Lubrication is important for all garage door moving parts. Lubrication will help keep your garage door operating smoothly and will prolong the life of the garage door the moving parts of the garage door. Proper lubrication will also help to keep your garage door opener running smooth and prolong its life as well.
Lubrication to the garage door and the moving parts with in the garage door system should be done several times a year. The climate you live in will impact how often lubrication is needed. In most case the garage door and moving parts within the garage door system should be lubricated every 3-4 months to keep them operating smoothly.
It is recommended that the rollers hinges, cables and drums be lightly lubricated with a quality garage door lubrication every 3-4 months. Spray garage door lubricant should be sprayed on each hinge leaving a light film of oil after wiping away excess oil with a rag or paper towel. It is also recommended that each roller be sprayed with garage door lubricant, the spray lubricant should be directed to the ball bearings or around the shaft at the point where it attaches to the wheels in rollers that do not have ball bearings. The drums and cable also need a light coat of spray lubricant to protect them from rust and friction wear.
*Note: Always use a high quality garage door spray lubricant as opposed to WD40 or a similar general purpose oil or lubricant.
Garage door openers need periodical lubrication as well. The garage door opener should only need lubrication twice per year, depending on climate. Check the owner’s manual for your particular make and model of garage door opener for lubrication points and recommended frequency. Use great caution when lubricating a garage door opener, and always unplug the opener from the electric power source before lubricating. (Verify that your garage door opener is unplugged before lubricating to avoid electrical shock) Do not use spray lubricant as the spray can penetrate the electrical components and cause damage to the electrical components. Use quality garage door grease to lubricate the chain and sprocket on chain drive systems, to the screw on screw drive system, and to the lubrication points recommended on a belt drive system.
It is also recommended that the trolley and rails the trolley ride on be lightly lubricated with a quality garage door grease.
