Every situation is different. when I first realized they were making quieter garage door openers, i wondered why. Thinking back to my childhood it was always helpful to know i had 30 seconds before mom came in. LOL.
Just did exactly what you did on my single car garage, and the difference is staggering. My door went from waking the whole entire neighborhood at 5am to the smoothest door ive ever opened
As a mechanical engineer, I can't understand who in their right mind would design a product with such loose tolerances?? Chamberlain must have a monopoly on these and must be using some outdated design technology. You have done a superb job in rectifying the racket caused by the roller hinges but no one should have to if the door was made properly...good video.
As a machinist I can answer your question. Sloppy tolerances means the overhead garage door installer can install the ass'y faster. The "slop" in the parts can compensate for door openings that are a little skewed, and the installer doesn't have to be super accurate when mounting the track, and supports. If the tolerances were tighter I suspect the door would bind up. And as for outdated technology, I would replace that ancient chain/belt drive with a direct drive unit.
Jay, I just finished quieting my garage door, as your genius video showed. I did run into 4-5 rollers that would not fit into the hinge after I added the heat shrink tubing. Even after cleaning the hinge with my .45 barrel brush and carb cleaner, then lubing with WD-40, I still had to remove about 2" of the tubing, then force/tap the roller into the hinge and It finally fit. My door is now amazingly quiet!! Many thanks for your video.
Another garage door tip not related to noise. Thieves will slide a coat hanger through the top crack between the door and the header and snag the release cord for the trolley. Once they're in the garage they have total privacy to to get your walk door open... If you remove the Tee handle from the cord they can't snag it.
Are nylon rollers as durable as the steel rollers you are replacing? Also, how much additional revenue are you making from your clever insertion of the Snap On and Ryobli names in your well choreographed video? You should clearly indicate if your "educational" presentation also includes product placement. Full disclosure will enhance your credibility.
I tried your sugestions and most were successful. I have a new garage door on a two car size garage, so it is big and heavy. I live in Florida so the door is hurricane resistant too. I bought the materials that you suggested. I found that I could not use the double stick tape on the roller shafts. They were already pretty snug. I did use the heat shrink tubing and that was able to fit in but only when I let it cool down from using the heat gun. Lubrication of the torsion spring made the biggest difference in sound reduction. Thanks for posting this video.
That is a impressive noise reduction, more than I expected. I have a belt drive and it is not so quiet but I guess I need nylon rollers and heat shrink
Use Rubber Electric Cord Strain Bushings between Motor and Metal Brackets to further Isolate Vibration. These Bushings have a Flange on Both ends And Hollow in the Middle. Isolating all Metal to Metal Contact is Essential to eliminate noise-vibration
Props.....respect......heat shrink tubing, would never have thought of that. I don't see the need for the two sided tape first, because once heat is applied, the tubing will be REALLY stuck on the roller pin.
I think a lot of the noise that's still occurring after you added the shrink tube and the foam is from the motor attached to the ceiling. If you install a rubber spacer, you'd probably get rid of a lot more noise.
I isolated the opener from the ceiling with rubber spacers. I don’t have a decibel meter but to the ear I didn’t notice any improvement. Didn’t work for me.
@@swimminwitdafishes8059 I use large truck mud flaps and cut them into short strips with a hole at each end. Then I hang the opener from them. It reduced the physical transfer of noise to the upstairs. Belt drive instead of a chain drive is substantially quieter too. There are torsion spring versions that aren't so noisy also, but my doors are too big for that style with the side mount openers.
It would have been interesting to see how much the foam inserts quietened the door before bothering with replacing the rollers. Thanks for the video. I'm looking forward to trying these tricks on our doors. 👍👍
You are a genius with the roller and hinge noise. I want to try when I have time. I do feel my chain driven opener has some slack/slap in it. Was hoping you had some tricks/tips for that too. But a great video non the less
with the shape of my track, I was able to cut a slit up one side of a whole pool noodle and put it on the track without interfering with the chain or trolley when they run. Probably cut the noise of the whole system in half just by not having that 8' rail rattling.
One of the things I noticed in your video was the use of a chain drive opener unit. The chain drive units are the noisiest type. Either a screw or even belt drive opener will be much quieter and cause less vibrations. :)
@@mikewatson4644 Wall mount openers have a lot of limitation as far as door type, door weight, are more common in garages with cathedral ceilings and have other limitations to consider. So, they are not suitable for homes that have the garage below the master bedroom which most 2 story homes have, and are considered less durable than overhead openers.
I installed all of these the last week of June 2023. My garage cycles 4 to 6 times a day. it is still in the same condition as when I installed. it. 11/8/2023
TY I used your links to order the shrink tubing and tape. I already replaced the rollers with the ones you suggested and already made a large difference.
The 118 Hz peak on the sound meter indicates the majority of the sound is coming from the opener motor (60 Hz line frequency harmonic) not the door itself, even though there was a significant improvement, it could be that you reduced the load on the opener with cleaning and new rollers.
I received a quote of $25 per roller to make my doors quieter with "silicone" rollers. My door already has nylon rollers as it is just 6 years old.. I declined and Im glad, now that I watched your video. The shrink tubing is a clever idea if it holds up
@@bowtiethirteentwenty8627 I don't think the shaft is supposed to rotate. That's why the wheels have bearings - the wheels do the rolling, not the shaft.
We had a belt drive opener that was quiet, but when we installed a heavier door during a whole house renovation the belt broke after about a month ( it was already about 5 years old). We were advised to go with a chain drive on the same opener and have had no problems with it after 4 years, and is only a little more noisy.
Great tips! Also, I had a Craftsman chain driven opener for over 20 before I had to replace it. Installed a Genie belt driven opener and was really surprised at how much quieter it was than the chain. A huge difference! 🙂
Great job here. Similar ideas in some cases (replacing with nylon rollers), but thank you for taking your project a step further and showing additional, effective steps (tape and shrink on the roller axles as well as the pool noodle “tensioning bushings”). Truly a special, and successful, take on quietening noisy garage doors.
Just bend the roller track at the joint near the turn and you can pop individual rollers out without having to remove brackets. You must unhook the carriage to do it that way though.
