Straight answers
Why Are My Shipping Container Doors Hard to Open and Close?
The biggest issue with tough doors is an uneven door frame. If the ground underneath the door frame is uneven, the container is loaded heavy to one side, or the container sits on a surface that causes it to bend or twist, the doors won’t open and close properly. Container doors are built to be opened and closed when the container is sitting squarely on a chassis.
Key points
- Most door issues are actually leveling issues—make sure your container is level.
- Replicate how the container would sit on a chassis trailer by placing wood blocks under the corners.
- Loading a container heavy to one side can cause it to twist over 40ft; wood blocks can help offset that.
- Putting WD-40 in your hinges and opening and closing them for ten minutes helps.
- Pavement always slopes, even if it looks flat. Use wood blocks even on pavement.
How to fix door-frame alignment
Over the course of 20′ or 40′, it’s possible for a container to twist just enough for the door frame to be out of whack. Placing wood blocks under the door frame at the corner posts is the best way to solve that problem before it starts. You can also use an industrial lubricant on the hinges and work the doors back and forth for a few minutes to loosen them up.
Door issues are usually leveling issues. Place your container on wood blocks to mimic how the container would sit on a chassis trailer to ensure the doors open and close properly.