Loud Garage Doors

[barnjunkie]

I have 3 garage doors and one of them goes up and down so quietly it makes me smile. As for the other two... they are loud, clunky, squeak, and creak. I have adjusted chain tensions, lubricated, and tried everything I know to quiet them down. They are only two years old and I think it has more to do with the installation that was originally done rather than the quality of the doors.

I have considered trying to manipulate the rails to try to help them. Is there something I am missing to fix this issue.

 

[CKS1955]

Have you lubricated the torsion springs? I usually do mine twice a year, it helps with the noise.

Jay

 

[Rockcam]

Newer doors have plastic (nylon?) wheels, which take away a lot of noise. Not sure if you can retrofit them.

I've found the opener also contributes quite a bit to noise. Try manually operating the door, which will help you isolate the source. I've had three of the Liftmaster jacks haft openers, which are super quiet. Also no track or chain, so less to go wrong.

 

[barnjunkie]

You know, I did not think about that. Good suggestions, these wheels are steel and don't appear to have bushings. I know a guy at the machine shop down the road that could make a few on a lathe if there are certain ones that are causing the noise(if I can't order them).

I think these are cheap doors, so I may have to improvise.

 

[wildbill23c]

You can retrofit the newer nylon rollers to your doors, you just need to know the size and length. There really isn't any way to quiet a chain or screw drive opener. Your best option if you want quiet would be the wall mount direct drive unit, or a belt drive.

I know Home Depot used to carry a few different garage door parts as well as the rollers. Might check them out. I think Lowes would probably be about the same as well. If all else fails you could always contact a local door installer.

Here's a link from the HD site for the nylon rollers, in a 2/pk. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...2-Pack-5020A20/202088361?N=5yc1vZbdofZ1z0vab4

 

[bescurred]

A buddy of mine installs garage doors and told me to lube everything that's metal with liquid wrench...not WD40...

Before he serviced mine it sounded like a WWII tank. After its a lot better.

 

[wildbill23c]

There's actually a garage door lubricant available, it has white lithium grease in it. Home Depot Sells it, and I'm sure other big box stores do as well.

 

[rmmiller]

I have the same issue in a house that is almost three years old, one door is quiet-ish and the other will wake the dead. I attribute it to two things, size of door and different openers.

 

[Jagmandave]

I bought 2 complete sets of those nylon rollers off amazon for a buck each - made some difference, but not as much as you're think. I needed them anyway, some of mine had lost their "marbles".

Make sure your opener is square to the door, and everything moves freely.

Mine was off a few degrees.....

 

[wildbill23c]

Check to be sure the tracks are lined up with each other on both sides, and check to be sure there is enough room for the door to move up and down the tracks freely without rubbing on the tracks anywhere. Disconnect your garage door opener, operate the door through its full up and down cycle by hand. A properly adjusted garage door should not require much force to move by hand in both directions. Also, the door shouldn't try to spring open or closed at any point. If any of those conditions exist you need to have your door adjusted otherwise you'll always have a bunch of noise. Check the tension on the door opener's chain if there's too much or not enough tension it can cause excessive noise.

 

[St-rider]

I've had good luck with ball bearing nylon rollers like these.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003AKF4EE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Good price too.

 

[Criss]

Lube as said above, absolutely oil the torsion spring. I use some mobil 1 oil in a squirting can, oil with door closed and again with the door up.