How to Fix a Bent Garage Door Track (5 Easy Steps)

Giovanni Valle is a licensed architect and LEED-accredited professional and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He is the author and managing editor of various digital publications, including BuilderSpace, Your Own Architect, and Interiors Place.

Bent garage doors are a common problem thanks to the weight of the mechanism and its constant use. Parts can sometimes wear out or break, which causes the door to bend over time and stop working correctly. But how can you fix it?

To fix a bent garage door track, you must loosen the track’s bolts, straighten the track, and repair the bending using a claw hammer. If that doesn’t work, replace the mechanism and call a professional to install it. Do not use the door while the track is bent.

In this article, we teach you how to fix your bent garage door track. You will also learn the leading cause for track bending on garage mechanisms and the average cost of repairing a garage door.

Why Do Garage Doors Bend?

Garage doors can bend because of general wear and tear. However, this happens because of the lack of proper maintenance of the door’s mechanism. If your garage door is older than one or two years, then check on it and see if you notice any rust or problems with the parts.

Another common cause of bent garage doors is the accumulation of dirt, sand, or other grit in the mechanism. If your garage hindrance mechanism has stuck material, it will create extra tension that could lead to bending problems.

Remember to keep an eye on the hindrance mechanism’s cables. If one of them is damaged, then it will cause bending over time. This is because the cables support the garage’s weight. If one fails, then there will be a weight imbalance on both sides.

Giving your garage a proper checkup every year can help you avoid any bending or other problems with the mechanisms.

One more thing that causes bending is the impact of cars on the door panel. If you know that you have recently hit your garage door with your vehicle, then stop using it and examine the mechanism.

If you think your garage door track is broken, then start the repair or call a specialist.

How to Repair Your Bent Garage Door Track

The first thing you need to do is stop using your garage door. If you keep using it, it could lead to more expensive issues. Then examine the problem and see if you’ll need to change any part of the mechanism.

These are the steps you need to follow to fix a bent garage door:

Stop using your garage door until you fix the problem. We must emphasize this. If you force the mechanism, you might need to replace the entire door and not just a few parts.
Loosen the bolts. The bolts hold the track in place. If they are tight, then you won’t be able to perform the necessary reparations or replacements.
Make sure not to remove the bolts entirely. Putting them back can be a lot harder than you think. With the bolts loosen, you can tap them back into a vertical position.
Straighten the tracks. You can use a set of pliers for this. Do it slowly and carefully, so that you don’t end up breaking them by mistake. Once you complete this task, tighten the bolts back in place.
Repair the track. The mechanism is fixed. Now it’s time to put the door back in place. To achieve this, you can use a claw hammer to bend the track back in shape.

If you cannot fix your bent garage door by following these steps, you’ll need to replace the track mechanism. It is also an excellent option to contact a garage door professional to fix it for you. Replacing a garage door mechanism is a lot harder than it might seem.

Note: If you live in an area with strong winds, you can add reinforcement to the door. By adding support, you’ll be making your garage door stronger so that it can resist the impact of the wind.

How to Replace the Damaged Spring of a Garage Door Track

There are many parts inside a garage door hindrance mechanism. Most of these parts are not expensive, and they are considerably easy to replace. One of the components that can fail the most in a garage door mechanism is the springs.

Here are the steps you can follow to replace the springs of your garage door track:

Unplug the track for safety.
Pull out the red cord (for models with a battery backup).
Use a vice grip to prevent the door from falling after you take the springs.
Detach the spring from the mechanism (do it slowly and carefully). For this, you’ll need a screwdriver and two winding bars.
Now, undo the center poles that hold the springs together. You’ll need a 9/16 wrench or a power tool to do it faster.
Pull the springs apart from each other.
The next thing to do is to loosen the cable drums on both sides. Use a 7/16 wrench for this.
With everything loose, now it’s time to remove the springs from the mechanism.
Replace the damaged springs with the new ones. Make sure you put back the cable drums too.
Attach both springs. Use the original bolts to tighten them up or replace them with a new set.

By performing these steps, you’ll be able to replace the damaged springs of your garage door track successfully.

If you want a more visual guide on how to replace damaged springs, then we recommend this video:

How to Replace the Broken Motor of a Garage Door Track

Replacing a motor is not a difficult task. You can do it in as little as 20 minutes, but it might be a bit expensive.

Here are the steps to follow to replace your broken motor:

Unplug the motor.
Disconnect the track chain.
With a screwdriver, take out the screws that keep the tension wires attached to your motor.
Unplug the wires.
Loosen the bolts that hold the unit in place.
Remove the loosen bolts and pull the unit down (do it gently).
Remove the bolts connecting the track to the motor.
Unpack the replacement motor.
Place it on the track and attach the bolts to it, connecting them both.
Place the unit back in place. Be sure to tighten the bolts.
Reconnect the track chain back to the motor.
Now, plug back the tension wires using the screws previously removed.
Plug the unit back in.

If you need a more visual guide on how to replace a broken garage track motor, we recommend watching this video:

Average Garage Door Repair Cost

According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of repairing a damaged garage door track is $223. However, it can go from $147 to even more than $300, depending on the severity of the damage.

The cost varies between replacing a single roll-up door or a custom roll-up door. A new spring for your garage track can cost from $40 to even $100.

Conclusion

If your garage door track is bent, make sure to stop using it and replace the parts that are not working correctly. The most common components that fail in a garage track mechanism are the springs and the motor.

Garage doors can resist for years without problems, but they can only last long if given the necessary maintenance. So, remember to always check for dirt or sand that could create tension in the mechanism.

Remember that safety comes first, and unplug the unit before performing any repair or replacement.