If your garage door vibrates, makes a lot of noise or simply will not go up and down. You may need to replace your garage door rollers. A garage door roller is a wheel on the end of a long shaft of metal. It looks like a wheel on an axel from a toy car. However, if this wheel quits working properly your automatic garage door will quit working properly too. Understanding just what a garage door roller is can take some of the guesswork out of the repair.
Though the construction of the garage door roller is simple, it is important that the correct rollers are used when repairing your automatic garage door. It is important to read your owner’s manual for recommendations and requirements.
Garage door rollers have a long metal shaft that can measure 4″, 7″, or 9″ in length. The diameter is usually 7/16″ but other sizes are available so make sure you get the right one. Last but not least is the wheel part of the roller. Most wheels are 2″; however, a 3″ variety is also available.
Garage door rollers are made out of two materials: steel and nylon. The one you use will depend on what type of door you are repairing or purchasing. Commercial doors usually have the steel wheels or nylon coated steel wheels. This is usually the only option available for the commercial grade door. Because controlling vibration and noise is so important for a private residence, the nylon garage door roller is usually the best option.
When purchasing an automatic garage door system or even a single garage door roller it is best to keep safety in mind. Most garage door rollers will have a safety rating that states how many pounds the roller can hold, how many cycles the roller should be able to safely perform and what size door is the recommended size to meet this safety rating. For instance, “75lbs per roller @ 15000 cycles on a 12ft door.” Look for the safety rating and make sure that you are staying within the limits of the rating. The rating tells you if your roller can hold the weight or if your garage will collapse under the weight.
One of the last things to consider when purchasing an automatic garage door system or repairing the garage door rollers is whether you want them to have ball beatings or no ball bearings. Doors equipped with ball bearings cost a bit more but the ball bearings help maintain separation of all moving parts which reduces friction. Less friction means less wear and tear and garage door rollers that will last longer. They also help to keep the vibrations and noises under control.
The garage door roller is a small but not insignificant part of your automatic garage door system. There is so much that depends on a shaft with a small wheel attached. It is important to do the extra research upfront to determine what is best for your needs. Doing the extra research and looking into all the options will help you maintain your automatic garage door and garage door rollers in safe working order. In the long run, it will keep the repair cost down by keeping your automatic garage door working like new.