Garage Door Has Become Misaligned

2 years ago

Background: I have a single-car garage door. It is 31 years old. It is wood and very solid. I had the chain drive changed to a belt drive about 12 years ago. Other maintenance has been several re-paintings of the door over the years, and periodic Clopay Pro Lube on the hinges, rollers and spring. I've also had the spring replaced a couple times over the years.

Recently in my area there has been an increase of thefts getting into garages. I figured I should use the sliding steel bolt lock that is mounted on the garage door. It engages by sliding into the vertical track. I last used that sliding bolt a couple years ago, and it was fine. But I tried to use it today and the door has dropped enough so that the lock bar can't slide into the opening for it in the vertical track.

My questions: Is it just that some adjustment to the door is needed? Or is this misalignment a signal of something more serious?

If it is time for a new garage door, I am thinking about that too. It just seems like the door has been good - it's built like a tank - until this misalignment came up. I will be calling a garage repair company for this. I just want to have some knowledge beforehand.

Featured Answer

kudzu9

2 years ago

Houses settle and sometimes a slight misalignment develops with lock mechanisms. I had a similar problem to yours last year with one of my garage doors, and there was no adjustment available, so I simply got out one of my steel files and opened up the slot a bit. After 5-10 minutes of working on it with the file, I was able to get the sliding bolt to go into the hole in the track again.

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Comments (8)

millworkman
2 years ago
Call the garage door guy. It is close to impossible to tell from your description. Didn't you post this same question the other day?
aem04
Original Author
2 years ago
Millworkman - that post from a few days ago disappeared. So I‘ve re-posted it. If you replied on that one, I an sorry you’ve had to type your reply twice. Is there any more description I can provide that would help with potential reasons the door has lowered by 1/2” or so? You are a frequent knowledgeable commenter on Houzz - could you just hazard a guess on what might be causes of this issue?
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millworkman
2 years ago
Track bolted securely? Bolts secure in the door hinges? Square still in the opening?
aem04 thanked millworkman
aem04
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks for that info. Your first two appear fine in my garage door but I will double-check. The third one, not being square, is a good possibility due to age and the wood. If that is the reason, is it fixable? I am asking because the last time I had the spring replaced about 3 years ago, the garage repair company was hard sell pushing me to replace the wood door. At the time, there was nothing wrong with the door other than needing a new spring. Their reason was it will be quieter, and that was it. So I want to be able to discern whether they just want me to buy a new door, or if I really need to.
ci_lantro
2 years ago
any more description I can provide that would help with potential reasons the door has lowered by 1/2” or so?

Is the weatherstripping on the bottom of the door intact, in good condition? Has it been replaced in the last couple of years?

Does the locking bar engage in one side of the track or in neither track?
aem04 thanked ci_lantro
ci_lantro
2 years ago
Check the retainer/ guide brackets on the sides of the door. Lag bolts could have loosened and the bracket may have slipped.
aem04 thanked ci_lantro
PRO
CR Garage Doors
2 years ago
If the door is not balanced, it can cause it to drop or rise unevenly. You can perform a simple test by disconnecting the opener and manually lifting the door halfway. If it doesn't stay in place or falls, it may be unbalanced. In that case, adjust the spring tension. It's important to note that adjusting garage door springs can be dangerous, so it's recommended to hire a professional technician to do this.