No, you shouldn’t use the old garage door tracks with your new garage door

It's about time to replace this garage door.
It would be a mistake to use the same
tracks with the new garage door.

You may think you’ll save some time and money by using your old garage door tracks when you install a new garage door but don’t do it. It’s not a good idea.

Garage door tracks are designed to fit the garage door they come with. They are not universal.

You may think that one set of garage door tracks is the same as another. This is because, from a casual perspective, they look the same. The differences are subtle but important. In fact, the differences could make installing a new garage door with old garage door tracks dangerous.

It’s a matter of adjustments and crucial dimensions. The spacing between the tracks matters and won’t necessarily be the same that is required with your new garage door. The spacing is also crucial in terms of the offset between the tracks and the garage door jambs.

If these dimensions are not precise, the door may get hung up as it travels up or down. The door could come off the tracks and fall on your car, or even on you.

Garage door installation requires a qualified technician to ensure that everything is set according to specifications. Garage doors weigh more than you might think. The springs required to reduce the strain of that weight on you or a garage door opener are significant. The springs are loaded to a degree that they could seriously maim or kill someone if they come loose.

There are some projects around the house that qualify as DIYers. Installing, repairing or maintaining a garage door is not one of them.

All those moving parts – care for your garage door to keep it working longer

It’s a door. What’s the big deal? Actually, a garage door is made up of multiple moving parts. Anything mechanical can break and the same holds true with a garage door. The way to avoid problems with your Richmond garage door is to maintain it properly.

Consider that a garage door and garage door opener generally include the following parts.

• Four door panels – some can have windows and they are generally made of wood, steel, aluminum, vinyl, and other materials
• 12 or more hinges
• 10 rollers with 10-ball bearings
• Horizontal and Vertical tracks with 90-degree radius sections between them
• Brackets to mount the tracks and other parts
• Safety photo eyes
• A torsion spring
• Winding cones
• A shaft that runs through the torsion spring
• Cable drums on either end of the shaft through the torsion spring 
• Extension springs
• Pulleys/Sheaves
• Cable
• Locks and Handles
• Rail components
• Quick disconnect door arm
• A garage door opener
• Garage door bottom fixtures
• Weatherstripping

All the parts above that are in bold are moving parts. The door at the front of your house probably has three hinges, which, essentially, accounts for all of its moving parts. A garage door includes at least 30 or more moving parts.

Moving parts wear. Over time, they can break. The enemies of moving parts are friction, heat, and rust. The defenders of moving parts are oil and grease placed, in proper quantities, in the right spots, and in the appropriate frequency.

Grease and oil can reduce friction and heat and ward off rust. When your garage door was installed, it had appropriate applications of oil and grease. But, over time, the oil, and grease wears away and breaks down losing their lubricating capacity.

You’d be surprised how many garage doors have never had reapplications of grease and oil. The same garages were probably never checked or adjusted to ensure they operate properly. These are the first garage doors to break down. The lesson is clear – care for your garage