At EXL Garage Doors, we offer a variety of top-quality services to maintain your garage door and extend its life for years to come. One of the most important repairs is a broken garage door roller replacement. If your garage door appears to be coming off track, sliding roughly up and down or making a harsh scratching noise, it may be time for a garage roller replacement.
Types of Rollers
Garage door rollers are the little wheels that sit inside the track on either side of your garage door. They are meant for smooth open and close motion of rolling garage doors. There are usually many rollers on garage doors — for instance, 8-foot garage doors generally have 12 garage door wheels, six on each side.
Rollers can be made out of many materials, but the most common wheel materials are plastic, steel and nylon.
Plastic Rollers
Some garage doors have plastic roller wheels around a steel shaft. Plastic rollers have no ball bearings inside and are only designed to last a few years.
Steel Rollers
Steel garage door rollers have a housing for ball bearings and are much more durable than plastic, but require more lubrication. If you maintain them regularly and keep an eye out for rust and listen for squeakiness, they will last a long time. The only downside to steel rollers is that they run on a steel rack and can create a metallic sound during use.
Nylon Rollers
Nylon garage door rollers combine the strength and durability of steel rollers with the quietness of plastic ones. Nylon rollers are essentially steel rollers with a nylon tire over the roller.
Why Garage Door Rollers Break
Plastic garage door rollers should be replaced frequently. They are more vulnerable to the elements and need to be lubricated a few times a year. Even if you take preventive measures, plastic rollers can easily dry rot under the influence of cold weather.
Steel and nylon rollers require a similar amount of maintenance but can last much longer when given the proper attention. The downside to nylon and steel rollers is the housing that contains the ball bearings. This housing will expand and contract over time and eventually give way. This can lead to your roller leaning and dragging on its stem, which will cause the housing to lose its bearings.
Trust a Professional With Garage Door Roller Repair
If you notice a garage door roller off track or making loud, clanging noises, consult a professional. Garage doors are under constant tension. Removing garage door parts on your own, especially the bottom rollers or the cable from the bottom fixture, can cause the door to tip or fall. This could injure you and damage your property.
Let EXL Garage Doors take care of your garage roller replacement. Our professionals are highly trained and can get your garage door back in shape. Garage door roller replacement is a relatively inexpensive way to help maintain your garage door for years to come. Contact EXL Garage Doors to request a garage door roller service today.
