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Re: Lubricating garage door components Posted by REM in Seattle [Email]  (#4)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from REM in Seattle) on Sun, 1 Jun 2008 21:27:02
In Reply to: Lubricating garage door components, washaero, Thu, 29 May 2008 13:14:41 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
As a former HOA President, I often wrote "how to" letters to the other condo owners. Here is one for garage doors.
REM in Seattle
2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible; 5-speed; 19,000 miles
1998 Saab 900SET; 5-door; Automatic; 99,000 miles
1984 Saab 900T; 3-door; 5-speed; 242,000 miles (RIP)
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Garage Door Tune-up
Equipment needed:
- Socket wrench set or adjustable wrench
- Dish soap
- Several cloth rags
- Multi-purpose spray lubricant (White lithium spray grease is traditionally used but dries out in only a year or two. However Teflon-fortified lubricants work better and last much longer. I recommend “Super Lube Multi-Purpose Synthetic Lubricant” made by Synco Chemical Corporation, a spray synthetic grease with PTFE (Teflon) available locally at Tacoma Screw, or “DuPont Performance Multi-Use Lubricant” available at Lowe’s home center.)
- Silicone spray lubricant or WD-40 (available at any home center.)
- Step ladder
NOTE: THESE STEPS SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE DOOR DISCONNECTED FROM THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER BY USING THE EMERGENCY RELEASE HANDLE.
1) Because your door moves, over time the hardware can loosen. Inspect and gently tighten all the door hinges, roller brackets, and the bolts that hold the roller tracks to the support brackets. Then use a damp rag with a little dish soap to wipe the roller tracks clean both inside and out.
2) Next check that the garage door rollers are all functioning and in good condition. As the bearing wears for steel rollers, the roller gets noisier and the wheel begins to tilt and wobble. Nylon (plastic) rollers are quieter but tend to crack or chip when they deteriorate. Replacement rollers are available at the hardware store for just a few dollars each. Install the replacement roller by removing the roller bracket, installing the new roller, and then reinstalling the roller bracket. CAUTION: DO NOT REMOVE THE BOTTOM ROLLER BRACKET AS THE CABLE ATTACHED TO IT IS UNDER EXTREME TENSION.
3) The garage door hinges, roller shafts, and roller bearings should be lubricated annually with multi-purpose spray lubricant. Give each door hinge, roller shaft, and roller bearing a quick squirt of multi-purpose spray lubricant. Keep a clean rag handy to wipe off any drips or overspray.
4) Apply a light coat of Silicon spray lubricant to the torsion spring above the door to prevent rust and binding. Keep a clean rag handy to wipe off any drips or overspray.
5) Open the garage door to a comfortable height, and using a damp rag and some dish soap, clean the rubber weather seal on the bottom of the garage door. After cleaning, lubricate and protect the weather seal with Silicone spray lubricant.
6) Finally there are two items that only need to be done every few years.
First, the garage door opener chain may need to be adjusted. The correct adjustment is just tight enough so the chain sags down about 1/2" from parallel in the center the track. Adjustment of the chain consists of a bolt with two nuts, one for locking and one for adjusting. Loosen the locking nut, and holding the chain to keep it from twisting, turn the adjusting nut to remove the excess slack from the chain. Do not over-tighten the chain.
Second, using clean cloth rags wipe any old grease off the center track and chain. Use multi-purpose spray lubricant to lubricate the chain. Lubricate the center track by applying multi-purpose spray lubricant to the top and bottom surfaces of the track.
Lubrication will make the garage door opener operation smoother, quieter, and extend the life of both the chain and garage door opener. These simple steps will allow your garage door to operate quietly and efficiently for many years.
_______________________________________ REM in Seattle Current: 2013 Volvo XC60 R-Design, Rebel Blue, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic 2024 MINI Cooper S Convertible, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 6-speed manual Former: 2005 Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible, Steel Gray metallic, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 5-speed 1998 Saab 900SET 5-door, Silver, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider convertible, Alfa Red, 2.0L 4-cyl, 5-speed 1984 Saab 900T 3-door, Red, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 5-speed
, Sun, 1 Jun 2008 21:27:02 <-- Viewing This Message
, Fri, 30 May 2008 10:37:21
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