Garage Door Repair

Tools:

ladder
hammer
vice clamps
ratcheting nut driver
power drill and bits
knee pads
couple of scrap pieces of 2x4s
four-panel garage door section

Steps:

1. Raise the garage door and disconnect the power to the automatic garage door opener if applicable. Also disconnect the center arm if the door has an opener (figure B).

2. Next undo the tension springs from the turnbuckles holding them in place (figure C). There's a lot of tension in those springs, so be careful.

3. Carefully lower the door as it's heavy. Use a scrap 2x4 to prop it up about three or four inches off the ground to make removing the bottom panel easier (figure D).

4. Clamp a couple of vice clamps onto the garage door tracks just below the bearings for the second panel (figure E). This will hold the upper part of the door in place when you remove the 2x4 prop to get at the center bracket of the lower panel.

5. Loosen the bolts on the brackets holding the bottom panel in place using the ratcheting nut driver (figure F). Tap the bolts back far enough with Save the center bracket between the first and second panels for last.

6. Place another 2x4 on edge beneath the door to brace the bottom panel when you lower it (figure G). Carefully remove the 2x4 propping up the door at the center (figure H). The vice clamps should hold the upper part of the door in place.

7. Loosen the bolts holding the bottom panel to the center bracket and carefully remove the panel and replace with new panel. Line up the bottom corners in the cable anchors (figure I) and use the hinges and brackets as templates for drilling holes for bolts.

8. Once all the brackets are attached pre-drill holes and mount the new handle. Raise the garage door and reconnect the tension springs and garage door opener (if applicable). Prime and paint the door at your leisure.