Fixing a loose garage door chain is as simple as finding—and tightening—the right nut.
Your garage door may be something of an unsung hero: It opens to let you out into the world each day and closes with a reassuring thud when you come home to unwind. But if your garage door chain is loose, the process may come with a lot more noise than that—and may even put your garage door at risk of falling off its tracks.
Fortunately, this common problem is one of the easiest DIY fixes out there. All you’ve got to do is find, and tighten, the right nut. We’ll walk you through the whole process step by step—and get you back on the road (or off it!) in no time.
Along with the banging, noise of metal on metal, you might notice your garage door chain simply appears too slack. In extreme cases, your garage door may even start malfunctioning—which is one of the important reasons it’s so important to fix a loose garage door chain. Below are reasons to not ignore that banging noise:
A loose chain means the entire system needs to do more work, which can make it less effective and reliable.
In some cases, a loose garage door chain might cause damage to the door itself by dragging along its surface during operation.
The door may come off its tracks and be damaged.
A loose chain may affect the door’s programmed open and close limits, which can create an unsafe situation.
Keep in mind, there are other issues that may cause your garage door to act strangely—like interference with your garage door remote or garage door springs that need replacing. Still, it’s better to start small and see if that fixes it before moving onto bigger (and more expensive!) ventures; replacing a garage door costs a whole lot more than simply adjusting the chain tension.
Good news: As important as it is to fix your loose garage door chain as part of your regular garage door maintenance, it’s just as simple to do it yourself—and professionals are readily available to help if you need an extra hand.
Let’s go step by step.
Safety first! Before making any adjustments, you’ll want to disconnect the garage door opener. Nobody wants to receive a shocking surprise when they’re standing on a stepladder—and it would be pretty bad news if the garage door opener started working while you’re up there, too.
To do this, ensure your garage door is closed, and then unplug the power supply. In most cases, it’ll be connected to a ceiling outlet. You can always check your owner’s manual for more information.
Now, you’ll need to disconnect the garage door opener from the door itself. Do this by pulling down on the manual or emergency release cord, which is usually red. Once again: The owner’s manual is your friend!
Now, you’ll grab your stepladder and take a look at the garage door opener trolley assembly—the mechanism that takes care of all the ups and downs. You should see a bolt about five to seven inches long, with two nuts screwed onto it, separated by a divider. This is the adjustment bolt.
Now, let’s take a closer look at those two nuts. One of them will be closer to the opener, and one will be closer to the garage door itself. The one that’s closer to the garage door is the adjustment nut, which governs the tension in the garage door chain. The nut that’s closer to the garage door opener is the locking nut, which, as its name suggests, locks the whole thing into place.
The first thing you’ll need to do is to loosen the locking nut just a bit using a half-inch or adjustable wrench. This gives you the room you need in order to tighten the adjustment nut—and your garage chain.
Once that’s done, move to the adjustment nut and slowly tighten it, increasing the tension on the garage door chain. Be careful not to pull the chain too tight! Keeping a bit of slack in the chain helps keep your garage door in good, working order for a longer time.
Now that you’ve made your adjustments, it’s time to reconnect and test. Start by plugging the system back in, and then reconnect the door to the opener.
Often this can be done simply by operating the door with your remote or wall button, but you may also use the red manual release cord. You know the drill—your owner’s manual can help, here. The chain may appear to droop a bit when the door is re-engaged, but should become taut once the door is open.
Once your garage door opener is connected, you can test a couple of times to see that your chain is appropriately tightened up.
If it’s not, you can repeat this process as needed. If the chain continues to frequently loosen, that may be a signal that it’s time for the chain, or the entire garage door opener, to be replaced. (It may also mean you need to adjust a different part of the system, such as the garage door spring.)
Although adjusting a loose garage door chain is a relatively simple DIY process, in some cases, it may be a better idea to hire a pro.
For instance, if your garage door has already jumped its tracks, or won’t work at all, the project may require more substantial effort. Just like installing a garage door, these jobs may be best left for professionals.
Additionally, even simple stuff can be taken care of by professionals to help you spend your time in the ways that matter most to you. Finding highly rated, local garage door installers ensures the job will be done quickly and professionally so you can get back to the important stuff.
Many experts say a garage door chain should last, on average, between 10 and 20 years—but of course, your mileage may vary. If your garage door chain is frequently slackening, even with regular maintenance, it may be time for a replacement.
Yes! If your garage door chain is too tight, it can cause excess tension and shorten the lifespan of the system. Always be sure to leave some slack in your garage door chain, but not enough for it to clang against the rest of the fixtures.
