How to Fix the Middle Hinge on a Garage Door

Disengage the garage door from the opener, if you have one. There is a small arm that a rope hangs from on the door opener rail trolley. Pull on the rope to disengage the door from the opener. This helps prevent someone from accidentally using the door opener while you are working on the door.

Close the garage door. Remove the bolts or nuts securing the middle hinge to the door with a 7/16-inch wrench. If you have a wood door, there are four bolts that go through the door with the threads pointing inside. The hinge fits over the bolt threads and nuts secure the hinge. Steel doors use self-tapping screws to secure the hinge. Pull the hinge away from the door.

Place the hinge flat on the garage floor as it would be on the door. Tap the hinge leafs with a hammer to straighten the leafs if they are bent. Loose or missing securing nuts or bolts will cause the hinge to bend.

Insert a 7/16-inch metal dowel into the center sleeve, if the sleeve is bent. The sleeve is the round portion between the upper and lower leaf. Tap the outside of the sleeve as necessary. The dowel gives something solid inside the sleeve to help tap it back into shape. Remove the dowel once you repair the sleeve.

Reinstall the middle hinge back onto the door, and secure with the nuts or self-tapping screws. Lightly spray some silicone lubricant on the sleeve of the hinge.