I love to tinker for a good cause. I cringe sometime at the noise my garage door makes. Especially in early morning hours. I've tried sprays but was still too loud. I'm going to look into this. One person commented to get a belt driven. But that is expensive and they have their own issues over time. Plus most of the noise comes from the door. Not the opener. They are just making the comment from their armchair anyway....Thanks for the idea. Can't hurt to try. 👍
I had a two-car garage door that screeched like no one's business. It was *_loud_*! It was so loud that my neighbors would know exactly what time in the morning I arrived home (long weekends far afield hundreds of miles from home). For years I played with tracks, roller-wheels, etc. with no luck finding the cause of the screeching. Then, when I was closing the door, I thought to reach up from the outside through the gap as the sections where rolling down, and put my fingers on the torsion spring bar. Well, spank my monkey and give me a carrot! That full-length-of-the-door torsion spring bar was vibrating like a highly out-of-tune violin string. The torsion spring bar is steel. The center support for the bar is aluminum. I shot some used motor oil in the support's through-hole for the torsion spring bar. And guess what? No more screeching! The thing now opened and closed nearly silently! For a longer term fix, I drilled a small hole in the aluminum center support all the way through to the steel torsion bar. I can now shoot the hole with a grease gun every few years to keep the peace.
Don't drill through the aluminum, it is not a support it's the cones the springs are wound onto. Drilling through that cone could cause it to shatter. The springs are tightly wound around the aluminum spring mounting cones. The cones are attached to a steel plate anchored to the header. For your own health, stay away from the springs, cables, and bottom brackets. Any of those 3 could kill you or take off your hand, head, etc. 45yrs. Of door experience says I'm right.
@@jeffrzentkowski2307 As with all on the Internet along with all the experts... Use informed and proper judgement. A 1/16" hole through the aluminum isn't going to degrade its structural integrity one bit. But, duplicate at your own risk. A dozen or so DYI replacements of torsion springs for friends, family, and my own properties over five decades of major mechanical DIY, including house jacking*, says I kinda have a handle on things too. *And I fabricated my own house lifting screw jacks.
I found the rollers wouldn't fit with the shrink tubing on so I replaced took the shrink tube off and replaced the old rollers. Not really any improvement. It seemed the noise was more of a grinding type of noise. So I sprayed PTFE on all the hinges. WOW! What a difference. Now the door is all but silent.
A lot of nay-sayers in the comments. Remember folks, garage door mechanics hasn’t changed is 60-odd years. These improvements help correct some of the design elements that have been in place for decades to allow for ‘slop’ in installation. I will say that it’s imperative that you first ensure that your door and tracks are installed correctly (not out-of-whack) otherwise nothing you do will help in the long run.
Great video. It got me motivated to tackle my garage door. I bought the rollers, the shrink sleeves etc... Maybe STEP #1: check how the tracks were installed. My house is 25 years old. The garage door opener is a Chamberlain 25 years old model. But it was installed so poorly. The way the whole package is built, there are tons of play in everything to allow for poor installations. My tracks were so off, by as much as 3/4". Once I reset everything, the door noise dropped by 1/2. Once I replaced the rollers with the shrink wrap (not for the bottom ones as it goes through a tighter bracket), put the noodle foam piece in the hinges' center, the door is now so quiet. Thanks.
A garage door pro showed me how to eliminate most of the noise. It was simple. Just lower the door, then loosen and retighten all the hinge and roller fasteners. This process releives binding tension that has built up….especially in newly installed doors that warp, shrink, expand, etc. They get noisy about 60 days after install. I was amazed…especially after wasting cans of lube to no avail.
@@TommyLindquist I was wondering the same thing. The only way this would work... in my mind... is to loosen all of them, to let everything go where it can relax and then retighten... maybe from bottom up? Who knows... but I am going to do this.
That door is generating a 118 Hz primary hum on both tests that's most of the noise. Disconnect the chain and run the motor. Then leave the motor off and raise and lower the door manually to determine where that hum is coming from. My guess would be the guide rails are telegraphing the sound to the door surface or the ceiling itself. I don't think all that creative work is really taking a bite out of the noise signal.
I just recently used the Owens Corning garage door insulation kit on my door, not only did it help insulate the garage it also made the door much quieter when it’s operating.
I like my garage door to be a bit noisy. If for some reason, someone was able to open my door (either through stolen frequency for an opener, a forgotten door opener left in the far parked outside they are able to retrieve or guessing the 4 digit number on the outside pad.), I want to be alerted by the noise.
Be sure to check if the roller will go back in after the heat shrink. Mine was too big and I had to do without. The nylon rollers alone made a big difference.
For even more quiet, install sound-deadening material on those 2' x 4-1/2' resonating aluminum panels. Polystyrene foam sheets or automotive urethane sticky sheets, or better yet, spray foam insulation. Quiet AND temperature stabilizing.
What does the clear tape do for the roller axle Jay ??? I will be doing the same thing to my rattling doors fella. Do you think that the sound number can be lowered even more Sir ??? Nice video and work too.
It's double sided tape, and it binds the heat shrink to the roller rod. I think you could get a wall (side) mounted garage door opener and it would make it super quiet. But you would need to spend around $500
One thing I did was to put a couple drops of 90-weight gear oil on the ends of the tubular hinge pins. Thanks, I did dribble a little across each spring. The reason I use 90-weight is because it's thicker than the regular "garage door" lube so it stays put longer.
I enjoyed that, thank you. I would offer that doing a separate set of before and after noise measurements with the electric door opener disengaged, and opening/closing manually, would have really added something to the video.
Thanks for the tip, great video, I did replace my ball bearing rollers with the nylon ones but I will try your heat shrink tip, will also see if I can find some insulation for the middle hinges. Thanks again!
