Bob wrote:
I have two sixteen foot wide garage doors and both make a lot of squeaking and
crunching noise when opened or closed. The one on the house attached garage
has an opener which works fine except in cold weather (that's below about 40
degrees), when it opens fine but balks on closing. Opener stops, light blinks, etc.

Just what do I lubricate and how do I do it.

Using a pump oil can, I squired SAE 30 oil around where each roller meets
the shaft. I don't think a lot of oil actually gets inside the roller shaft
area though. I love WD40 for some things, but don't think it is applicable
in this application.

Should I lightly grease the outer surface of the rollers where they roll on
the track? It seems to me this would be a dust magnet.

The first thing to do is unplug the AC cord from the opener or, if it's
wired in permanently, turn off its circuit breaker (and make sure it
really is turned off). An opener that moves unexpectedly can cut off a
finger or catch your clothing or hair (and literally rip off your
scalp).

Do not lubricate the outside surfaces of the rollers at all. Make sure
they and their tracks are clean and free of grease. You're correct to
lube the oller shafts with oil, and you're right that WD-40 is
inappropriate here since it's essentially just kerosene. Also don't
lubricate the shafts of plastic wheels used for cables, as they'll
simply collect dirt and squeal (spray with brake parts cleaner if
necessary).

Any pivot metal pivot points on the door or door opener should be lubed
with grease. Lithium grease in a spray can is good for this (solvent
helps grease penetrate but then evaporates, leaving only the grease).
If you have a chain or belt drive Chamberlain/Liftmaster/Sears with a
"T" beam shaft, it needs to a thin layer of grease on top and where the
trolly contacts it. For other openers, such as chain drives with a
tubular shaft, use no lubricant at all on the opener mechanism and
thoroughly clean off all dust and oil, although it's OK to protect it
from rust with paste wax or dry spray lube. Screw-drive openers need a
little lithium grease throughout the length of the screw, but use thin
NLGI #1 grease, not the thicker NLGI #2 or NLGI #1-#2 or the opener may
balk in the cold. Garage door opener grease is available but costs
more than automotive or general purpose lithium grease. And before
greasing anything, clean off the old grease. Any chain should be
tightened so it sags about 1/2" to 1" in the middle; any less means the
chain is way too tight.

Check and adjust the balance of the door. When it's free from the
opener and held open approximately 1/3 of the way up, it should slowly
fall, and when it's 2/3 of the way up it should slowly rise. The
amount of opening or closing force will change with temperature, and
higher force is often needed in the cold.