Proper Garage Door Lubrication

Keeping your garage door in good working order is one of those things that can be easily overlooked.  While it may not see like an important task taking a few minutes every couple months to make sure all of the moving parts are functioning the way they should.  It’ll save you from a large bill down the road if the entire door needs to be replaced.

Lubricating the door rollers is by far the most important part of proper garage door maintenance but its not just simply spraying them down with WD-40.  Using that product will help in the short run but actually make the door worse over time.  Garage door rollers usually come packed with some sort of petroleum based grease.  Over time that grease will wear away and the door will start to make metal to metal noises.  If you spray the door with WD-40 it will lubricate the rollers for a little while but it will soon evaporate, additionally the WD-40 will act as a degrease and effectively remove any old grease that was originally there.  Any metal parts now exposed to the elements now have the potential to rust and possibly get stuck in place.

To properly lubricate your door rollers you must replace the grease with a similar product that wont evaporate over time.  CRC White Lithium Grease is a great lubricant for any moving parts with metal to metal contact.  White lithium grease will not wash off, melt or freeze so it is perfect for any door or garage that is exposed to the elements.  All it takes is a quick spray into each of the rollers and hinges and your door is good to go.

Check out the Eastwood Blog and Tech Archive for more How-To’s, Tips and Tricks to help you with all your automotive projects.  If you have a recommendation for future articles or have a project you want explained don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

– James R/EW