I can't believe this popped up. I literally just did this this morning. I use an old rag and keep the over spray from getting on the wall behind. I usually do this once a year in spring, but if I hear it getting louder, I do it a second time. Had one spring pop about 5 years ago after 13 years in our house.
I lube the hinges on my garage door about twice a month because I park my car in the garage. I never thought about lubricating the springs and cable wheels. I cleaned the wheel tracts and lubed the spring and cable wind up wheels and the door is much quieter. Thank you for the video.
Tip I taught myself. I used pieces of cardboard, placing them behind where I was spraying in addition to shop towels. Cardboard helps protect areas from spray/over spray.
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
@@erleed I am not an expert at garage doors, but I can tell you I've run into similar advice from auto mechanics and bicycle techs. WD-40 is very light weight. It can be good as a penetrating fluid and good for cleaning, but as a lubricant, not so good. I think it was included simply because it is the one spray that many people would already have in their homes. It might be better than nothing, but I believe he was trying to emphasize that you should purchase the appropriate lubricant. If you only have one or two doors, a single can should last you years, so the cost is trivial.
I followed what you did and I've never had my garage door run so smooth and quiet .Your directions are well worth following. Thanks for the great instructions.
Thank you so much for your extremely clear and detailed instructions for lubricating my garage door. I really appreciated the fact that your camera zoomed in so that we could see the small details of exactly where to put the lubricant!
Good video...Friction is required for the rollers to turn. If they are lubricated, they'll lose traction as they enter the track's radius and start gliding.Eventually they'll flatten at some point.Do clean the roller stem and re-grease it, but keep the rollers-and the track itself- dry.
Thank you so much for this video! I would also add to check all the hinge nuts- many of mine were not torqued all the way and one was rattling because it was so loose!
Thank you so much for the video. I was actually doing a pretty decent job except, I was not lubricating the end drums and torsion springs. Very helpful video. Thanks again!
I use a good door lube for the rollers, drums, cables, pins and hinges, as it leaves a coating behind and lasts much, much longer than WD-40. I do like using WD-40 to spray down the springs... it displaces water, soaks into the metal to repel water. My springs and hinges look like new, 15+ years on and live in Western NY.
Please use a dry lubricant on all the parts of your garage door as a dry lubricant, or graphite based lubricant will not attract the dust and dirt. That’s promotes where I’ve used it on dirtbike chains for 35 years it works.💪🏻🏁
Very nice video. Thank you! I use a small amount of heavy lithium grease in the tracks. It really makes the garage door run much quieter and more smoothly. I understand the concern about attracting dust, but I think that is overblown. The garage door of my last house was lubricated with this method, and the rollers are still going strong after 50+ years.
I agree with you. Why wouldn't one lubricate the rollers; Don't they already have a lubricant in them and they are open to the air. If the garage door manufacturers and their service industry feels you should not lubricate them, then maybe they should use a sealed bearing. From the farm!
@@funnyfarm5555 "why wouldn't you lubricate the rollers" simple answer: they have bearings and they are wheels do you lubricate the road and your car tires too? lol
@@gg-gn3re At least on the doors someone installed on the property I bought the roll up doors have crappy bearings; What I meant to say was to lubricate the bearings in the center of the wheels not the wheels themselves.
I had a house with garage door springs on each side. Several occasions of the springs breaking and a huge bang but contained with the cables run inside the springs. Dangerous spring fails. Does damage. Then the door is heavy! They put in a central coil spring as a replacement finally. They said lube it once a year. I got a new house and has a door opener. I lubed the spring as it was dry and maybe never lubed. Lubed the heck out of everything. Made the door opener function quieter, anyway.
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
@@chrissmith2114 they don't need lubrication- they only need to be kept free to operate as they are intended. if they are kept dry- thats a good start. WD40 was developed to be used as a water dispersant- the product team had no intention of creating a glue.
@@tommurphy4307 IIRC the WD -40 team sold the formula to 'Gorilla' for their glue. WD--40 was meant to move the water off the surface and leave a 'coating' behind to prevent corrosion - trouble is that film is the best dirt attractor ever made and anything sprayed with WD-40 is better at picking up dirt than a Dyson cyclone.