Like all your ideas! I’d switched to the nylon rollers and also used Gorilla Duct tape on the roller channels. I just ripped it by hand to the right width and then carefully applied it to the channel radius surface so I didn’t get any lumps or bumps. The shrink wrap’s also a great idea. I again used Gorilla Duct tape, ripped to match the circumference of the roller shafts and the carefully applied it. Mine fit really snug and eliminated any “sloppy sound.” The other major sound reduction improvement was to install Green Hinge door hinges! They are designed with a coiled spring around the roller tubes and the rollers slide in a slot. The
@@OregonDARRYL OD, Thanks for the comment. Yes, you could add the Duct Tape to the flat side OR to BOTH sides, as there is plenty of room. However, the Green Hinges tend to force the rollers away from the curved side of the rails, so the door has a better seal against the exterior door seals as the door settles in at the bottom of the travel. Also, the rollers tend to run against the curved, lower channel on the horiz plane at the top of the travel, due mostly to Gravity. Because the Gravity is no longer "pulling down" on the door from the bottom end, it appears that they door is also rattling it's way toward the end of it's travel. Does that make more sense? Also, My chain drags on the steel rail on either side of the rail and there isn't an easy way to "tension" the chain as it runs on the track. I have a couple of pieces of HDPE that I''ve tapered the ends on and am going to mount those as wear "shoes" so the chain will run more silently on the HDPE....instead of slapping along the metal railing and increasing the noise levels. I'll comment on that after I get those mounted.
Thanks for the video. I lube the door hardware twice a year. Including the spring. Clean the tracks with an old rag and wd-40 and live well with the noise.
Be sure the WD is removed thoroughly. The rollers should roll on their bearings, not slide through the track. Some people grease the track and it really creates a problem.
If I remember my electronics training, every 3 db reduces the volume by half. For example, from 75 to 72 will be half as loud. Then to 69, half again. Do I have this right?
Heat shrink is becomming the new duct tape, 1001 uses. Good idea. And with nylon rollers no need to lube the tracks. Lube just attracts dirt and dust. Add an additional shot of grease to the Chinese roller bearings, and be sure the overhead spring is lubricated and working properly. A spring that isn't carrying the proper load will make the closer work harder and fail sooner, and make more noise. Cheers
Nice improvements. I would also lubricate the bearings on those new wheels using a needle adapter for a grease gun. Flood it and ensure the bearings are fully surrounded by grease, wipe off the excess. The small amount of grease that will be exposed will get a bit of dust on it but the bearings will be sealed and outlive the door.
You missed one other area. When the motor is attached to the ceiling can generate a lot of noise. Put a piece of rubber or foam between the mounting bracket and the ceiling. This is especially helpful if you have a living space above the garage
That would help, to be more effective you would have to isolate the bolts into the ceiling joists too. I can't think of any simple and reliable way to do it, though. Maybe some hard rubber grommets under the head of the bolts in addition to your pad.
I tried this as described and hit a snag. The solution presented is excellent in theory but in practice, on my garage, didn't work. They were too tight and had to be forced into the hinge housing. This may vary from The cushioning effect of the shrink tubing is an excellent idea to reduce rattling noise, but on my garage it made them impossible to insert back into the hinge tubes. The axles of the rollers MUST be free to slide back and forth within their hinge housings or the garage door won't have the necessary lateral play when moving along the tracks. So I removed all the heat shrink tubing, and spiral wrapped a single layer of electrical tape and that made the difference. YMMV but if you need to force them back in after using shrink tubing hack, you may well find the door doesn't track properly and may even jump off the rail, as mine did. A good test is always to disengage the motor/drive so that you can lift and lower the door by hand. It should run up and down smoothly and easily. If it doesn't, it's binding somewhere (and your springs may need adjusting as well.) The takeaway here is that if the roller axles need to be forced in, they're too tight.
Spring tension adjustment will assure the motor is not working any harder than it should and will be quieter. Close the door, pull the handle to release the trolley, and insure that the door rests comfortably between knee and waist height when you manually place it there. Adjust accordingly. Motor will be quieter and last longer, too.
@@JBK647 At least two types, winding rods for one, spring end colors and placement for the other. Tons of videos. Basically, you want the door to balance itself between waist and knee high when disconnected from the mech.
Attach garage door motor to ceiling with rubber exhaust pipe hangers. The motor noise make the garage ceiling like a giant guitar sound box. I’d send pictures
@@JHTC Nice vid. I'll be going for it. I don't see any downside in putting a thin film of grease on the outside of the heat-shrink before putting the roller shafts back in the tubes. Shouldn't hurt, might help.
If someone came to my house and opens the garage door; the noise will wake up the guest bedroom folks. I plan on buying isolators to the motor mounting to reduce the motor noise transfer and also the walls; The bedroom is above the garage. I do like your suggestions of the heat shrink and foam. Thank you for this video.!
I installed the shrink tubing the last week of June, I cycle my garage door 4-6 times a day. The shrink tube is still in the same condition as when I installed it. I hope it helps. :-)
There is no tension on the bottom roller. The tension is on the bottom bracket. You can replace these rollers just like the others. Do it with the door open and you will see there is no tension at all... the cable will in fact be loose.
@@crcurran I did that to my doors and they are quiet, did not know about this video to also help with the sound as well. Now another weekend project in the works😀
Excellent presentation. I already came up with the shrink tubing idea on my own, but the pool noodle is a great addition. I was thinking about using some spring steel to do the same thing, but I like your idea a lot better.
How long does the heat shrink last, I would not expect it to last more than a years worth of average use. You need some sort of HDPE plastic I think. The shrink will eventually extrude out where heavy contact takes place. It might work on light doors but not very long on a heavy insulated door.
@@thereplacementfordisplacement If the wheel bearings are working, then it's just pressure on the heat shrink. I was going to hunt down some nylon tubes for durability but the shrink tubing is too easy to ignore. My doors are old school wooden and 10 x 10 each. They're holding up fine after a year of use.
Thanks for the video and great ideas!! Definitely cost effective and if you're not super worried about aesthetics then this is a great option! For those that have a room above the garage door, this would be a superb way on keeping the noise level down. There's an actual company that sells spring loaded hinges that eliminate the ratttle. I think it's the Green Hinge system or something like that. Of course that'll be more expensive than pool noodles and heat shrink. So for those that dont want to use pool noodles, look at those hinges.
