If you want to use your older existing garage door tracks when installing a new garage door, there are several issues to consider. Could you or SHOULD you? The answer is Yes you could, but should you? We will touch on a few issues to consider here which are safety, money saved, and fit and maybe answer if you should use the older existing tracks.

Will the components fit the old garage door track? If the components will not fit, it is a futile effort at this point. To be honest, if the door doesn’t slide up or down smoothly or without catching, then change your plans. You’ll need to install new tracks of the same brand and model to the same make and model of the new garage door. Even if you are able to jerry-rig the new mechanisms to the old existing track, you will have serious safety issues. The door panels are very heavy, and even more so with upgraded insulation.  If the components are not properly placed in the side and overhead tracks, the entire door assembly could fail and seriously injure someone and destroy or break property. 

The money you save in using the old garage door tracks is not worth bodily injury or destruction of property. Also, any Do-It-Yourself project like a garage door installation is often offered as a kit. All components are included in the kit including the track. It is unlikely, but not implausible, that you would purchase each individual component. It would also likely be more expensive than a kit. The money saved for not purchasing new garage door tracks may very well be negated by the cost of the other components.

We already covered the components or mechanisms not fitting in the garage door track itself, but the other components affect the track alignment. The garage door must fit properly. The dimensions of the garage door opening must fit the new garage door. You will have to check that the opening is square. This will require a proper fit. Ease of opening and closing along the tracks is critical for a proper fit. An ill-fitted garage door is a cause for concern for safety, security, weather, and temperature intrusion. If the garage door doesn’t fit properly, it will affect its movement along the tracks. If the tracks are older and not the same make or model, it is likely the ill-fitted door will bend or even break the track itself or its components. If forced, the garage door itself could bend or even break.

Also, it would be inconceivable that an older garage door track is in perfect condition. It would, however, be conceivable that the older existing side and top tracks will be bent, dinged, or even crushed in some areas. If you were to attempt to use a track in this condition, while needing to hammer out or unbend dings and dents, the alignment of the track will not be as new and will likely be improperly fitted to the new components and mechanisms.

Although Do-It-Yourself projects are gratifying and often worthwhile, using old existing side and top track rails for a garage door installation may cause more headaches than not. An easy solution would be to demolish the door, all track rails, components, and mechanisms. Start with a kit and use the track rails included. The kit will include the proper make and model of the included garage door. 

If you decide to install a garage door with individual pieces, parts, components, and mechanisms, do your research. Talk to the most experienced garage door installer from your supplier or home improvement store. Before you begin, know what components and mechanisms you will need for your existing garage door track rails. Also, before you begin,  Measure. Measure. Measure. Make sure you also prep the existing space such as square the opening, which is likely off measurement due to sinkage or basic house settlements, prep the side and top tracks to straighten and correct dings and dents and make sure to remove any erroneous screws, nuts, and bolts that would impair a proper garage door fit and easy track rail slide.

Above all, check your time investment and dollars saved with Do-It-Yourself vs. replacing your garage door with Ace Garage Door.  Keep in mind, that if something misaligns with the old track rails, you are on your own.

More About Ace Garage Door

At Ace Garage Door Company, customer service is our #1 goal simply because our customers’ recommendations are our best advertisement. All of our employees have received thorough background screenings and have been extensively trained to be garage door installation and maintenance experts. ACE Garage Door Company has garage door technicians with more than 30 years of experience and they pass that knowledge down to the rest of our team.

We offer premium garage doors and garage door openers with outstanding warranties and craftsmanship that are second to none in the New Orleans metro area. ACE has an outstanding selection of residential and commercial garage doors. We also offer beautiful decorative doors including wood, stamped, and overlay steel carriage style.

ACE Garage Door is a locally owned and family-operated company. The owner is a second-generation garage door man and has been around the industry his whole life. Opened in 2014, ACE Garage Door has grown each year thanks to the hard work and great customer service our staff provides. Today, ACE Garage Door has nine crews on the road and employs a total of eight people.