Ed, enjoyed this video. I learned about lubricating the torsion springs. Never ever lubed these before and makes sense. i am wondering your recommendation for lubricating the drive chain and T-Track were the chain slides. Our chain needs adjusted to take up the slack in the chain. i figured out how to adjust this. Need to know what lube you recommend? I was thinking a Motor Cycle chain lube, your thoughts?
they don't- a corrosion prevention or water dispersant is all thats needed on the springs themselves. the point is to keep corrosion from immobilizing the spring coils.
Thanks so much for the video! I’ve been having some issues with my garage door being noisy even after I tried lubricating it. Could it be due to bad ball bearings or rollers? Also, I’d love to know how to replace the rollers if that’s the case. Appreciate your help!
Hey Ed, long time mechanical shop owner and res home builder here; found BG -IN FORCE long ago...U guy's GOTTA get U some of that! C a local auto shop @ buy-in a can. Great job!
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
@@chrissmith2114 Your explanation reminds me of plate tectonics, and the forces that cause earthquakes... :-) I used the same garage door lube as I did for the rails.
I have an old old fiberglass door that has been the best we got it after the basketball broke a window and was a verry heavy wooden door that blasted those springs out of this world .never looked back it's been the best door 35.00 could buy back in the day.no hinge has a long one between panels barely needs any service.have a good day.
I use a graphite-based dry lube for the track wheel bearing. A little goes a long way. I actually use this kind of stuff on the entire door inclunding the spring. It is a bit messy, so protect what you don't want overspray on. I use it because it lasts longer and better at -35° to -40°. I have not needed to lube the spring in 5 years and I can lift the door easily with one hand. Cheers from northern Alberta, Canada.
I found that WD-40 makes dry silicone lube that has a strong pressurized nozzle that doesn't fly off to be really good. The pressure pushes a stream into the tight hinge cavities that normally can't get penetrated by other types I've tried.
Good video. Thanks for sharing. I have a question... lithium vs silicon lube... I was told by the guy who replaced spring on my garage door to use lithium based spray lube whereas you have recommended silicon. Requesting folks with knowledge on this to please share it with us. Thanks in advance.
Good advice, but I would also recommend at the same time re-tightening the nuts on the bolts which hold the hinges in place, especially on wooden doors. Between expansion and compression in the wood due to weather related changes, and normal loosening caused by constant usage, they tend to loosen up.
When I inquired about lubrication for the roller stems, I was directed to a white lithium grease spray by Blaster. I was also told this would be acceptable for the hinges, albeit a bit messier than the silicone sprays. Any opinions on that?
Thanks for sharing it. I'm wondering what lubricant to use in cold weather areas in the north of Canada. The temperature in the town I'm living in goes down to - 48 deg C most of the winter season.
One important clarification: You said 4 different lubrications showing WD 40 as one. WD 40 is not a lubricant or at least not technically. WD stands for Water Displacement and is very effective as a water displacement. It will lubricate temporarily but over time it has an opposite effect. It's great for some uses but I would never recommend it if lubrication is your goal. IMO if you apply it to a spring, you'll shorten its life.
Hi,how are you ,I have a double garage detached house , I had installed 2 garage doors in separated timing ( I believe almost 10 years apart, we only used the remote to open the garage Doors,we already forgot to use the security # to enter the garage from outside, we need to do that because sometime if anyone of the family members forgot to key for our main door, we can use the garage door to enter our house, the problem is since we almost never use to the garage door to enter the house, therefore we forgot the # to open it, therefore I need your advise of how to set a new # or retreat our old # ,please advise, best regards
Great video. Very useful. The guy who installed my lift system said to lube the same things you pointed out, but said to stay away from anything with silicone. I got a spray can of liquid wrench chain and cable lube. Seems to work well, especially on the spring's. Thoughts?
The vinyl weather seal on the sides of the door gets hard in the cold winter weather and looses flexibility. This causes friction on the door and the opener saftey sensor stops the motor. I have to get out of the car and "help" it raise up. Is there a good treatment for that?
