Are nylon rollers worth it?

06 May.,2024

 

Steel vs Nylon Garage Door Rollers - Creative Door Services™

Rollers are a key component of your garage door system. They connect the door to the tracks and permit smooth operation. Here’s how to choose between the two most common materials for garage door rollers: steel and nylon.

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Durability

The durability of garage door rollers depends largely on whether they have ball bearings. Ball bearings are small metal balls that are placed between the stationary rod and the rotating wheel of the roller to reduce friction. Without ball bearings, rollers wear out much faster. Most steel and nylon rollers have ball bearings. Plastic rollers, on the other hand, never do.

Rollers typically have between seven and 13 ball bearings. The greater the number of ball bearings, the longer the lifespan of the product. For example, a nylon roller with 13 ball bearings is typically rated at 20,000 cycles, whereas a nylon roller with 10 ball bearings is rated at 10,000 to 15,000 cycles.

In terms of the materials themselves, both steel and nylon are durable and have comparable lifespans. The main difference is that steel rollers can corrode. While they do have a rust-resistant coating, this protective layer can get scratched or worn down.


Maintenance

Neither type of garage door roller requires a great deal of maintenance. To keep them in good condition and prevent squeaking and grinding noises, simply lubricate them twice a year using the lubricant recommend in your owner’s manual. For nylon and steel rollers with exposed ball bearings, apply the grease directly to the bearings. For rollers without bearings, apply the grease to the roller itself. Rollers with sealed ball bearings don’t require any lubrication.

For more in-depth and comprehensive information, read our article on maintaining and lubricating rollers.

Noise level

When it comes to silent operation, nylon is the clear winner. Steel rollers produce vibrations and rattling noises as they travel up and down the metal garage door tracks. One of the main advantages of nylon rollers is that they’re quiet. If having a soundless garage door system is important to you, then nylon is the obvious choice.

Cost

Steel garage door rollers cost less than nylon. If you’re looking for the most affordable option and don’t mind the extra noise, they may be the right choice.

However, note that the price of rollers also depends on the number of ball bearings they have. Rollers with 13 ball bearings are superior to rollers with 10 or seven ball bearings and are therefore more expensive.

About plastic

Plastic garage door rollers are also sold in some stores. However, they should be avoided at all costs, as they’re low-quality and typically last only two or three years. In fact, they’re a cheap product used by some home builders to cut costs. If you currently have plastic garage door rollers, you should replace them as soon as you can.


The right rollers for you

Most garage door experts recommend investing in nylon rollers. They cost more than steel rollers, but they’re worth the upgrade. Nylon rollers are durable, dependable, and allow your garage to operate silently. However, steel rollers remain a practical option for homeowners who want to save some money upfront and don’t mind a noisier garage door system.

Roller replacement

You may be wondering if your garage door rollers are due for a replacement. Here are some possible signs that your rollers are worn and on the verge of failing:

  • Vibrations. When rollers begin to wear down, they no longer run smoothly along the track and can cause the garage door to vibrate more violently than usual.

  • Unusual noises. If your rollers are creating a screeching or grinding sound, either they need to be lubricated or they’re damaged and need replacement.

  • Door misalignment. If your door lurches or gets stuck when opening or closing, it may be due to a damaged roller that’s casing the door to open unevenly.

The best way to know if you need new rollers is to have your garage door inspected by a professional. It’s recommended that you get your whole garage door system inspected and serviced at least once a year. A qualified garage door technician will be able to determine whether any rollers are damaged and can replace them on the spot.

Steel vs Nylon Garage Door Rollers - Creative Door Services™

Rollers are a key component of your garage door system. They connect the door to the tracks and permit smooth operation. Here’s how to choose between the two most common materials for garage door rollers: steel and nylon.

Durability

The durability of garage door rollers depends largely on whether they have ball bearings. Ball bearings are small metal balls that are placed between the stationary rod and the rotating wheel of the roller to reduce friction. Without ball bearings, rollers wear out much faster. Most steel and nylon rollernylon rollers have ball bearings. Plastic rollers, on the other hand, never do.

