Why did my commercial garage door come off track?

A commercial garage door comes off track most often because something hit it: a truck, a forklift or a pallet jack that caught the track, the bottom of the door or the guide. A broken cable or spring on one side, worn rollers or hinges, and track brackets shaken loose by heavy daily use cause the rest. Stop using the door, turn off power to the operator, keep people and vehicles out from under it and call a commercial door technician. Do not try to force the rollers back in or run the door, since it can drop.

How a commercial door stays on track

A commercial sectional door rides on rollers in two steel tracks, one on each side, that run up the wall and then back along the ceiling or straight up the wall. Shops and warehouses often use a standard lift track, a high lift track that runs farther up the wall before it turns, or a vertical lift track that keeps the door against the wall to clear cranes, racks and lights. Springs on a shaft above the door carry its weight, and cables run from the springs to the bottom corners.

A rolling steel door has no rollers or tracks. Its curtain of steel slats rolls up into a coil above the opening and runs down in two side guides. Endlocks or windlocks on the ends of the slats keep the curtain in the guides. When people say a roll up door came off track, they usually mean the curtain popped out of a guide.

Why commercial doors come off track

• A vehicle strike. A truck backing in, a forklift mast or a load that clips the door or track bends the track or knocks rollers out. This is the most common cause on docks and in shops.
• A broken cable or spring on one side. When one side loses its lift, that side drops, the door twists and rollers jump the track.
• Worn rollers and hinges. A door that cycles many times a day wears out rollers and hinges far faster than a home door. A broken roller stem or a cracked hinge lets that section wander out of the track.
• Loose brackets and anchors. Vibration from heavy use loosens the bolts that hold the tracks to the wall. A track that pulls away from the wall lets the rollers slip out.
• Closing onto something. A door that comes down on a pallet, a cart or a vehicle can tilt and jump the track, especially if the photo eyes or reversing edge are not working.
• An operator out of adjustment. An operator that keeps pushing after the door is closed or open, or that pushes against a binding door, can force a section out of line.
• Wind on a large door. Strong gusts can push a wide door hard enough to pull rollers or rolling door slats out of their tracks and guides.

Signs the door is off track

• The door hangs crooked or lower on one side.
• One or more rollers sit outside the track, or the track is bent or pulled away from the wall.
• A rolling door curtain has bowed out of a guide, or slats are torn or twisted at the edge.
• A cable hangs loose beside the door.
• The door grinds, shudders or stops partway and the operator strains.

What to do right away

1. Stop using the door. Do not press the button again or use the chain hoist.
2. Turn off power to the operator at its disconnect switch or breaker so no one can run it. If your workplace uses lockout and tagout under OSHA's rule, lock and tag the disconnect.
3. Keep people and vehicles out from under and around the door. Block off the opening if you can.
4. If the door is stuck open, keep the area secure until it can be closed safely.
5. Note what happened, the door size and the operator brand and model from its label.
6. Call a commercial door technician.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Running the operator to see if the door will work itself back in.
• Lifting the door back onto the track by hand or with a pry bar.
• Hammering a bent track back into shape or forcing slats into a guide.
• Loosening a cable, a spring or a bracket on the bottom corners.

A commercial door can weigh hundreds of pounds, and LiftMaster's own manual warns that springs, cables and other door hardware are under extreme tension and should only be repaired by a trained door technician. If the door has to be opened before help arrives and it is still square in its tracks, see how to open a commercial roll up door manually.

How a technician gets the door back on track

We secure the door first, so it cannot drop, and release the spring tension where it is needed. Then we check why it came off: a bent track, a broken cable or spring, worn rollers, cracked hinges or loose anchors. We straighten or replace the damaged track, replace the broken parts, set the rollers back in the tracks, reset the cables and balance the springs. On a rolling door we straighten or replace the bent guide and damaged slats and replace broken endlocks or windlocks. Last, we adjust the operator's limits and force and test the photo eyes and reversing edge so the door runs smoothly again.

How to prevent a commercial door from going off track

• Protect the opening with bollards or track guards where trucks and forklifts work close to the door.
• Make sure drivers wait for the door to open fully before they pass under it.
• Keep the photo eyes and reversing edge working and clean.
• Have the door serviced on a schedule. DASMA's guidance for rolling doors calls for regular checks of the guides, curtain and hardware, and busy doors need them more often. A commercial maintenance plan catches worn rollers, cables and loose anchors early.

Common questions

Can I use my commercial garage door if it is off track?

No. A door off track can jam, twist further or fall, and running the operator can bend the track and panels more. Turn off the power and keep the area clear until it is repaired.

What causes a commercial garage door to come off track?

On a commercial door the usual cause is impact from a truck, forklift or load. Broken cables or springs, worn rollers and hinges, loose track brackets, a door closing onto something and wind on a large door cause the rest.

How do you put a commercial garage door back on its track?

A technician secures the door, releases spring tension where needed, repairs or replaces the bent track and broken parts, sets the rollers back in the track, then resets the cables and balances the door. Because the springs and cables are under tension, this is a job for a trained technician, not staff.

How long does an off-track repair take?

Many off-track repairs are finished on the first visit, since our trucks carry the parts for most repairs. A badly bent track or a custom part can take a second visit.

What affects the cost to fix a commercial door that is off track?

The cost depends on what was damaged: whether the track can be straightened or must be replaced, how many rollers, hinges or panels need replacing, whether a cable or spring broke, and the door's size and type. We look at the door and confirm the price before any work starts.

How G Brothers helps

G Brothers repairs commercial doors across the Denver metro, including Denver, Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Golden, Aurora and Commerce City. We fix sectional, rolling steel, high-cycle and fire-rated doors and every brand of operator, and dispatch 24/7 with an average response of about an hour and a half. We can provide a certificate of insurance, usually within 24 hours, and we are members of the International Door Association. See commercial garage door repair, garage door track repair and roll up and rolling steel door repair, or ask for a free estimate. If the door will not close at all, see why a commercial door will not close.

Sources

• LiftMaster, Logic 5.0 Commercial Door Operators: Installation and Owner's Manual (safety warnings on springs, cables and hardware)
• DASMA, Technical Data Sheet #270: Recommended Rolling Door Maintenance Practices for Building Maintenance Supervisors
• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.147: The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)