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
you don't- they just need to be kept clean and dry. if they have a coating of rust- anti-seize them with a brush- getting the stuff in between the coils.
I also lube the overhead chain and wheels since there are small wheel bearings that will wear down without lubrication like on a car. Everything will run smoother and quieter !!!😊😊
Good to mention this... NEVER, EVER mess with a DIY spring adjustment or replacement. You could loose your entire hand in the process and the wrench absolutely will go flying like a rocket and kill/maime you or someone standing at a distance. ALWAYS, ALWAYS PAY A PROFESSIONAL TO RELEASE & REPLACE THE COILED SPRINGS. IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY PROCESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIAL LIFETIME OF REGRET FOR A DIYer!!!
Our garage door installer recommended WD-40 over silicon-based products. The latter tends to pick up dust and dirt when the wind blows. Interested in thoughts you might have about the advantages of silicon-based lubricants and WD-40. The speaker didn't have much to say about WD-40 other than not recommending it.
Interesting...I had a garage-door visit for maint. on my two, decades-old doors. He said never use an oil or WD-40. Oil collects dirt (esp. if you run a blower for cleaning the garage). Silicon was by far, best. I suppose each has its good/bad sides but I've stuck with the silicon and have been trouble-free. No dirt/dust buildup either. Also, I've used the white lithium. Its a total mess.
It looks like the video has plain old WD-40 which is about 35% petroleum base oil along with other hydrocarbons. It was originally developed as a compound that would prevent rust and corrosion on the Atlas rocket. I worked in industrial mtce for 30+ years and we never used WD-40 as a basic lubricant. It DOES attract dust and grime, but not typically detrimental to a garage door - if not sprayed-on in excess. But now, the WD-40 company makes "specialist" products - including a white lithium grease. On industrial machinery (similar to hardware on garage doors) I preferred Tri-Flow General Purpose Lubricant. I use the 3-IN-ONE Garage Door Lube on my door. It's cheaper than Tri-Flow and more readily available. But both [Tri-Flow & 3 in 1] are flammable aerosols, because the propellant is propane, n-butane. (Sater for the ozone layer!) The lubricant itself is safe. I don't lube the tracks where the roller rides, it's supposed to roll, not slide in the track. By the way, silicon and silicone are TWO different things. Silicon is an element - Si on the periodic table, atomic number 14. Transistors are made of silicon. Silicone is used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, cooking utensils, thermal insulation.
The story I hear was that moisture would get into the steering vanes of the Atlas rocket at night while the rocket was on the launch pad and freeze, so the vanes would not move and the rocket could not be launched in the mornings. WD-40 was developed primarily to displace the moisture with a little bit of lubricant, not developed as a lubricant. The number 40 came from the 40th try of a mixture. As someone mentioned WD-40 is good for getting things unstuck, and then you should lubricate after you get what you are working moving with oil or grease. @@RichardFallstich
I lubed basically all the same areas but used 3 in 1. Never saw any videos on doing this. It worked great but had plenty of drips on the cars for a few days. Don't care how long it lasts - house is a rental! But the grinding noises are gone and it works much smoother.
I was still having issues after I sprayed everything so I sprayed the roller and the roller track (before seeing this video).. Now Im worried I caused dirt to build up and maybe thats why my door struggles to open.. How can I best clean a dirty track?
Went to Lowe’s to get the blaster spray without knowing how it’s done. Good thing I watched this video before doing it because I had no idea how it was done and I was going to do everything you’re not supposed to do😅 like lube the tracks
As replied in a message below, A maint. guy informed me to always use silicon vs. an oil-type lub. Less dirt/dust buildup can happen when cleaning the garage with blower or normal accumulation. I've stuck with this for many trouble-free years. I spray my doors maybe twice yearly and they stay quiet and funk-free. Any thoughts?