Rollers typically have between seven and 13 ball bearings. The greater the number of ball bearings, the longer the lifespan of the product. For example, a nylon roller with 13 ball bearings is typically rated at 20,000 cycles, whereas a nylon roller with 10 ball bearings is rated at 10,000 to 15,000 cycles.

In terms of the materials themselves, both steel and nylon are durable and have comparable lifespans. The main difference is that steel rollers can corrode. While they do have a rust-resistant coating, this protective layer can get scratched or worn down.


Maintenance

Neither type of garage door roller requires a great deal of maintenance. To keep them in good condition and prevent squeaking and grinding noises, simply lubricate them twice a year using the lubricant recommend in your owner’s manual. For nylon and steel rollers with exposed ball bearings, apply the grease directly to the bearings. For rollers without bearings, apply the grease to the roller itself. Rollers with sealed ball bearings don’t require any lubrication.

For more in-depth and comprehensive information, read our article on maintaining and lubricating rollers.

Noise level

When it comes to silent operation, nylon is the clear winner. Steel rollers produce vibrations and rattling noises as they travel up and down the metal garage door tracks. One of the main advantages of nylon rollers is that they’re quiet. If having a soundless garage door system is important to you, then nylon is the obvious choice.

Cost

Steel garage door rollers cost less than nylon. If you’re looking for the most affordable option and don’t mind the extra noise, they may be the right choice.

However, note that the price of rollers also depends on the number of ball bearings they have. Rollers with 13 ball bearings are superior to rollers with 10 or seven ball bearings and are therefore more expensive.

About plastic

Plastic garage door rollers are also sold in some stores. However, they should be avoided at all costs, as they’re low-quality and typically last only two or three years. In fact, they’re a cheap product used by some home builders to cut costs. If you currently have plastic garage door rollers, you should replace them as soon as you can.


The right rollers for you

Most garage door experts recommend investing in nylon rollers. They cost more than steel rollers, but they’re worth the upgrade. Nylon rollers are durable, dependable, and allow your garage to operate silently. However, steel rollers remain a practical option for homeowners who want to save some money upfront and don’t mind a noisier garage door system.

Roller replacement

You may be wondering if your garage door rollers are due for a replacement. Here are some possible signs that your rollers are worn and on the verge of failing:

  • Vibrations. When rollers begin to wear down, they no longer run smoothly along the track and can cause the garage door to vibrate more violently than usual.

  • Unusual noises. If your rollers are creating a screeching or grinding sound, either they need to be lubricated or they’re damaged and need replacement.

  • Door misalignment. If your door lurches or gets stuck when opening or closing, it may be due to a damaged roller that’s casing the door to open unevenly.

The best way to know if you need new rollers is to have your garage door inspected by a professional. It’s recommended that you get your whole garage door system inspected and serviced at least once a year. A qualified garage door technician will be able to determine whether any rollers are damaged and can replace them on the spot.

Operating a garage door with faulty rollers can result in costly damage to your garage door system.


Quality Garage Door Rollers In Western Canada

If you want to replace worn-out rollers or upgrading to silent ones, trust the experienced team at Creative Door Services™. We supply quality garage doors parts and provide dependable garage door maintenance and repair services.

Contact us at one of our locations in Western Canada: you’ll find us in Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta, Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Pluses & Minuses of Quiet Nylon Rollers for Your Home ...

Garage door rollers. They’re all alike, right? Not really. There are rollers with steel tires, rollers with nylon tires, rollers with roller bearings and rollers with sleeve bearings. There are many different weight ratings. There are rollers with different sized tires. So, what are the pluses and the minuses of nylon rollers? Let’s look at rollers in more detail before we answer this question.

Steel tire rollers – these are the old fashioned rollers most of us grew up with. Most of these rollers do have roller bearings to insure the tire will turn freely under load. These rollers will carry varying amounts of weight dependent upon construction.

