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A Brief Guide to Replacing the Garage Door Carriage Assembly

Also known as a carriage, the garage door trolley is the rail between the motor and the garage door. This critical garage door part connects the door to the mechanism of the opener usually through a bar or chain that stretches across the ceiling of your garage. The operating arm, connected to the garage door trolley, provides the push or pull to raise or lower your garage door. Usually, its installed at the same time as the opener but may wear out before the opener, in which case it will need replacing.

Here’s how to replace the carriage assembly of your garage door. It’s a fairly simple DIY garage door repair if you have the right tools and equipment.

Disconnecting the Door & Carriage

First, disconnect the motor from the electric outlet to avoid shock. If the garage door opener is wired to an electric box, turn off the breaker.

Pull the release cord of the trolley to disconnect it from the garage door. This is the cord hanging from the assembly. Next, raise and lower the door by hand so that the carriage assembly is pulled to the outer end of the rail.

Place a ladder near the end of the rail at the wall above the garage door opening. Remove the cotter pin from the cotter bolt that attaches the upper end of the door arm to the carriage with a pair of pliers.

Replacing the Carriage

Remove the bolt that connects the rail to the wall bracket. Fit the replacement carriage onto the end of the rail and reconnect the rail.

Run the garage door. This should automatically reconnect the door to the opening assembly. Congratulate yourself on a garage door repair well done.

Reasons You Should Consider New Garage Door Installation

Is it time to install a new garage door? If a door is worn out, falling apart, or breaking beyond repair, it’s definitely worth considering. The appearance of a garage door has a big impact on the curb appeal factor in a home. Another is security. Broken doors are invitations to thieves who see your garage as low hanging fruit. And that applies to the rest of your home, since nearly 10% of all burglaries first break in through the garage door. Safety is another factor to consider. Older doors tend to have breaking components, which can be a danger to children and pets. They also don’t have the safety features of today’s garage doors. And finally there’s the noise factor. An older door can make a racket because of the rusty parts. A newer door can bring peace and quiet.