You probably don’t think about your garage door much until you hit a snag. In most cases, getting stuck with your garage door means it’s time to call in a pro. But there are some do-it-yourself fixes that are more accessible than others. Fixing a latching issue or crooked tracks is something even novice DIYers can handle with the right tools and know-how. If your garage door won’t close because one of its wheels has come off track, you’re not alone — it’s a very common problem. Luckily, fixing it is an easy process that shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes from start to finish. Below, we share some tips on how to put garage door wheel back on track and get back up and running again before you know it.
Step 1: Find Out Whether the Track is Actually Broken
First and foremost, you should check whether or not the track itself is broken, or if it’s just that one of the wheels is not sitting properly. You can often fix the problem by manually repositioning the wheel itself. If you can’t slide the wheel back into place, or if you know that the track is broken and needs to be fixed, it’s time to move on to the next step. If you’re unsure of whether or not the track itself is broken, you can try lifting the door and seeing if it stays in place. If it does, and you only need to replace the wheel, go ahead and proceed to the next step. If it doesn’t stay in place, or if you can’t lift the door because one or more of the wheels is off the ground, you’ll need to proceed with the next steps.
Step 2: Check Whether the Track’s Hinges Are Operational
If the track itself is broken, but the hinges that hold it up are operational, you can often just remove the track and set it back on the hinges. This is a pretty simple fix, but you’ll first want to make sure the track’s hinges are in good enough shape where you can remove the track. This is an easy fix, but you’ll first want to make sure the track’s hinges are in good enough shape where you can remove the track. This is a pretty simple fix, but you’ll first want to make sure the track’s hinges are in good enough shape where you can remove the track.
Step 3: Reset the Door and Track Synchronization
If you’ve tried to fix the track itself, and the hinges are operational, you might need to reset the synchronization between the track and the door. This means basically resetting the track and the door so they sit evenly together. If you’re not sure how to do this, don’t worry — it’s a pretty simple process. To reset the synchronization, open the garage door and sit the door on the floor. Then, lower the garage door again while holding the end of the track that connects to the door. Once you’ve lowered the door completely, let go of the track and it should reset the synchronization. If it doesn’t, you might need to manually adjust it.
Step 4: Reinstall the Rollers
If you’ve reset the synchronization, and checked the hinges and track for broken parts, it’s time to put the rollers back on the track. This fixes the problem almost every time, so it’s definitely something worth trying. To reinstall the rollers, lift the door up, put the rollers in the track, then lower the door back down again. If the rollers fall out from the track again, you may need to reset the synchronization or try other fixes.
Step 5: Check and Fix The Tracks Again
If you’ve tried all of the above steps and the garage door is still not working properly, it’s time to check the tracks again. The problem could be as simple as a misalignment of the tracks that’s keeping the wheels off the ground. To check and fix the tracks, find the wall mount for the track, sit the track on a flat surface, and use a measuring tape to make sure the tracks are level. Adjust them as necessary, then put the rollers back on the track as described in step 4 above.
Conclusion
Garage doors provide an incredible amount of convenience and security. However, these doors can also be very finicky. If one of the wheels comes off the track on your garage door, you’ll have to spend a few minutes putting it back on track. This can be a relatively easy process, depending on the specific cause of the issue. Whether you’ve discovered that a track is broken or just need to reset the door and track synchronization, there are several DIY fixes that can help you put garage door wheel back on track. You can likely fix the issue in less than 30 minutes using these tips.