Author Topic: Fixing a crooked garage door  (Read 610 times)

Jwolfe

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Fixing a crooked garage door
« on: January 06, 2021, 01:06:35 PM »
How would one go about fixing a crooked garage door. If the gap was at the bottom I would probably just buy a larger bottom seal. However I believe due the gap is actually at the top corner. I believe this is from some major settling that happened with our home before ever moving in. Suggestions?

Jwolfe

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Re: Fixing a crooked garage door
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2021, 01:12:59 PM »
I'm having trouble uploading a photo from my phone but will do so when I get home from work. You'll see in the photo that the roller on one side is extending to almost the end of its length (where the gap is in the garage door) and the roller on the other side is compressing into the sleeve.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Fixing a crooked garage door
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2021, 06:25:08 PM »
That sounds like the two cables supporting the door do not have the same tension.  You'll need to increase the tension in the cable on the side where the rollers are pushed all the way in.  It doesn't take much.  This can be really easy or a bit harder, depending on what kind of spring/cable setup you have.

Jwolfe

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Re: Fixing a crooked garage door
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2021, 09:45:26 PM »
Attached: Photos

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Fixing a crooked garage door
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2021, 06:27:59 AM »
Does your garage door use extension springs, or torsion springs?

lthenderson

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Re: Fixing a crooked garage door
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2021, 08:08:57 AM »
It is really hard to make a diagnosis only seeing two of the four corners. I don't know if the entire door is simply shifted towards one side or twisted in the opening.

Some things to check out: Do a visual inspection of the springs. I have had them wear out and break a couple times over the years and when one side does that, the door immediately becomes twisted in place and is hard if not impossible to open. I would also put a level on the headers and jack studs of your garage opening and verify things are plumb and level to help diagnose if settling is an issue. When residing my house a few years back, things weren't lining up around the garage door and I threw a level on it only to find out that there was a three inch difference in height from one side to the other. I ended up jacking up the low side of the garage to get things plumb and then my garage door which worked but didn't seal really well before suddenly sealed very tightly.