Which parts of a garage door should be lubricated?

You should lubricate several specific moving parts of a garage door, but you should avoid lubricating others. The parts that need lubrication every six months are the rollers, hinges, springs, and bearing plates. For the rollers, spray lubricant into the ball bearings and where the roller stem meets the hinge, spinning the roller by hand to distribute it. For the hinges, apply a small amount at each pivot point where the hinge bends as the door goes around the curve. For the torsion spring above the door, lightly spray along the top of the coils to reduce friction as the coils tighten and loosen. Also lubricate the bearing plates on either side of the torsion tube where the shaft spins, and the lock mechanism if you have one. If you have an extension spring system, lubricate the pulleys. For the opener itself, lubricate the chain or screw drive if you have those types, but belt drives do not need lube. You should not heavily lubricate the tracks, as that attracts dirt and causes slipping. You should not lubricate the lift cables, as greasy cables can slip on the drums and attract abrasive grit. You should also avoid getting lubricant on the garage door sensors or the bottom rubber seal. A light, targeted application is best.