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Garage Door Troubleshooting

This page should help you troubleshoot your garage door problems. While many problems that keep the door from opening are caused by broken springs, a lot of other parts could be keeping your door from functioning properly. One of the more difficult problems for Do-It-Yourselfers to diagnose is a worn cable pulley on an extension spring door. There are, of course, many other problems that can keep your garage door from functioning properly.

Click on a problem below to see the possible causes and solutions.

Garage door troubleshooting
  1. Bottom of the door is up on one side
  2. Door closes only if you hold in the push button
  3. Door closes part way and then reverses
  4. Door is cocked
  5. Door is jammed
  6. Door is uneven
  7. Door opens slowly
  8. Door won't close all the way - it is uneven
  9. Door won't close all the way
  10. Door won't open
  11. Door won't stay open
  12. Loud bang before the door quit working
  13. Opener is straining as the door opens
  14. Popping sound as the door operates
  15. Radio controls will open but not close the door
  16. Rear support for the upper track is broken
  17. Scraping sounds
  18. Squeaks

1. Bottom of the door is up on one side

Cause

Frayed torsion spring cable

Frayed extension spring cable

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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2. Door closes only if you hold in the push button

Cause

Misaligned, dirty or defective photo eyes

Solution

Align, clean or replace as needed (See: photo eye prices)



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3. Door closes part way and then reverses

Cause

Broken torsion spring cable

Broken extension spring cable

Close force not properly adjusted

Dry rollers, bearings

Misaligned, dirty or defective photo eyes

Track is bent

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Adjust the force

Lubricate as needed with 3 in 1 motor oil

Align, clean or replace as needed (See: photo eye prices)

Straighten, adjust or replace track (See: track prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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4. Door is cocked

Cause

Broken torsion spring cable

Broken extension spring cable

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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5. Door is jammed

Cause

Broken torsion spring cable

Broken extension spring cable

Track is bent

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Straighten, adjust or replace track (See: track prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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6. Door is uneven

Cause

Broken torsion spring cable

Broken extension spring cable

Broken extension spring

Worn extension spring pulleys

Solution

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace the broken spring (See: extension spring prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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7. Door opens slowly

Cause

Broken torsion spring

Solution

Replace the broken spring (See: torsion spring prices)



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8. Door won't close all the way - it is uneven

Cause

Broken torsion spring cable

Broken extension spring cable

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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9. Door won't close all the way

Cause

Door binds in tracks

Track is bent

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Adjust track spacing or trim molding. Replace any bent hinges.

Straighten, adjust or replace track (See: track prices)

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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10. Door won't open

Cause

Broken torsion spring

Broken extension spring

Track is bent

Solution

Replace the broken torsion spring (See: torsion spring prices)

Replace the broken extension spring (See: extension spring prices)

Straighten, adjust or replace track (See: track prices)



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11. Door won't stay open

Cause

Spring has taken a set

Solution

Adjust spring or springs



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12. Loud bang before the door quit working

Cause

Broken torsion spring

Broken extension spring

Solution

Replace the broken torsion spring (See: torsion spring prices)

Replace the broken extension spring (See: extension spring prices)



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13. Opener is straining as the door opens

Cause

Broken torsion spring

Broken extension spring

Solution

Replace the broken torsion spring (See: torsion spring prices)

Replace the broken extension spring (See: extension spring prices)



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14. Popping sound as the door operates

Cause

Worn rollers

Solution

Replace the worn rollers (See: roller prices)



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15. Radio controls will open but not close the door

Cause

Misaligned, dirty or defective photo eyes

Solution

Align, clean or replace as needed (See: photo eye prices)



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16. Rear support for the upper track is broken

Cause

Broken extension spring

Broken extension spring cable

Solution

Replace the broken extension spring (See: extension spring prices)

Replace the extension spring cable (See: cable prices)



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17. Scraping sounds

Cause

End bearing plate is tilted

Frayed torsion spring cable

Frayed extension spring cable

Misaligned reinforcing strut

Worn extension spring cable pulleys

Solution

Straighten or reinforce the bearing plate as needed. File the shaft and replace the bearing as needed (See: bearing prices)

Replace torsion spring cable (See: cable prices)

Replace extension spring cable (See: cable prices)

Space the strut evenly on the sections

Replace the worn pulleys (See: pulley prices)



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18. Squeaks

Cause

Dry rollers, bearings or hinges

Solution

Lubricate as needed with 3 in 1 motor oil



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Huge inventory of torsion springs for same or next day shipping! Here you will find all you need in the most common sizes of 1 3/4," 2," 2 1/4," and 2 5/8" inside diameter springs. Larger 3 3/4" and 6" inside diameter commercial and industrial springs may require a day or two to ship. You'll also find TorqueMaster Springs, Extension Springs, Self-Storage door springs, steel rolling door springs and springs for one piece single panel doors.

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