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
I've used it as a metal & mechanical cleaner since very early 70's as well as a moisture dispersant in electrical components... Works great. Back in the day when it had fish oil in it we would use it is a lure attractant for fishing. @@tommurphy4307
I can't believe this popped up. I literally just did this this morning. I use an old rag and keep the over spray from getting on the wall behind. I usually do this once a year in spring, but if I hear it getting louder, I do it a second time. Had one spring pop about 5 years ago after 13 years in our house.
Check your house for hidden cameras and/or microphones! TV could be spying on you!? Check the toilet tank for spy devices!
The smartphone spies are on to you.
I lube the hinges on my garage door about twice a month because I park my car in the garage. I never thought about lubricating the springs and cable wheels. I cleaned the wheel tracts and lubed the spring and cable wind up wheels and the door is much quieter. Thank you for the video.
Tip I taught myself. I used pieces of cardboard, placing them behind where I was spraying in addition to shop towels. Cardboard helps protect areas from spray/over spray.
Didn't realize I needed to lube the springs themselves too. Thanks!. Excellent, helpful video! Thank you !.
You're welcome!
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
@@heritagedoor I noticed you had a bottle of WD-40. What role does WD-40 play in lubricating the garage door?
@@erleed I am not an expert at garage doors, but I can tell you I've run into similar advice from auto mechanics and bicycle techs. WD-40 is very light weight. It can be good as a penetrating fluid and good for cleaning, but as a lubricant, not so good. I think it was included simply because it is the one spray that many people would already have in their homes. It might be better than nothing, but I believe he was trying to emphasize that you should purchase the appropriate lubricant. If you only have one or two doors, a single can should last you years, so the cost is trivial.
@@chrissmith2114 LOL, that doesn't mean that WD-40 is a glue.
Clear and concise presentation. Thanks so much.
I followed what you did and I've never had my garage door run so smooth and quiet .Your directions are well worth following. Thanks for the great instructions.
Thank you so much for your extremely clear and detailed instructions for lubricating my garage door. I really appreciated the fact that your camera zoomed in so that we could see the small details of exactly where to put the lubricant!
Thank you for the down-to-the-point video. It was a very informative video. I learned what to do, and what lubricants not to use.
Good video...Friction is required for the rollers to turn. If they are lubricated, they'll lose traction as they enter the track's radius and start gliding.Eventually they'll flatten at some point.Do clean the roller stem and re-grease it, but keep the rollers-and the track itself- dry.
and thats what WD40 does- keeps stuff dry
Don't forget to take a wrench and gently tighten the bolts for the hinges that go into the garage door itself. They can loosen over time.
Thank you so much for this video! I would also add to check all the hinge nuts- many of mine were not torqued all the way and one was rattling because it was so loose!
Thank you so much for the video. I was actually doing a pretty decent job except, I was not lubricating the end drums and torsion springs. Very helpful video. Thanks again!
I use a good door lube for the rollers, drums, cables, pins and hinges, as it leaves a coating behind and lasts much, much longer than WD-40. I do like using WD-40 to spray down the springs... it displaces water, soaks into the metal to repel water. My springs and hinges look like new, 15+ years on and live in Western NY.
Hey, me too. We have the extra corrosive effect of all that salt too. Thanks for your thoughts. Ps. Go Bills....
WD-40 does not 'soak into' any type of metal. its designed to displace water and prevent corrosion while being simple to completely remove.
well done...THX for a great video........I never knew I was supposed to lube the big spring on top...live and learn..!!!!
Great info, like many here, I didn't know the torsion springs needed lubrication too. Thanks.
What about the chain drive? Lube or no lube? Thanks for all the other helpful info.
do you run your bicycle chains dry? same deal....
Yeah why not show that?
Thanks for the video, at 72 never did this before. Husband did this stuff....lol
Please use a dry lubricant on all the parts of your garage door as a dry lubricant, or graphite based lubricant will not attract the dust and dirt. That’s promotes where I’ve used it on dirtbike chains for 35 years it works.💪🏻🏁
@@daveplumb6246do you have a favorite?
I just did this with lithium blaster spray after replacing all my wheels with silicone ones. Door is much quieter now. Thanks.
Thank you for the maintenance tips.