@@JHTC Hey. Nothing wrong with that. It's s quick, easy and affordable fix. I might have to try this ones mine break in and start rattling. Just got my insulated garage door in June and I have a wall mounted opener so it's really quiet as is, but I'm sure I can get it even quieter.
Unfortunately this did exactly nothing to quiet my garage door. Nylon rollers are an improvement over stock rollers, but the sound is unaltered. 1.5 Hours and $$$ lost. Oh well.
Every situation is different. when I first realized they were making quieter garage door openers, i wondered why. Thinking back to my childhood it was always helpful to know i had 30 seconds before mom came in. LOL.
:-)
How long does the shrink tube last?
So why are trying to be so quiet? Got caught leaving the house in the middle of the night? 🎉😂
So why are trying to be so quiet? Got caught leaving the house in the middle of the night? 🎉😂
@@JHTC😅😅😅
Just did exactly what you did on my single car garage, and the difference is staggering. My door went from waking the whole entire neighborhood at 5am to the smoothest door ive ever opened
I’m so glad it helped.
Thank you.
As a mechanical engineer, I can't understand who in their right mind would design a product with such loose tolerances?? Chamberlain must have a monopoly on these and must be using some outdated design technology. You have done a superb job in rectifying the racket caused by the roller hinges but no one should have to if the door was made properly...good video.
As a machinist I can answer your question. Sloppy tolerances means the overhead garage door installer can install the ass'y faster. The "slop" in the parts can compensate for door openings that are a little skewed, and the installer doesn't have to be super accurate when mounting the track, and supports. If the tolerances were tighter I suspect the door would bind up. And as for outdated technology, I would replace that ancient chain/belt drive with a direct drive unit.
Thank you
Jay, I just finished quieting my garage door, as your genius video showed. I did run into 4-5 rollers that would not fit into the hinge after I added the heat shrink tubing. Even after cleaning the hinge with my .45 barrel brush and carb cleaner, then lubing with WD-40, I still had to remove about 2" of the tubing, then force/tap the roller into the hinge and It finally fit. My door is now amazingly quiet!! Many thanks for your video.
Thank you. 😊
Another garage door tip not related to noise. Thieves will slide a coat hanger through the top crack between the door and the header and snag the release cord for the trolley. Once they're in the garage they have total privacy to to get your walk door open... If you remove the Tee handle from the cord they can't snag it.
or you could just cut the cord and leave it short. good advice.
@@JHTC Put a zip tie into the hole and it cannot be opened until you cut the tie.
That's a great tip. Hadn't even considered this. Thanks!
Are nylon rollers as durable as the steel rollers you are replacing?
Also, how much additional revenue are you making from your clever insertion of the Snap On and Ryobli names in your well choreographed video? You should clearly indicate if your "educational" presentation also includes product placement. Full disclosure will enhance your credibility.
@@jamesmitchell1780 Be nice James, be nice ✌️
WHOA!!!!!! The noise difference is WILD!!!
Thanks WKCIV!
I’m more impressed that this man can walk around a clean garage
(smile)
Lol
What is a "clean garage"....says me, whose garage is full of junk.
@@jeffj2495 its a mythical creature said to exist only in new homes
Me also! Just getting to the tracks would be an hour of moving stuff!
I tried your sugestions and most were successful. I have a new garage door on a two car size garage, so it is big and heavy. I live in Florida so the door is hurricane resistant too. I bought the materials that you suggested. I found that I could not use the double stick tape on the roller shafts. They were already pretty snug. I did use the heat shrink tubing and that was able to fit in but only when I let it cool down from using the heat gun. Lubrication of the torsion spring made the biggest difference in sound reduction. Thanks for posting this video.
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate you.
An alternative to the two sided tape and heat shrink on the roller stems, Amazon sells plastic sleeves that fit nicely over the roller stems.
Well, that’s very smart.
That is a impressive noise reduction, more than I expected. I have a belt drive and it is not so quiet but I guess I need nylon rollers and heat shrink
I hope it helps.
Use Rubber Electric Cord Strain Bushings between Motor and Metal Brackets to further Isolate Vibration. These Bushings have a Flange on Both ends And Hollow in the Middle. Isolating all Metal to Metal Contact is Essential to eliminate noise-vibration
Props.....respect......heat shrink tubing, would never have thought of that. I don't see the need for the two sided tape first, because once heat is applied, the tubing will be REALLY stuck on the roller pin.
I just had extra two sided tape.
you can get heatshrink tubing with adhesive on the inside.
I agreed with Dave before I even saw his/this post. The double-sided tape made no logical sense at all.
@@kennethmcooke Doesn't ALL heat shrink have adhesive on the inside?
@@davelevy4394 no
You can buy heat-shrink tubing that comes with a thermal-melt adhesive inside already.
I didn’t know that product was available.
Good advice
this is positively ingenious. Thank you so much
Thank you
I think a lot of the noise that's still occurring after you added the shrink tube and the foam is from the motor attached to the ceiling. If you install a rubber spacer, you'd probably get rid of a lot more noise.
That’s good advice.
Maybe I should shoot another video about that.
I isolated the opener from the ceiling with rubber spacers. I don’t have a decibel meter but to the ear I didn’t notice any improvement. Didn’t work for me.
I had the same experience. It was a waste of time and materials.@@swimminwitdafishes8059
@@swimminwitdafishes8059 I use large truck mud flaps and cut them into short strips with a hole at each end. Then I hang the opener from them. It reduced the physical transfer of noise to the upstairs. Belt drive instead of a chain drive is substantially quieter too. There are torsion spring versions that aren't so noisy also, but my doors are too big for that style with the side mount openers.
the people upstairs will feel and hear the difference@@swimminwitdafishes8059
It would have been interesting to see how much the foam inserts quietened the door before bothering with replacing the rollers.
Thanks for the video. I'm looking forward to trying these tricks on our doors. 👍👍
I should have done an experiment between the two projects. Thanks for the comment.
great info, I like the before and after.
Awesome, thank you!
