Alright, so I decided to tackle this wall track thing for my car the other day. Been tired of my doors constantly slamming into walls and scratching the paint, you know? Looked easier than it turned out, honestly. Here’s how it all went down.
The Messy Start
First off, I grabbed some random wall track kit online. Figured “how hard could it be?” Opened the box later that day – holy crap, way more screws, brackets, and plastic bits than I expected. Felt like assembling cheap furniture without instructions.
Tools I Used:
- My old tape measure (with rusty pull)
- A power drill (battery half-dead)
- Screws that came with the kit (hoping they’d fit)
- Pencil for marking spots (kid chewed one end)
- Level (found behind lawnmower)
Started by staring at my garage wall. Picked a section near where I usually park. Measured roughly where the car door swings. Got impatient – didn’t even draw a straight line. Just held the track against the wall and thought “eh, looks fine.” Big mistake.
The Actual Fight With the Wall
Grabbed my drill. Marked the screw holes kinda wild, honestly. Started drilling holes into the drywall. Dust flew everywhere – forgot to sweep first. Nice fine layer everywhere.
Tried pushing the anchors in. Half went in crooked, one even broke inside the wall. Great. Had to pull it out with pliers. Took three tries just to get four anchors sorta in place.
Then the fun part: attaching the actual track. Lined it up over the anchors. Screwed it in slowly with the drill. First screw went straight through the drywall anchor. Too much power? Maybe. Second screw just spun around forever, not gripping anything. Third screw snapped its head clean off. Yep. Took a coffee break and yelled at the wall.
Started over nearby. Used the level properly this time – drew an actual line! Put anchors carefully this time. Attached the track without any extra violence. Finally, the track felt solid, didn’t wobble. Big win.
Sticking On That Pad Thing
The kit came with this squishy bumper pad. Peeled off its sticky back like a giant sticker. Held it in place on the track. Pressed down hard – seemed fine. An hour later, it flopped over sideways onto my lawn tools.
Tried again. Cleaned the plastic surface with alcohol pads like the box said (finally read it). Pressed down hard for a full minute. Even leaned on it with my body weight. Didn’t fall this time.
Felt proud. Parked my car. Opened the door gently… and it brushed the pad. Okay! But then my passenger threw the door open later – Bam! Hit the track dead center.
Results:
- Door bounced back – zero wall scratch!
- The sticky pad wobbled… but held on.
- Track didn’t rip out the drywall anchors.
So Yeah… Would I Recommend It?
Honestly? It works – sorta. But man, I made like seven mistakes just installing one track. For beginners like me? Forget perfect placement on try one. Expect anchors to fight you. Expect sticky pads to flop. Your drill battery WILL die halfway.
Is it cheaper than replacing car doors? Oh yeah. Is it easier than parking perfectly? Definitely. Next time I might just… hire someone.