Very nice video. Thank you! I use a small amount of heavy lithium grease in the tracks. It really makes the garage door run much quieter and more smoothly. I understand the concern about attracting dust, but I think that is overblown. The garage door of my last house was lubricated with this method, and the rollers are still going strong after 50+ years.
I agree with you. Why wouldn't one lubricate the rollers; Don't they already have a lubricant in them and they are open to the air. If the garage door manufacturers and their service industry feels you should not lubricate them, then maybe they should use a sealed bearing. From the farm!
A little common sense and you be alright.......lube what moves.........
Great tip!
@@funnyfarm5555 "why wouldn't you lubricate the rollers" simple answer: they have bearings and they are wheels
do you lubricate the road and your car tires too? lol
@@gg-gn3re At least on the doors someone installed on the property I bought the roll up doors have crappy bearings; What I meant to say was to lubricate the bearings in the center of the wheels not the wheels themselves.
I had a house with garage door springs on each side. Several occasions of the springs breaking and a huge bang but contained with the cables run inside the springs. Dangerous spring fails. Does damage. Then the door is heavy! They put in a central coil spring as a replacement finally. They said lube it once a year. I got a new house and has a door opener. I lubed the spring as it was dry and maybe never lubed. Lubed the heck out of everything. Made the door opener function quieter, anyway.
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
@@chrissmith2114 they don't need lubrication- they only need to be kept free to operate as they are intended. if they are kept dry- thats a good start. WD40 was developed to be used as a water dispersant- the product team had no intention of creating a glue.
@@tommurphy4307 IIRC the WD -40 team sold the formula to 'Gorilla' for their glue. WD--40 was meant to move the water off the surface and leave a 'coating' behind to prevent corrosion - trouble is that film is the best dirt attractor ever made and anything sprayed with WD-40 is better at picking up dirt than a Dyson cyclone.
Very helpful my friend. So happy I accidentally found you. Happy New Year. You're helping me with mine.-Russ
Thank you so much for sharing; My garage door was making some squeaky noise and this idea didn't go thru my mind. Great job
Ed, enjoyed this video. I learned about lubricating the torsion
springs. Never ever lubed these before and makes sense. i am wondering your recommendation for lubricating the drive chain and T-Track were the chain slides. Our chain needs adjusted to take up the slack in the chain. i figured out how to adjust this. Need to know what lube you recommend? I was thinking a Motor Cycle chain lube, your thoughts?
any good brand of automotive grease- i used a red semi-synth grease and apply it to the hinges with my fingertips.
Thank you for a very beautiful presentation, concise, precise and truly informational.
Glad it was helpful!
thank you.. had no idea the large spring needed lube. great info, appreciated !
they don't- a corrosion prevention or water dispersant is all thats needed on the springs themselves. the point is to keep corrosion from immobilizing the spring coils.
WD 40 makes a silicone spray also. Would you recommend that one?
Excellent video and very useful, how often should you do this? Thank you
Thanks so much for the video! I’ve been having some issues with my garage door being noisy even after I tried lubricating it. Could it be due to bad ball bearings or rollers? Also, I’d love to know how to replace the rollers if that’s the case. Appreciate your help!
Hey Ed, long time mechanical shop owner and res home builder here; found BG -IN FORCE long ago...U guy's GOTTA get U some of that! C a local auto shop @ buy-in a can. Great job!
Also look up my old f book pg..Alpha Omega Auto, Inc...Those 4 garage doors got lined w/in force every Spring AND are 48 yrs young!
BG makes some good stuff
Great advice. How many people do what I do and forget this important maintenance measure. Simple too! Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for offering good, free advice.
Great video thanks. Question, how often do you have to lube?
Thanks was informative and interesting. Think you forgot to show how you lube the end drum but I think it was easy as the other hinges.
I *wondered* if lubing the torsion spring would be helpful, but I've never tried it. Thanks for the tip!
I do it twice a year, I think it mostly helps the springs from drying out, so they'll last a lot longer.
@@bjbhehir is it okay to use lithium lubricant/grease?
