Screw Drive Garage Door Opener Binds...needs Lube?



Question:
My garage door makes it 1/3 of the way up and then begins to bind. This is a screw drive opener. The rail between the opener and the garage door, that holds the screw, begins to flex fairly seriously. It appears this has bent the rail, and potentially the screw inside. A neighbor told me he thought the screw just needed to be lubed. I bought a tube of lube but am not real sure exactly *how* to lube the screw. Do I just squirt the lube directly onto the screw for it's full length? If the lube does not solve the problem, does the opener need to be moved further away from the door or something like that? Thank you for helping.

Answer:
First disconnect the door from the opener by pulling the emergency release rope or handle. Operate the door by hand. If it binds, you have to diagnose that and fix it first. If it operates smoothly, you can try lubing the screw, they do need it periodically. Before you lube it, look to see if the screw has an accumulation of old dry grease and gunk blocking the threads (they usually do.) If so, you'll have to clean it first, which is a real pain. When it's clean, distribute the grease evenly along the screw and operate the door several times to spread it over the screw.





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