Nylon tire rollers – these rollers use a steel stem and a nylon tire. The tire may be built as a sleeve bearing or may have a steel insert using roller bearings. The type with roller bearings will carry more weight. The roller bearings also help to insure the tire will roll freely rather than slide in the track when under load. The sleeve bearing type is quite acceptable so long as the recommended load is not exceeded.

So – what are the pluses and minuses? Let’s look first at the pluses:

Nylon rollers tires are typically quieter than steel roller tires. There are several factors that contribute why your garage door is noisy, and it is proven that nylon tire rollers are better choice than steel tire rollers.

Nylon roller tires are more resistant to damage from rust due to moisture.

Nylon roller tires wear extremely well.

With proper selection rollers with nylon tires will carry the same or a greater load than a steel tire roller.

Now let’s look at the minuses:

Hmmm. There really is not a minus so long as the correct roller is chosen for the intended installation. Care should be taken to be sure the selected roller is designed for the intended load. An untrained person may inadvertently select a roller with a sleeve bearing design where a roller bearing design is required.

Other than proper product selection, there really is no reason you should not consider nylon tire rollers for your garage door. These rollers are reliable, quiet and durable. If you need to replace rollers on your garage door (Find out why your garage doors are problematic here) be sure to ask your service technician about using a product with nylon tires. You’ll be amazed at how smoothly and quietly your garage door will operate!

The supertechs of Overhead Door Company of Central Jersey offers quality workmanship for your residential and commercial garage doors; including repair and replacement for your garage door and it's parts.

OR

 

Operating a garage door with faulty rollers can result in costly damage to your garage door system.


Quality Garage Door Rollers In Western Canada

If you want to replace worn-out rollers or upgrading to silent ones, trust the experienced team at Creative Door Services™. We supply quality garage doors parts and provide dependable garage door maintenance and repair services.

Contact us at one of our locations in Western Canada: you’ll find us in Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta, Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Pluses & Minuses of Quiet Nylon Rollers for Your Home ...

Garage door rollers. They’re all alike, right? Not really. There are rollers with steel tires, rollers with nylon tires, rollers with roller bearings and rollers with sleeve bearings. There are many different weight ratings. There are rollers with different sized tires. So, what are the pluses and the minuses of nylon rollers? Let’s look at rollers in more detail before we answer this question.

Steel tire rollers – these are the old fashioned rollers most of us grew up with. Most of these rollers do have roller bearings to insure the tire will turn freely under load. These rollers will carry varying amounts of weight dependent upon construction.

Nylon tire rollers – these rollers use a steel stem and a nylon tire. The tire may be built as a sleeve bearing or may have a steel insert using roller bearings. The type with roller bearings will carry more weight. The roller bearings also help to insure the tire will roll freely rather than slide in the track when under load. The sleeve bearing type is quite acceptable so long as the recommended load is not exceeded.

So – what are the pluses and minuses? Let’s look first at the pluses:

Nylon rollers tires are typically quieter than steel roller tires. There are several factors that contribute why your garage door is noisy, and it is proven that nylon tire rollers are better choice than steel tire rollers.

Nylon roller tires are more resistant to damage from rust due to moisture.

Nylon roller tires wear extremely well.

With proper selection rollers with nylon tires will carry the same or a greater load than a steel tire roller.

Now let’s look at the minuses:

Hmmm. There really is not a minus so long as the correct roller is chosen for the intended installation. Care should be taken to be sure the selected roller is designed for the intended load. An untrained person may inadvertently select a roller with a sleeve bearing design where a roller bearing design is required.

Other than proper product selection, there really is no reason you should not consider nylon tire rollers for your garage door. These rollers are reliable, quiet and durable. If you need to replace rollers on your garage door (Find out why your garage doors are problematic here) be sure to ask your service technician about using a product with nylon tires. You’ll be amazed at how smoothly and quietly your garage door will operate!

The supertechs of Overhead Door Company of Central Jersey offers quality workmanship for your residential and commercial garage doors; including repair and replacement for your garage door and it's parts.

OR

 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website casement door hinge.