@@popaki9484what is the problems using grease? Now I thinking I should grease mine I believe the grease better the the liquid lubricant
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
@@chrissmith2114 Your explanation reminds me of plate tectonics, and the forces that cause earthquakes... :-) I used the same garage door lube as I did for the rails.
I have an old old fiberglass door that has been the best we got it after the basketball broke a window and was a verry heavy wooden door that blasted those springs out of this world .never looked back it's been the best door 35.00 could buy back in the day.no hinge has a long one between panels barely needs any service.have a good day.
I use a graphite-based dry lube for the track wheel bearing. A little goes a long way. I actually use this kind of stuff on the entire door inclunding the spring. It is a bit messy, so protect what you don't want overspray on. I use it because it lasts longer and better at -35° to -40°. I have not needed to lube the spring in 5 years and I can lift the door easily with one hand. Cheers from northern Alberta, Canada.
Graphite causes wear. Ask a good locksmith. Instead use silicon or teflon based lubes. Those do not attract dirt or cause wear.
that kind of sucks- i can open and close my door with my thumb- or pinkie- or nose.
Very nice presentation and useful information! A huge thanks for sharing!
Not bad advice from a former mixer driver! I remember you in the truck. Way to go, kid!! - Joe Robinson, number 214.
;; hey I'm a Joe and my truck is #214 .... Small world ain't it
Hi Joe, that was a long long time ago. Its great to hear from you!!!
don't a lot of you guys keep a bucket of anti-seize on board?
I found that WD-40 makes dry silicone lube that has a strong pressurized nozzle that doesn't fly off to be really good. The pressure pushes a stream into the tight hinge cavities that normally can't get penetrated by other types I've tried.
I thought I was the only person who actually did this kind of maintenance on doors. But I did do this on trailers and trucks for 40 years.
Heh.... had some motorcycle chain lube left after doing maintenance, used it on the garage door hinges, works very well 👍
you could have used mazola, too.
Excellent tutorial! Thank you! I never knew about this. With 3 doors, I've got my work cut out for me.
Glad it helped!
Thank you for your video. I saved a lot of money for sure.
I use the 3 in one for mine every few months in this exact way, However I also spray the chain, is the chain not necessary?
Thank you!!. I was going to set wd40 in the door. You explain really well why not is good idea
Awesome video. Just installed a new door and following these recommendations.
Great video, nicely detailed and easy to understand. Thank you!
Very clearly demonstrated. Why not a lithium-based product for all the places that need lubrication, as recommended in other videos?
I tried using lithium grease and it wasn’t nearly as quiet as the lubricants in the video- even WD-40!
Thanks for the video but what about the rail in the center by the belt? needs oil or grease?
DON'T DO THAT- IT NEEDS THE FRICTION TO WORK PROPERLY
Good video. Thanks for sharing. I have a question... lithium vs silicon lube... I was told by the guy who replaced spring on my garage door to use lithium based spray lube whereas you have recommended silicon.
Requesting folks with knowledge on this to please share it with us. Thanks in advance.
I think silicon and lithium are both acceptable to use
Silicon is a lot cleaner, does not attract dirt and does not dry out
just curious, why you wouldn't recommend the WD 40 as lubricant?
Good advice, but I would also recommend at the same time re-tightening the nuts on the bolts which hold the hinges in place, especially on wooden doors. Between expansion and compression in the wood due to weather related changes, and normal loosening caused by constant usage, they tend to loosen up.
When I inquired about lubrication for the roller stems, I was directed to a white lithium grease spray by Blaster. I was also told this would be acceptable for the hinges, albeit a bit messier than the silicone sprays. Any opinions on that?
Excellent information and video, Ed
Thanks for the help.
Great video! Clear & easy to understand. Thanks
Thanks for sharing it. I'm wondering what lubricant to use in cold weather areas in the north of Canada. The temperature in the town I'm living in goes down to - 48 deg C most of the winter season.
has nothing to do with it- average relative humidity and how well the door is protected against rain and moisture is what matters.
Thanks for the reply.
Great Video! Maybe you can do one on the garage door operator and chain mechanism too.
