintenance?

[NewShockerGuy]

Well I decided to start addressing some issues with my fiance's garage/door.

Idiot me I greased the garage door rails/tracks then I googled it and everyone is saying NOT to grease them...lol

Just wondering what maintance everyone does and or what's recommended. Did I screw up the rails/tracks by greaseing them? Should I take a rag now and take as much grease off the inside tracks? I opened it and closed the door after greasing and it was actually a lot smoother and a little quieter..go figure.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[onething]

I think the guy who recently repaired mine said the greased tracks collect dirt and crud. I'd clean them NOW.

 

[trbomax]

The wheels have ball bearings in them and as such rely on friction against the tracks to turn instead of skidding,so lube on the tracks is counter productive. n aresol can with a snout can be used to shoot lube into the wheel bearings and hinges. The one thing that should be lubed is the tortion springs. If they cannot slide freely against themselves (the coils) they will bind and the lift torque will not be equal from side to side.While you are up there shoot some into the bearings on the cross shaft too.

 

[Sr. WiNdTeCh]

I'm glad my garage door isn't torsion springs... those look like a pain to install and repair. I greased my rails and lubed my roller shafts, as they aren't ball bearings I feel I needed to grease my track. My garage door is happy and only a 1/2hp on a 16x7 insulated steel door and it has no issues.

 

[roboref]

The installer that installed my garage door last year said absolutely no lube on rollers or tracks but some grease on torsion spring should be apllied annually. It is however killing me to not lube it!

 

[trbomax]

Hmm,gues I'm out of touch,didnt know they still used coil springs and sleeve bearing wheels!I'm not sure I would put any petroleum product on the plastic bushing ones,might be the end of them.

On the tortion springs,just grease on the outside wont do the trick. This is best done when the door is open so there is less tension on them and the lube can penetrate between the coils. I use cycle chain lube,goes on and in thin,solvent flashes off and the grease is in between everything where it needs to be.

 

[Sr. WiNdTeCh]

It's even a brand new garage door from menards.... I don't mind the bushings tho, the garage door I tore out was an old wooden one, it also had the same roller/spring setup.