Garage Door Repair

DIY Garage Door Repair Videos

Here are some tips to help you work on your garage door safely and to get the job done right. These are our "Tech Tips" videos shot live from our in-house training seminars here in West Chicago. Many of these have a narrow focus. It's also important to remember that proper safety precautions should be taken at all times when working on garage door systems. If you doubt your ability to complete a job safely, consider calling a professional. Safety first, then work!

Cable Installation

Cable installations can initially appear to be tricky. I remember one DIYer who removed his whole garage door in trying to reinstall one of the cables. You can follow a simple procedure to avoid the DIYer's mistake. In fact, this can be one of the quickest repairs to make to your garage door. I can usually do it while holding my breath, which irks the customer because of the service fee. Take a hint from the pros and follow our tutorials.

If your garage door uses standard torsion springs, follow our video on how to replace your garage door cables for a standard torsion spring door.

If your garage door uses TorqueMaster torsion springs, follow our video on how to replace your garage door cables for a Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster System.

For extension spring systems, they need safety cables, so follow our video on how to replace your garage door extension spring safety cables.

Commercial Cable Replacement

The following PDFs are instructions for replacing commercial garage door cables in different situations a repair person may encounter in the field.

For replacing commercial cables with an operator, follow our instructions (PDF) for a 22' X 14' door stuck open with cables off and center-mount jackshaft operator, inside lift.

For replacing commercial cables with no operator, follow these instructions (PDF) for a 10' X 10' dock door with no operator, outside lift.

Bottom Roller Replacement

Although the roller replacement may look pretty nasty, this is a really quick job. Caution! This can be a very dangerous job if done incorrectly, however, so follow the warnings carefully!

To replace the rollers on the bottom of your door, follow this video on how to replace your bottom fixture garage door rollers.

If you need to replace the other rollers on your door, follow this video on how to replace all of your garage door rollers quickly.

Middle Roller and Hinge Replacement

Have a cracked hinge in the middle of your garage door? Need to replace a roller that's in the middle of your door? There isn't too much to this task, but make sure you follow all of the warnings!

To replace the rollers or hinges on the bottom of your door, follow this video on how to replace your garage door rollers.

If you need to replace the other rollers or hinges on your door, follow this video on how to replace all of your garage door rollers quickly.

Top Roller Replacement

Thanks to the top fixture, you'll have an easy job replacing the rollers at the top of your door.

To replace the rollers on the top of your door, follow this video on how to replace your top fixture garage door rollers.

If you need to replace the other rollers on your door, follow this video on how to replace all of your garage door rollers quickly.

Pulley Replacement

Does your garage door close partway then reopen? Does the door bind and stick? Are there scraping sounds as your door opens and closes? In my 30 years servicing garage doors, I have found these symptoms to be some of the more challenging for do-it-yourselfers to diagnose. One major cause of failure for garage doors using extension springs is that the pulleys wear out.

End Bearing Plate Replacement

It's late Saturday morning and your coffee is cold. You're halfway finished replacing your garage door torsion springs, and you just discovered that your end bearing is shot. Or, you've greased every moving part of your door, and you still have a loud annoying squeak when the door is running. Then, when searching for the cause, you find this seized bearing. That's no problem, though, as this can wait.

End Bearing Replacement

Sometimes customers prefer to keep the same end bearing plate and replace only the bearings. With just a few parts found in many garages, you can keep that older, heavier end bearing plate and replace only the bearings.

How to Assemble Garage Door Strut Kits

Garage door struts reinforce door sections, preventing them from bending or breaking. They also aid in the smooth opening and closing of the door. If the sections are not rigid, the garage door will bind as it opens and closes.

How to Install Garage Door Strut Kits

Garage door struts stiffen door sections to prevent them from bending or breaking. They also allow the door to open and close smoothly.

Bottom Section Replacement

Of all the sections in garage doors, replacement of the bottom section occurs most often. Since this section is closest to the garage floor, it absorbs the most amount of water and is eaten more frequently by little critters.

If your door has an inside lift, follow these instructions (PDF) for wood flush door bottom section app. 12' wide with center-mount jackshaft operator - includes scribing with an inside lift.

If your door has an outside lift, follow these instructions (PDF) for wood flush door bottom section app. 12' wide, with center-mount jackshaft operator with an outside lift.