Thanks for posting! 👍
Thank you for posting this helpful video
I have one question and thank you for the video. You don’t suggest putting anything in the track where the wheels are nothing at all??
I sprayed garage door lubricant in the tracks and the wheels
Is white lithium grease spray by CRC good to use for all the areas that need lubing up, as recommended in this video? Thanks for helpful replies.
Where to buy the rubber on bottom of gararge😊
Hi, would you recommend some brands for lithium grease? Thanks!
Very useful information ... thanks!
One important clarification: You said 4 different lubrications showing WD 40 as one. WD 40 is not a lubricant or at least not technically. WD stands for Water Displacement and is very effective as a water displacement. It will lubricate temporarily but over time it has an opposite effect. It's great for some uses but I would never recommend it if lubrication is your goal. IMO if you apply it to a spring, you'll shorten its life.
Should I lubricate any part of the motor itself chain or slide bar?
Hi,how are you ,I have a double garage detached house , I had installed 2 garage doors in separated timing ( I believe almost 10 years apart, we only used the remote to open the garage Doors,we already forgot to use the security # to enter the garage from outside, we need to do that because sometime if anyone of the family members forgot to key for our main door, we can use the garage door to enter our house, the problem is since we almost never use to the garage door to enter the house, therefore we forgot the # to open it, therefore I need your advise of how to set a new # or retreat our old # ,please advise, best regards
Thank you. Very helpful.
No mention of the long screw gear or chain?
Great video. Very useful. The guy who installed my lift system said to lube the same things you pointed out, but said to stay away from anything with silicone. I got a spray can of liquid wrench chain and cable lube. Seems to work well, especially on the spring's. Thoughts?
My garage door opener does not work inthe cold weather. Please see if you can suggest. I have replaced the battery, the problem is the same. Thanks
The vinyl weather seal on the sides of the door gets hard in the cold winter weather and looses flexibility. This causes friction on the door and the opener saftey sensor stops the motor. I have to get out of the car and "help" it raise up. Is there a good treatment for that?
Didn't realize I needed to lube the springs themselves too. Thanks!
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
you don't- they just need to be kept clean and dry. if they have a coating of rust- anti-seize them with a brush- getting the stuff in between the coils.
Thank you for your suggestion. I will give this a try today. Much appreciated.
I also lube the overhead chain and wheels since there are small wheel bearings that will wear down without lubrication like on a car. Everything will run smoother and quieter !!!😊😊
Very helpful! Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you! Now I can do the job myself.
Good to mention this... NEVER, EVER mess with a DIY spring adjustment or replacement. You could loose your entire hand in the process and the wrench absolutely will go flying like a rocket and kill/maime you or someone standing at a distance. ALWAYS, ALWAYS PAY A PROFESSIONAL TO RELEASE & REPLACE THE COILED SPRINGS. IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY PROCESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIAL LIFETIME OF REGRET FOR A DIYer!!!
Short n sweet n very helpful. Thanks.
Thanks for that short to the point video, very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Thanks for sharing. 👍
Our garage door installer recommended WD-40 over silicon-based products. The latter tends to pick up dust and dirt when the wind blows. Interested in thoughts you might have about the advantages of silicon-based lubricants and WD-40. The speaker didn't have much to say about WD-40 other than not recommending it.
WD-40 isn't really a lubricant. "WD" stands for "water displacement." It's made to unstick things and to displace and prevent rust.
Interesting...I had a garage-door visit for maint. on my two, decades-old doors. He said never use an oil or WD-40. Oil collects dirt (esp. if you run a blower for cleaning the garage). Silicon was by far, best. I suppose each has its good/bad sides but I've stuck with the silicon and have been trouble-free. No dirt/dust buildup either. Also, I've used the white lithium. Its a total mess.
It looks like the video has plain old WD-40 which is about 35% petroleum base oil along with other hydrocarbons. It was originally developed as a compound that would prevent rust and corrosion on the Atlas rocket. I worked in industrial mtce for 30+ years and we never used WD-40 as a basic lubricant. It DOES attract dust and grime, but not typically detrimental to a garage door - if not sprayed-on in excess. But now, the WD-40 company makes "specialist" products - including a white lithium grease.