You are a genius with the roller and hinge noise. I want to try when I have time. I do feel my chain driven opener has some slack/slap in it. Was hoping you had some tricks/tips for that too. But a great video non the less
Thank you.
with the shape of my track, I was able to cut a slit up one side of a whole pool noodle and put it on the track without interfering with the chain or trolley when they run. Probably cut the noise of the whole system in half just by not having that 8' rail rattling.
Hey good idea thanks@@root1657
One of the things I noticed in your video was the use of a chain drive opener unit. The chain drive units are the noisiest type. Either a screw or even belt drive opener will be much quieter and cause less vibrations. :)
Yea, I should have not used the opener. just disengage the opener and test it that way.
Excellent point, especially on two story homes where the master bedroom is often right above the garage...
Or use a wall mount opener. Much quieter and fewer moving parts to maintan.
@@mikewatson4644 Wall mount openers have a lot of limitation as far as door type, door weight, are more common in garages with cathedral ceilings and have other limitations to consider.
So, they are not suitable for homes that have the garage below the master bedroom which most 2 story homes have, and are considered less durable than overhead openers.
I have a belt drive unit and they aren't much quieter.
Lets see a followup after one year. I bet the shrink tubing will be history.
And the foam.
I installed all of these the last week of June 2023. My garage cycles 4 to 6 times a day. it is still in the same condition as when I installed. it. 11/8/2023
Great video. I’m thinking something like automotive ball joint grease would help keep the heat shrink from wearing out.
Great idea! I think I'll try it! Thanks for sharing...
You’re welcome
How long will that shrink tube last in that axle type of situation?
I just installed it last week.
It still looks good. No tears or wearing.
I’m sure it will last at least a couple years.
TY I used your links to order the shrink tubing and tape. I already replaced the rollers with the ones you suggested and already made a large difference.
Thanks, I’m glad it helped 😊
The 118 Hz peak on the sound meter indicates the majority of the sound is coming from the opener motor (60 Hz line frequency harmonic) not the door itself, even though there was a significant improvement, it could be that you reduced the load on the opener with cleaning and new rollers.
Try attaching a 10 or 20 lb weight to the motor housing.
I should have released the trolly and just ran it manually. Maybe in a future video.
Regardless, quieter is quieter. If someone upstairs is no longer awakened by the sound of the door opening, I call it a win.
Definitely going to try this on the one in my parents house after I get super stoned
Lol
Unique and cheap alternative!
Thank you
I received a quote of $25 per roller to make my doors quieter with "silicone" rollers. My door already has nylon rollers as it is just 6 years old.. I declined and Im glad, now that I watched your video. The shrink tubing is a clever idea if it holds up
I installed the shrink tube over six months ago and they’re still in the same condition when I installed them.
@@JHTC With the shrink installed can the roller shaft still rotate? Not a big concern, just curious. That's good it's lasting .
@@bowtiethirteentwenty8627 I don't think the shaft is supposed to rotate. That's why the wheels have bearings - the wheels do the rolling, not the shaft.
Well done😊😊
Thanks 😊 and thanks for the comment.
Woww, I'm pretty good around all aspects of home improvement, but this one sticks out to me. Very good, thank you Jay!
Happy to help! 👍
Step 1 = get a belt drive opener, this yields a huge reduction tion in noise
We had a side mounted opener in our last house. I was super quiet.
Get a wall mounted opener.
Direct drive wall mounted openers are quieter, if you can imagine.
We had a belt drive opener that was quiet, but when we installed a heavier door during a whole house renovation the belt broke after about a month ( it was already about 5 years old). We were advised to go with a chain drive on the same opener and have had no problems with it after 4 years, and is only a little more noisy.
@@ronaldwoodruff4676yeah, not buying a $400 garage door openers and spending God knows how much to rework the jank opening I have to make it work.
Great tips! Also, I had a Craftsman chain driven opener for over 20 before I had to replace it. Installed a Genie belt driven opener and was really surprised at how much quieter it was than the chain. A huge difference! 🙂
Mine is chain driven. maybe I should get a quieter opener.
belt drive
OR
manual lift
@@garydp9760 belt driven
My garage dooe opener worked good until the garage door spring broke.
@@JHTC THe quietest is the direct drive. It eliminates the controller mounted in the middle of the ceiling and the chain or belt drive and track.
Great job here. Similar ideas in some cases (replacing with nylon rollers), but thank you for taking your project a step further and showing additional, effective steps (tape and shrink on the roller axles as well as the pool noodle “tensioning bushings”). Truly a special, and successful, take on quietening noisy garage doors.
Sorry I’m so late. Glad it was helpful!
My streak is still going,learn something every day,thanks Nerd!
you're welcome.
Just bend the roller track at the joint near the turn and you can pop individual rollers out without having to remove brackets. You must unhook the carriage to do it that way though.
That's a smart idea
I love to tinker for a good cause. I cringe sometime at the noise my garage door makes. Especially in early morning hours. I've tried sprays but was still too loud. I'm going to look into this. One person commented to get a belt driven. But that is expensive and they have their own issues over time. Plus most of the noise comes from the door. Not the opener. They are just making the comment from their armchair anyway....Thanks for the idea. Can't hurt to try. 👍
I hope it helps.
Thanks
Yes, I have a belt driven opener………still very loud.
I had a two-car garage door that screeched like no one's business. It was *_loud_*! It was so loud that my neighbors would know exactly what time in the morning I arrived home (long weekends far afield hundreds of miles from home).
For years I played with tracks, roller-wheels, etc. with no luck finding the cause of the screeching. Then, when I was closing the door, I thought to reach up from the outside through the gap as the sections where rolling down, and put my fingers on the torsion spring bar. Well, spank my monkey and give me a carrot! That full-length-of-the-door torsion spring bar was vibrating like a highly out-of-tune violin string.
The torsion spring bar is steel. The center support for the bar is aluminum. I shot some used motor oil in the support's through-hole for the torsion spring bar. And guess what? No more screeching! The thing now opened and closed nearly silently!
For a longer term fix, I drilled a small hole in the aluminum center support all the way through to the steel torsion bar. I can now shoot the hole with a grease gun every few years to keep the peace.
