Bent Track

The tracks of a garage door are necessary to keep the door aligned correctly and allow it to move smoothly. If the track gets bent, this movement is impeded and the door will not open properly. When this happens, it is important to leave the door alone and call a professional garage door company.

Possible Causes:

Several things can cause a garage door track to bend, and they usually involve other parts of the door mechanism. Here are some common problems that often include the bending of a garage door’s track:

Broken Cable

A garage door has two cables, one on each side. When a cable breaks, that side of the door has no support. Any attempt to raise the door at this point will pull the opposite side up, bending the track and making the door jam.

Breaking or Jamming of the Cable Drum Connection

The cable drum is the metal spool around which the cable is wound. If one of these fails to turn properly, that side of the door will lack support, resulting in the same damage as a broken cable.

Insufficient Lubrication on the Rollers

This will slow or stop the turning of the rollers, making one side stop moving while the other side tries to keep moving. The resulting tension can bend the track and cause further damage to the door and cables.

Damage From Salt or Other Chemicals

In some areas, salt spray or industrial fumes get into garages and cause metals to break down. This inevitably strikes all metal parts and can deteriorate the jambs, footings and tracks of a garage door.

Age

Nothing lasts forever, and even the best tracks will show damage in time. A visible inspection of the mechanism will reveal rust or bending that might cause further damage if left uncorrected.

Hit by Car

Did you back into your track? Don’t worry, you are not alone! This is a common cause for garage door track replacement.

Since damage to one part of the door often stems from a problem with other parts of the mechanism, it is important not to try to force a malfunctioning door to open or close. If it jams in an open or partly closed position, people and objects should be kept out from under it. Faulty garage doors can drop suddenly, posing a serious danger to anyone underneath.