Garage door tracks guide the rollers on each side of the door. They run straight up the sides of the opening and curve at the top, then continue back toward the ceiling. The tracks must be straight, level with each other and firmly fixed to the wall and ceiling brackets for the door to move evenly.
Signs of a track problem include a door that rattles or catches at the curve, rollers that pop out, a visible dent or bend, a gap between the door and the track, bolts or brackets that have worked loose, and a door that looks crooked as it moves. A track that has been bumped by a vehicle often looks fine from a distance, so check both sides.
From the floor, with the door closed, you can look along each track and compare the two sides. Check for dents, for a track that seems pushed away from the wall and for debris or dried grease in the track. Do not loosen or tighten track bolts yourself while the door is up. The brackets are part of what holds the door and its tension in place.
Do not hit a bent track with a hammer and do not keep running the door. A door that moves along a damaged track can twist, and the opener can strain or fail. If the door is off its track, the Off Track Garage Door Repair page applies as well.
When you call, your call is connected to an independent local service provider. Say which side looks wrong, what the door does and what you noticed first. Ask what the visit includes and for the price before work starts.
How it works
- 1
Stop running the door
A door moving along a bent track can twist or jam.
- 2
Look from the floor
With the door closed, compare both tracks for dents, gaps and loose brackets.
- 3
Call and describe it
Say which side looks wrong. Ask what the visit includes and for the price before work starts.