Obnoxious Noise When I Open My Garage Door

[Skeezix]

I have a single-wide garage that consist of horizontal sections, each about 16-18 inches high. The door is opened and closed using one spring wound around a horizontal shaft. A cable on each end of the shaft is attached to the bottom corners of the door to pull it up. The door has rollers on its edges that ride inside a track. The tracks start about an inch above the floor, go up vertically, then curves 90 degrees to a horizontal position and run toward the rear of the garage. An automatic door opener pulls the door up.

The problem is as I open the door it makes an obnoxious noise as the bottom passes around a foot or so from the floor. It doesn't make that noise when I close the door.

The horizontals are level and are the same height above the floor. The verticals are plumb forward/backward and left/right. The vertical sides of the garage opening are plumb and the floor is level. When closed, the bottom rests on the floor, but there is a gap about an inch and a half at the top. When I open the door 7 or 8 inches, the bottom of the door on one side is about 3/4 inch or so higher than on the other side. There aren't any tight places between the rollers and the tracks.

It's as if the top of the door is narrower than the bottom, but all the door sections are evenly aligned on both sides.

I must be missing something but I can't figure out what. Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

[oldognewtrick]

Are the gaps consistent between the rails and the roller bracket? Are the rails loose? Has there always been a gap at the top? Have you ever lubricated the rollers? Is this symptom new?

 

[user 4883]

Fixed one in FL last year, you could hear it at least 2 doors down.
Lubricated the hinges on the door and the roller bearings.
Went through the entire door checking for alignment and loose nuts/bolts on the panels and track.
Sounds like yours could use a tune up/adjustment on the lift cables.
This is best left to the pros, it is seriously dangerous.

 

[Skeezix]

Olddognewtrick -

The gaps between the tracks and the rollers are consistent, and there is movement between them except at the top where the track transitions from vertical to horizontal.

- I checked the tracks and they are not loose.

- I never noticed the gap at the top before, but then again I never looked for that.

- I have never lubed the rollers. They all turn freely and they all have side-to-side play that they had when new all along the tracks except when they are pulled past the transition point.

The left rail (as seen when standing inside the garage) was not installed perpendicular, so I reset it but it didn't help. In fact, the noise worsened a little bit.

Finally, on the left track there is a noticeable knock as one of the rollers moves across the lower transition point. I rechecked that joint but it is perfectly smooth. That noise has been there since installation.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact location of the lower rub because it's rubbing for 6 to 8 inches. If I don't operate the up-down switch just so, the door reverses direction and goes back down.

Same for the noise at the transition point.

Frustrating!

Thanks for your tips, they were helpful.

 

[oldognewtrick]

I'd start by lubricating every point that moves. Also the trolley and rail that moves the door.