On industrial machinery (similar to hardware on garage doors) I preferred Tri-Flow General Purpose Lubricant. I use the 3-IN-ONE Garage Door Lube on my door. It's cheaper than Tri-Flow and more readily available. But both [Tri-Flow & 3 in 1] are flammable aerosols, because the propellant is propane, n-butane. (Sater for the ozone layer!) The lubricant itself is safe. I don't lube the tracks where the roller rides, it's supposed to roll, not slide in the track.
By the way, silicon and silicone are TWO different things. Silicon is an element - Si on the periodic table, atomic number 14. Transistors are made of silicon. Silicone is used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, cooking utensils, thermal insulation.
@@RichardFallstichThanks for the explanation of silicon versus silicone. Have long wondered about the difference.
The story I hear was that moisture would get into the steering vanes of the Atlas rocket at night while the rocket was on the launch pad and freeze, so the vanes would not move and the rocket could not be launched in the mornings. WD-40 was developed primarily to displace the moisture with a little bit of lubricant, not developed as a lubricant. The number 40 came from the 40th try of a mixture. As someone mentioned WD-40 is good for getting things unstuck, and then you should lubricate after you get what you are working moving with oil or grease. @@RichardFallstich
You dont lubricate the guideways for the rollers at all?
TY. Simple task, but important to do it all and do it right.
I noticed you had a bottle of WD-40. What role does WD-40 play in lubricating the garage door?
Is it necessary to lubricate the garage door opener rail?
Smooth as butter!!! Great video! The squeaks were annoying the heck out of my wife. What do they say - happy wife, happy life? Thank you!
GREAT JOB Thanks so much !!
So you don't lube the screw or chain mechanism on the opener that actually pulls the door up?
I lubed basically all the same areas but used 3 in 1. Never saw any videos on doing this. It worked great but had plenty of drips on the cars for a few days. Don't care how long it lasts - house is a rental! But the grinding noises are gone and it works much smoother.
I was still having issues after I sprayed everything so I sprayed the roller and the roller track (before seeing this video).. Now Im worried I caused dirt to build up and maybe thats why my door struggles to open.. How can I best clean a dirty track?
@heritagedoor - How often should you lubricate your door, etc?
great video. very helpful. thank you
Went to Lowe’s to get the blaster spray without knowing how it’s done. Good thing I watched this video before doing it because I had no idea how it was done and I was going to do everything you’re not supposed to do😅 like lube the tracks
Thx sir, but tell us what city you are in.
how often do you perform this?
As replied in a message below, A maint. guy informed me to always use silicon vs. an oil-type lub. Less dirt/dust buildup can happen when cleaning the garage with blower or normal accumulation. I've stuck with this for many trouble-free years. I spray my doors maybe twice yearly and they stay quiet and funk-free. Any thoughts?
sounds like a good plan. I think you should stick with it
Do you lubricate the rail?
It is important to know why the torsion spring needs a good quality lube regularly. The long spring is designed to spread the torque over the whole spring, so each coil takes its fair share of the load, and each coil only sees a small portion of the movement. If the spring gets dry some coils can stick together and not slide over each other, and this causes the portion of spring that is actually moving to actually have to move further and see more load. This uneven load is what causes springs to break.... So even if you do not lube anything else on the door, keep the spring lubed to even out the load along the spring. As Far as lubricants are concerned regular WD-40 should go into the 'adhesive' box, silicone lube does not dry out and does not attract dirt like WD-40 ( regular formula ) WD took over 3in1 company and their lubes improved, but before that they were a glue company.
WD-40 is not a lubricant it is a cleaner.
@@IAMNOSLEEP no- there is a clue contained right in the name- WD. that stands for 'water dispersant'
I've used it as a metal & mechanical cleaner since very early 70's as well as a moisture dispersant in electrical components... Works great. Back in the day when it had fish oil in it we would use it is a lure attractant for fishing. @@tommurphy4307
@@tommurphy4307 UA-cam is deleting my replies if more than one sentence.