Wow, That's amazing. I liked the "Spank my monkey" lol
Don't drill through the aluminum, it is not a support it's the cones the springs are wound onto. Drilling through that cone could cause it to shatter. The springs are tightly wound around the aluminum spring mounting cones.
The cones are attached to a steel plate anchored to the header. For your own health, stay away from the springs, cables, and bottom brackets. Any of those 3 could kill you or take off your hand, head, etc.
45yrs. Of door experience says I'm right.
@@jeffrzentkowski2307 As with all on the Internet along with all the experts...
Use informed and proper judgement. A 1/16" hole through the aluminum isn't going to degrade its structural integrity one bit. But, duplicate at your own risk.
A dozen or so DYI replacements of torsion springs for friends, family, and my own properties over five decades of major mechanical DIY, including house jacking*, says I kinda have a handle on things too.
*And I fabricated my own house lifting screw jacks.
Oh yeah... Well I once watched back-to-back episodes of "This Old House". Game on!
I found the rollers wouldn't fit with the shrink tubing on so I replaced took the shrink tube off and replaced the old rollers. Not really any improvement. It seemed the noise was more of a grinding type of noise. So I sprayed PTFE on all the hinges. WOW! What a difference. Now the door is all but silent.
Thanks for the comment, and good advice.
It would have been interesting to do a noise level check after only cleaning the tracks.
I should have run the rollers with out the garage door opener.
Impressive. I’m really happy that I am not concerned with the noise my garage door makes. This looks like a lot of work and a lot of time.
You’re probably not retired 🫤
Yea, it only took me about 45 minutes.
Best video yet!
Thanks Rayv43!!!
We’re you born in ‘43?
@@JHTC 1843
This is cool! I wish I would've seen this before I replaced my rollers!
Thanks for the comment!
A lot of nay-sayers in the comments.
Remember folks, garage door mechanics hasn’t changed is 60-odd years. These improvements help correct some of the design elements that have been in place for decades to allow for ‘slop’ in installation.
I will say that it’s imperative that you first ensure that your door and tracks are installed correctly (not out-of-whack) otherwise nothing you do will help in the long run.
Good advice
Clean the roller rod with achohol and shrink tube will take a strong grip on rod.
That’s a good idea
Hey Jay this is Casper. Our new garage door is very noisy so I will be checking this fix out very soon. Thank you.
Thanks Casper. let me know if it helps.
To do the bottom rollers, raise the door and prop it up with a 2x4 so there's no tension left on the spring. Only do one side at a time.
Thanks for the comment.
Excellent video! Great ideas that I’m eager to try on my very noisy garage door.
Thank you, i'm sure it will work.
That pool noodle hack worked so well I can’t even believe it! Thank you!
😊😊😊
You’re welcome.
I love opening the garage door, waking the person sleeping above the garage, early in the morning.
My Garage door still makes noise. It let's me know when my wife gets home.
Great video. It got me motivated to tackle my garage door. I bought the rollers, the shrink sleeves etc...
Maybe STEP #1: check how the tracks were installed. My house is 25 years old. The garage door opener is a Chamberlain 25 years old model. But it was installed so poorly. The way the whole package is built, there are tons of play in everything to allow for poor installations.
My tracks were so off, by as much as 3/4". Once I reset everything, the door noise dropped by 1/2.
Once I replaced the rollers with the shrink wrap (not for the bottom ones as it goes through a tighter bracket), put the noodle foam piece in the hinges' center, the door is now so quiet.
Thanks.
I’m so happy for you.
Tell your garage door to be quiet!
A garage door pro showed me how to eliminate most of the noise. It was simple. Just lower the door, then loosen and retighten all the hinge and roller fasteners. This process releives binding tension that has built up….especially in newly installed doors that warp, shrink, expand, etc. They get noisy about 60 days after install. I was amazed…especially after wasting cans of lube to no avail.
That’s also good advice.
Do you loosen and retighten each, one at a time? Or do you loosen all of them first, then go back and retighten them? Thanks for this advice.
@@TommyLindquist I was wondering the same thing. The only way this would work... in my mind... is to loosen all of them, to let everything go where it can relax and then retighten... maybe from bottom up? Who knows... but I am going to do this.
@@OregonDARRYLdid you try this? Did it work?
Hi, do we have to lose all of the hinges and rollers at same time? And then retighten them one by one?
That door is generating a 118 Hz primary hum on both tests that's most of the noise. Disconnect the chain and run the motor. Then leave the motor off and raise and lower the door manually to determine where that hum is coming from. My guess would be the guide rails are telegraphing the sound to the door surface or the ceiling itself. I don't think all that creative work is really taking a bite out of the noise signal.
Yea, I should have not used the garage door opener.
@@JHTC A shame to do all that work and come up partially fixed. Good job but somethings still happening. You'll find it. I have faith.
Use the heat shrink, dont get those expensive nylon tubes that are too thick. Also hurricane doors have extra long roller stem.
Yea, I live in Florida. We get a hurricane every once in a while.
I just recently used the Owens Corning garage door insulation kit on my door, not only did it help insulate the garage it also made the door much quieter when it’s operating.
That's good advice.
I like my garage door to be a bit noisy. If for some reason, someone was able to open my door (either through stolen frequency for an opener, a forgotten door opener left in the far parked outside they are able to retrieve or guessing the 4 digit number on the outside pad.), I want to be alerted by the noise.
That's smart. Stay alert.
I cannot hear my garage door opening due to the arrangement of my house, but my dog can and let's me know when it is not me opening the door.
Brilliant. Thanks for adding to my project list! :)
😊
You don’t need a decibel meter. And it is extraordinary that the manufacturer has not worked on the noise level.
Yea, Garage doors should be more quiet.
I have a belt drive garage opener with the nylon rollers, but I still thinking is loud, so I will try the tubing on the rollers. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for the comment and I hope it helps.
Outstanding! Do you lubricate any parts of your garage door? If yes, what do you use.? Thanks!
I didn’t lube any parts, it’s just the ball bearings that are brand new and lubricated.
I know for me I don't want to quiet. It's a nice sounding alert when the wife is home
Lol, smart.
Be sure to check if the roller will go back in after the heat shrink. Mine was too big and I had to do without. The nylon rollers alone made a big difference.
