Garage door loud popping or banging as it moves
This is almost always a section hinges binding, or the door flexing. Repair costs $130 to $320 and takes 45 to 75 minutes. Safe to operate: Yes, but book it.
Check this first — it may cost you nothing
Watch it move from inside and find which joint pops. Worn hinges show elongated holes around the pin.
Why this happens
A pop as the door changes direction is usually a hinge worn oval and snapping into position under load, or sections flexing against each other because a strut has come loose.
Popping usually marks a roller momentarily jumping its track or a section joint snapping past a tight spot — the same alignment problem heard rather than seen.
Less likely, but possible
- A cracked hinge, which pops and then fails entirely
- Loose or missing section struts on a wide door
- Rollers binding as they enter the curved part of the track
What happens if I ignore it?
A hinge that pops is a hinge working loose. When one fails the sections it joins can misalign enough to pull the door out of its tracks, which is a far larger repair.
The repair: roller and hinge repair
Garage door roller replacement costs $130 to $290 for a full set of ten to twelve, and takes about an hour. Grinding and rattling is the usual sign, and worn rollers accelerate wear on the track and the opener if they are left.
Read the full roller and hinge repair guide →Get a tech dispatched
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