numbers on hinges of garage door

Garage door hinges on a garage door are not all the same. The hinges on the right and left side of door that contain the rollers are all different from each other. The reason for this is in the engineering on a sectional roll up door. The hinges on the sides get gradually bigger between each section as you go up the sides of the door. This is why they are numbered. The number 1 hinge is always at the bottom and then number 2 and 3 as you go up.

the vertical track has a slight angle

The gradual change is needed so that when the garage door opens it slightly moves back as it opens so that the door is not dragging against the door opening all the way up or down. You can see this if you stand on the one side of your door and look straight across to the other side of the door you will notice that the vertical track has a slight angle to it. The best way to see how this engineering works and why – Stand on the inside of garage right next to the vertical track on either side of door and look to where the door panels touch the wall of garage. Now press the open button if you have an opener and watch as the door opens it immediately will move back about an inch as it opens.

If the garage door has been tampered with or someone tried to fix it themselves and did not put the rollers in the right slots in the hinges then it will affect how the door opens and closes.

The hinges on the sides of door where the rollers are have 2 slots. The rollers must go into the outermost slot away from door. The number 1 hinge has only one slot any other size hinge will have 2 slots. The number 1 hinge is also used everywhere else on the door where needed as just a hinge without a roller. When garage doors malfunction and rollers start falling out than you have to put them back in the right slot. I see this all the time and the door never opens correctly.