Thanks for the info.
I had the same issue and drilled out the pin receiver just about 1/64 larger and the pin with the shrink tube fit fine.
For even more quiet, install sound-deadening material on those 2' x 4-1/2' resonating aluminum panels. Polystyrene foam sheets or automotive urethane sticky sheets, or better yet, spray foam insulation. Quiet AND temperature stabilizing.
My garage door is hurricane proof, not flimsy aluminum. It is very heavy duty.
I have those Styrofoam panels on my door. Makes a difference in temp, for sure.
What does the clear tape do for the roller axle Jay ??? I will be doing the same thing to my rattling doors fella. Do you think that the sound number can be lowered even more Sir ???
Nice video and work too.
It's double sided tape, and it binds the heat shrink to the roller rod.
I think you could get a wall (side) mounted garage door opener and it would make it super quiet. But you would need to spend around $500
WOW I got that Sir. @@JHTC
One thing I did was to put a couple drops of 90-weight gear oil on the ends of the tubular hinge pins. Thanks, I did dribble a little across each spring. The reason I use 90-weight is because it's thicker than the regular "garage door" lube so it stays put longer.
That's smart. You should use that on your spring too.
I wonder why we did not circumcise the shrink tubing?
Do the nylon rollers have better bearings than the older steel rollers?
....RooDog.....
The nylon rollers have the same bearings. The steel against steel makes a lot of noise.
I enjoyed that, thank you. I would offer that doing a separate set of before and after noise measurements with the electric door opener disengaged, and opening/closing manually, would have really added something to the video.
Shoot, yea, that’s a good idea.
Thanks for the tip, great video, I did replace my ball bearing rollers with the nylon ones but I will try your heat shrink tip, will also see if I can find some insulation for the middle hinges. Thanks again!
Glad it helped
Like all your ideas! I’d switched to the nylon rollers and also used Gorilla Duct tape on the roller channels. I just ripped it by hand to the right width and then carefully applied it to the channel radius surface so I didn’t get any lumps or bumps. The shrink wrap’s also a great idea. I again used Gorilla Duct tape, ripped to match the circumference of the roller shafts and the carefully applied it. Mine fit really snug and eliminated any “sloppy sound.” The other major sound reduction improvement was to install Green Hinge door hinges! They are designed with a coiled spring around the roller tubes and the rollers slide in a slot. The
Maybe just adding something to the inside of the flat part to trap the roller better...
@@OregonDARRYL OD, Thanks for the comment. Yes, you could add the Duct Tape to the flat side OR to BOTH sides, as there is plenty of room. However, the Green Hinges tend to force the rollers away from the curved side of the rails, so the door has a better seal against the exterior door seals as the door settles in at the bottom of the travel. Also, the rollers tend to run against the curved, lower channel on the horiz plane at the top of the travel, due mostly to Gravity. Because the Gravity is no longer "pulling down" on the door from the bottom end, it appears that they door is also rattling it's way toward the end of it's travel. Does that make more sense? Also, My chain drags on the steel rail on either side of the rail and there isn't an easy way to "tension" the chain as it runs on the track. I have a couple of pieces of HDPE that I''ve tapered the ends on and am going to mount those as wear "shoes" so the chain will run more silently on the HDPE....instead of slapping along the metal railing and increasing the noise levels. I'll comment on that after I get those mounted.
Thanks for watching my video.
Thanks for the video. I lube the door hardware twice a year. Including the spring. Clean the tracks with an old rag and wd-40 and live well with the noise.
Thanks for sharing
Be sure the WD is removed thoroughly. The rollers should roll on their bearings, not slide through the track. Some people grease the track and it really creates a problem.
@@hugh007is this also true for plastic rollers (no bearings) ?
@@hugh007WD is a magnet for dust n dirt
I replaced my steel rollers with nylon covered rollers. All my door openers are belt drive. Nice and quiet!
Very nice!
Holy Smokes - this actually is pretty amazing. Great idea.
15 Decibels is a huge reduction.
Thank you.
If I remember my electronics training, every 3 db reduces the volume by half. For example, from 75 to 72 will be half as loud. Then to 69, half again. Do I have this right?
@@Steve_K2 yes i think so.
Great ideas and is short and sweet. Is the correct size of shrink tubing 11mm?
Yes it is. 11mm.
Heat shrink is becomming the new duct tape, 1001 uses. Good idea. And with nylon rollers no need to lube the tracks. Lube just attracts dirt and dust. Add an additional shot of grease to the Chinese roller bearings, and be sure the overhead spring is lubricated and working properly. A spring that isn't carrying the proper load will make the closer work harder and fail sooner, and make more noise. Cheers
Thank you.
Nice improvements. I would also lubricate the bearings on those new wheels using a needle adapter for a grease gun. Flood it and ensure the bearings are fully surrounded by grease, wipe off the excess. The small amount of grease that will be exposed will get a bit of dust on it but the bearings will be sealed and outlive the door.
Good advise.
Thanks
Overhead Door and Genie Destiny 1500
👉🏻 WHISPER QUIET 🤫 👈🏻
lol. thanks
You missed one other area. When the motor is attached to the ceiling can generate a lot of noise. Put a piece of rubber or foam between the mounting bracket and the ceiling. This is especially helpful if you have a living space above the garage
Good tip! thank you
That would help, to be more effective you would have to isolate the bolts into the ceiling joists too. I can't think of any simple and reliable way to do it, though. Maybe some hard rubber grommets under the head of the bolts in addition to your pad.
I tried this as described and hit a snag. The solution presented is excellent in theory but in practice, on my garage, didn't work. They were too tight and had to be forced into the hinge housing. This may vary from The cushioning effect of the shrink tubing is an excellent idea to reduce rattling noise, but on my garage it made them impossible to insert back into the hinge tubes. The axles of the rollers MUST be free to slide back and forth within their hinge housings or the garage door won't have the necessary lateral play when moving along the tracks. So I removed all the heat shrink tubing, and spiral wrapped a single layer of electrical tape and that made the difference. YMMV but if you need to force them back in after using shrink tubing hack, you may well find the door doesn't track properly and may even jump off the rail, as mine did. A good test is always to disengage the motor/drive so that you can lift and lower the door by hand. It should run up and down smoothly and easily. If it doesn't, it's binding somewhere (and your springs may need adjusting as well.) The takeaway here is that if the roller axles need to be forced in, they're too tight.
