What to lube garage door with?

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mb82

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#180560 13-Sep-2015 18:25

Without buying some fangled 'special garage door lube' what would be best to lube garage door with? CRC, Grease or oil?
TIA

richms

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#1386791 13-Sep-2015 18:34

I used a spray can of stuff called garage door lubricant. Seemed quite similar to the lock lubricant.

Richard rich.ms

AKLWestie

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#1386792 13-Sep-2015 18:34

A guy who fixed my garage door said wd40 is the best for the tracks and joints. Never use grease as it attracts dust.

Don't use wd40 on the wheels. He used something special for the wheels but i cannot remember what was it.

gzt

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#1386836 13-Sep-2015 19:31

If recent ask manufacturer.

Fred99

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#1386912 13-Sep-2015 20:32

Lube what?
Never lube the pole for the auto opener. If you have - then clean it off thoroughly, and after a week or two go back and clean it again, as residual grease/oil in the carriage will have smeared all over the pole again. Don't worry about the chain.
CRC 656 (blue can not red can) is better than the standard (red) 556 for lubing hinges on sectionals, bushes on tilt arms (some have a lube hole on the top of the bush - make sure it's cleaned out, then lube it, wheels (centre bearing and bush where they slot into a sectional door hinge). In a manual tilt with locks spray the locks. Spray over springs on the pole above the door on a sectional, and the top of the spring where it loops over the bolt on the arm a tilt (and bush if there is one there). You could also spray the thread on the bottom hook - they rust up. The stuff sold as garage door lubricant is much the same as the 656 grade but smells nicer (rose perfume LOL). 556 and WD40 grade is okay - but won't last long.
For rollers, use silicone spray on the tracks.

3g

341 posts

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#1386957 13-Sep-2015 22:17

I had our multi-section garage door "serviced" a while back.
The guy actually showed me how to do it myself - and showed me that he was using CRC Silicone
http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Lubricants--Penetrants-Silicone-Sprays/p1/808-Silicone-i15e667c2-8e92-4224-8674-7086168c93ea-6545.htm

He basically lubricated each of the pins, then ran the door up and down 2-3 times.
He then manually turned each of the pins about a quarter turn, sprayed each again, then ran it up and down again a couple of times.

And then charged me $40 (but reminded me that I could now do it myself!).

networkn

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#1386962 13-Sep-2015 22:30

3g: I had our multi-section garage door "serviced" a while back.
The guy actually showed me how to do it myself - and showed me that he was using CRC Silicone
http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Lubricants--Penetrants-Silicone-Sprays/p1/808-Silicone-i15e667c2-8e92-4224-8674-7086168c93ea-6545.htm

He basically lubricated each of the pins, then ran the door up and down 2-3 times.
He then manually turned each of the pins about a quarter turn, sprayed each again, then ran it up and down again a couple of times.

And then charged me $40 (but reminded me that I could now do it myself!).

Who did it, was he Auckland based?

Fred99

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#1386966 13-Sep-2015 22:56

3g: I had our multi-section garage door "serviced" a while back.
The guy actually showed me how to do it myself - and showed me that he was using CRC Silicone
http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Lubricants--Penetrants-Silicone-Sprays/p1/808-Silicone-i15e667c2-8e92-4224-8674-7086168c93ea-6545.htm

He basically lubricated each of the pins, then ran the door up and down 2-3 times.
He then manually turned each of the pins about a quarter turn, sprayed each again, then ran it up and down again a couple of times.

And then charged me $40 (but reminded me that I could now do it myself!).

That was nice of him to show you - but it's the wrong stuff for sectional door hinges/wheels/axles.
CRC will lubricate metal to metal better, and is anti-corrosive.

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eracode

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#1386975 14-Sep-2015 03:24

Fred99:
3g: I had our multi-section garage door "serviced" a while back.
The guy actually showed me how to do it myself - and showed me that he was using CRC Silicone
http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Lubricants--Penetrants-Silicone-Sprays/p1/808-Silicone-i15e667c2-8e92-4224-8674-7086168c93ea-6545.htm

He basically lubricated each of the pins, then ran the door up and down 2-3 times.
He then manually turned each of the pins about a quarter turn, sprayed each again, then ran it up and down again a couple of times.

And then charged me $40 (but reminded me that I could now do it myself!).

That was nice of him to show you - but it's the wrong stuff for sectional door hinges/wheels/axles.
CRC will lubricate metal to metal better, and is anti-corrosive.

I'm getting a bit confused here. What's best for a sectional door? CRC 656 Blue (per Fred99) or CRC 808 silicone (per 3g)?

Would be good if those posting answers could give us an indication of why they feel they are an expert or authority on this.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

scuwp

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#1386988 14-Sep-2015 07:51

For me...it's whatever is in the cupboard. Normally CRC (standard) or WD40, or similar variant. Not sure why the need to be so precious about it, it's a garage door, not a component for the space shuttle. Been pilling the stuff on my sectional garage doors for 20+ years and never had any issues.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

eracode

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#1387017 14-Sep-2015 09:07

scuwp: For me...it's whatever is in the cupboard. Normally CRC (standard) or WD40, or similar variant. Not sure why the need to be so precious about it, it's a garage door, not a component for the space shuttle. Been pilling the stuff on my sectional garage doors for 20+ years and never had any issues.

Of course you're correct but if there's something that is better because, say, it doesn't attract or retain dust and crud, I'd rather use that.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Fred99

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#1387040 14-Sep-2015 09:57

eracode:
scuwp: For me...it's whatever is in the cupboard. Normally CRC (standard) or WD40, or similar variant. Not sure why the need to be so precious about it, it's a garage door, not a component for the space shuttle. Been pilling the stuff on my sectional garage doors for 20+ years and never had any issues.

Of course you're correct but if there's something that is better because, say, it doesn't attract or retain dust and crud, I'd rather use that.

Silicone will still attract dust - and won't lubricate as well and doesn't have the anti-corrosive ingredients of CRC/WD40 type products. If you've got a cedar faced sectional, then it's also likely to cause issues when you refinish it. Sure it'll work to a degree, but it's not the right product - that's why the stuff sold as garage door lubricant is very much CRC.

Coil

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#1387044 14-Sep-2015 10:07

I just used a standard grease on mine.
Applied it with my finger in the rails and still working a treat.

Fred99

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#1387057 14-Sep-2015 10:45

TimA: I just used a standard grease on mine.
Applied it with my finger in the rails and still working a treat.

Oh dear - I think I should give up on this thread.
I've pressed the "set answer" button above.

Gordy7

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#1387067 14-Sep-2015 10:48

Lube is only part of a garage door maintenance.
Lube such as CRC should be used sparingly or if flushing out pins and hinges, then the surplus should be wiped off.
Any lube if better than dry hinges and pins.
Tracks should be wiped out with a cloth soaked in CRC to remove dust and crude so that wheels can run freely.
Tracks should be checked to see they have not come loose or cause binding of door panels, etc, etc...

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Coil

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#1387086 14-Sep-2015 11:11

Fred99:
TimA: I just used a standard grease on mine.
Applied it with my finger in the rails and still working a treat.

Oh dear - I think I should give up on this thread.
I've pressed the "set answer" button above.

Mine was squeaky as hell so smeared it in the stuff and works fine :).