Garage Door Crooked or Uneven? Don't Force It

What makes a door hang crooked

The door is held level by two cables of equal length under equal spring tension. Anything that changes one side changes the geometry.

• A cable that slipped or unwound off its drum.
• A loose drum set screw letting the cable spool unevenly.
• One broken spring on a two-spring door.
• A roller out of the track on one side.
• A loose or pulled track bracket on the wall.

Why forcing it is expensive

A crooked door drags in the tracks. Each cycle adds to the damage: bent track flanges, cracked hinges, torn end stiles, and a top section pulled away from the operator arm. The repair grows from a cable set to panels and hardware.

Unplug the opener, do not pull the door by hand, and leave it in place until a technician can unload the spring tension safely.

What a technician checks

The diagnostic is fast when it is done in order.

• Cable length and wind pattern on both drums.
• Spring tension balance side to side.
• Track plumb and bracket torque top to bottom.
• Roller condition and stem wear.
• Panel and hinge damage from prior forced cycles.

Preventing a repeat

Most crooked-door callbacks come from repairs where only the failed part was replaced. Cables and springs are always replaced in pairs, drum set screws are torqued to spec, and the door is balance-tested by hand before the opener is reconnected.