🎯 PSA: Heat Shrink also comes in large enough width to cover a deteriorating Fiberglass shovel (or any garden tool) handle.. 👍😎✊
You're right.
Great idea. I need to try IPA for cleaning. What's the purpose of the double sided tape? Thanks
The double-sided tape binds the heat shrink to the roller rod. It keeps it from slipping off.
Thanks@@JHTC
Spring tension adjustment will assure the motor is not working any harder than it should and will be quieter. Close the door, pull the handle to release the trolley, and insure that the door rests comfortably between knee and waist height when you manually place it there. Adjust accordingly. Motor will be quieter and last longer, too.
Thanks for the advice.
How is spring tension adjusted?
@@JBK647 At least two types, winding rods for one, spring end colors and placement for the other. Tons of videos. Basically, you want the door to balance itself between waist and knee high when disconnected from the mech.
I read that part.@@thangknowa3288
Attach garage door motor to ceiling with rubber exhaust pipe hangers. The motor noise make the garage ceiling like a giant guitar sound box. I’d send pictures
Smart
Bend the track and remove the lower rollers why do all that work and not change all of them
I did that, I just didn't record it for safety.
Very Interesting AND Different - Now I have use for my left over pieces of Pool Noodles
😊
Step 2, replace with synthetic wheeled rollers
Got it.
I would like a follow-up. I suspect the heat shrink tubing does not last very long.
I installed it the last week of June and the door cycles 4 to 6 times a day, it’s in the same condition as when I installed it.
I don't think the tubing moves, so how could it wear out?
@@JHTC Nice vid. I'll be going for it. I don't see any downside in putting a thin film of grease on the outside of the heat-shrink before putting the roller shafts back in the tubes. Shouldn't hurt, might help.
@@45speedbump compression as the door opens and closes the rod will move.
Can’t wait to try this.
What millimeter shrink wrap tubing did you use?
It's listed in the description. Here's the link. amzn.to/4496phj
I think 11mm
Do you think a hair dryer would be sufficient instead of a heat gun?
Yes, but it might take longer.
If someone came to my house and opens the garage door; the noise will wake up the guest bedroom folks. I plan on buying isolators to the motor mounting to reduce the motor noise transfer and also the walls; The bedroom is above the garage. I do like your suggestions of the heat shrink and foam. Thank you for this video.!
You're welcome.
Did you measure the noise with just the new rollers? Curious which change affects the noise most. 7:19
Sorry, no. I did the garage door opener but it still reduced the noise level with the rollers.
Nadine Hurley approves
Thank you.
I doubt shrink wrap is going to last very long as a bearing surface.
I installed the shrink tubing the last week of June, I cycle my garage door 4-6 times a day. The shrink tube is still in the same condition as when I installed it. I hope it helps. :-)
There is no tension on the bottom roller. The tension is on the bottom bracket. You can replace these rollers just like the others. Do it with the door open and you will see there is no tension at all... the cable will in fact be loose.
ok, thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the tip, Jay! Excellent video!
You’re welcome
Thanks for the comment.
Great job. Now add insulation to keep the cold/heat out.
We live in Florida, it's 70-80 degrees here most of the time.
@@JHTC Insulation tries keep the heat out. Just like insulation tries to keep the heat in when it's cold outside.
@@crcurran I did that to my doors and they are quiet, did not know about this video to also help with the sound as well. Now another weekend project in the works😀
How long before the shrink tubing wears out?
I Installed it eight months ago, and it is still in the same condition when I installed it.
The shrink wrap tip is money! Thanks!
Thanks for watching
Too much time on my hands... too much time on my hands... Sorry, just listening to some Styx. Did you lube the new rollers or hinges at all?
Nope.
Just installed them with no lube.
Excellent presentation. I already came up with the shrink tubing idea on my own, but the pool noodle is a great addition. I was thinking about using some spring steel to do the same thing, but I like your idea a lot better.
How long does the heat shrink last, I would not expect it to last more than a years worth of average use. You need some sort of HDPE plastic I think. The shrink will eventually extrude out where heavy contact takes place. It might work on light doors but not very long on a heavy insulated door.
Thanks
@@thereplacementfordisplacement If the wheel bearings are working, then it's just pressure on the heat shrink. I was going to hunt down some nylon tubes for durability but the shrink tubing is too easy to ignore. My doors are old school wooden and 10 x 10 each. They're holding up fine after a year of use.
Since the heat shrink really isn’t spinning I bet a layer of gaffers tape would also work.
@@ecospider5 Prety much anything really. Work with what you have, lol.
You ahould point out that your door has a torsion spring. The process is different for doors with axial springs. This affects the process.
Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for the video and great ideas!! Definitely cost effective and if you're not super worried about aesthetics then this is a great option! For those that have a room above the garage door, this would be a superb way on keeping the noise level down.
There's an actual company that sells spring loaded hinges that eliminate the ratttle. I think it's the Green Hinge system or something like that. Of course that'll be more expensive than pool noodles and heat shrink. So for those that dont want to use pool noodles, look at those hinges.
Yea, I saw the spring loaded ones. I just thought I would use foam for the cheapskates. lol.
@@JHTC Hey. Nothing wrong with that. It's s quick, easy and affordable fix. I might have to try this ones mine break in and start rattling. Just got my insulated garage door in June and I have a wall mounted opener so it's really quiet as is, but I'm sure I can get it even quieter.
I'm going to try a black foam pipe insulation. Looks about the same but, not red.
Spring hinges make noise, there's no sound dampening in them because it is all metal on metal.
Unfortunately this did exactly nothing to quiet my garage door. Nylon rollers are an improvement over stock rollers, but the sound is unaltered. 1.5 Hours and $$$ lost. Oh well.
I’m so sorry it didn’t help.
the world is safer place now. good work !
Hahaha, thank you.