Calling for garage door knowledge!

[CharlesPou]

my new house, >20 years ago, came with only one spring for double garage door. about 10 to 12 years ago the spring failed. before that, I replaced the plastic gears in the opener several times. a little tricky, but all the info and parts are available online. when the spring failed, I replaced it with 2 springs, like it should have been installed originally. that's when I realized why I was wearing out plastic gears over and over.

when I ordered new springs, I weighed the door with bathroom scale, and got the right springs. I now routinely open it manually, is easy as pie. the electric door opener is for the wife.

I would highly recommend hiring someone to work on your garage door, unless you are experienced in working with dangerous machinery. as has been mentioned above, these doors can mess you up bad. I was lucky, didn't have any problems, but at my age, probably wouldn't work on one again. cheers

[LarryB.]

The black mechanism that attaches between the door and the opener’s horizontal overhead track appears to be two pieces of steel that are bolted together. The piece with the elbow is essential, however, the straight piece is intended to compensate for installation situations where the track is suspended higher in the garage ceiling. In your case you could cut the excess piece of the straight piece off at the point where it protrudes below the elbow.

Would that give you enough extra clearance?

If it is a struggle to manually raise the door, I suspect that your door’s counterbalance springs need adjustment. The springs are designed to counterbalance the weight of the door as it is lifted into the open position. Your springs are above the door and function by rotating. The springs on my garage door are parallel to the tracks; one on each side of the garage. Regardless, the springs should be totally “relaxed when the door is about ⅔ or ¾ of the way open. (My springs sag slightly when the door is fully opened.) The springs should be adjusted so that they do not cause the door to “jump open” when it is fully closed.

Finally, relocating the opener to the side of the door is not advisable, If it is on the side, you face the probability that it would generate torque on the door causing it to open more on one side than the other which would increase friction between the rollers and the door tracks.

Lastly, my opener is “driven” by a chain that runs in the horizontal track. At the point where the arm slides on the track, there is a spring loaded pin mechanism on the arm that connects into a clip that is installed on the chain. Connected to the pin is a rope with a small wooden grip that I can use to disengage the pin from the clip on the chain. If I pull that rope, I can then raise/lower the door manually (if/when there is power failure). I do not see that safety feature in your pictures.

[Toddybegood]

Always good to disable that rope and zip-tie that pin. especially if you have a garage door with windows. Thieves can slide a hook through the upper crack of garage door, hook and pull the rope and they're in. The garage window helps them alot.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kSO_HTBHLFI#

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by LarryB.

The black mechanism that attaches between the door and the opener’s horizontal overhead track appears to be two pieces of steel that are bolted together. The piece with the elbow is essential, however, the straight piece is intended to compensate for installation situations where the track is suspended higher in the garage ceiling. In your case you could cut the excess piece of the straight piece off at the point where it protrudes below the elbow.

Would that give you enough extra clearance?

Compared that height to the solar panel height and apparently not needed- but I did consider cutting the excess of that off.

If it is a struggle to manually raise the door, I suspect that your door’s counterbalance springs need adjustment.

Well, I didn't test 2/3 of the way up because if they aren't adjusted I don't want it falling from 2/3 up. It fell very heavily from about 1 1/2 feet up. It has no rope or handle so I can't really try lifting it. If I have someone work on it it will definitely get adjusted to open manually. It's not really a power outage issue though because it is the back door and I don't drive through it.[/quote]

Lastly, my opener is “driven” by a chain that runs in the horizontal track. At the point where the arm slides on the track, there is a spring loaded pin mechanism on the arm that connects into a clip that is installed on the chain. Connected to the pin is a rope with a small wooden grip that I can use to disengage the pin from the clip on the chain. If I pull that rope, I can then raise/lower the door manually (if/when there is power failure). I do not see that safety feature in your pictures.

It's there. It's a red plastic grip. When I open the door with the raised 15 in back of it that's the only thing that hits. And it works- that's how I released the door so that it crashed down to the floor from 1 1/2 feet. (Sure glad I didn't try from higher).

It's going to be close but I plan to wait for the new trailer and then see- only remaining issue is really the opener possibly being too low for the AC but measurements suggest there may be enough clearance. Then I'll either get the motor removed (and the door adjusted so it works manually) or just adjusted if the motor has clearance.

[LarryB.]

Originally Posted by Toddybegood

Always good to disable that rope and zip-tie that pin. especially if you have a garage door with windows. Thieves can slide a hook through the upper crack of garage door, hook and pull the rope and they're in. The garage window helps them alot.

Using a “light duty” zip tie is good advice. Per the video, the lady (homeowner) was able to break the zip tie should an emergency arise.

In addition, if the garage door and opener are installed correctly, there should be a minimum (or no) “play” movement on the top panel to make it more difficult for the “bent hanger” break-in.

Lastly, when I have had garage doors with glass panels, I have put translucent film on the inside of the glass. It lets light in but does not allow anyone to view garage contents.

The zip tie approach is excellent for a garage that has another access (attached garage with access from the house or another outside door). In my case, the garage is detached and has no access door. In the event of a power outage, I have installed one of these external quick release key locks that allows me to operate the disconnect to gain access to the garage.

[JohnE3]

If the garage door is hard to open by hand, then the spring tension is not properly adjusted.

The garage door opener is designed to work with the spring, and is not actually expected to lift much weight. If the spring is the proper spring, and properly adjusted, the door, no matter how heavy, should be easy to move by hand.

[JohnE3]

Originally Posted by Toddybegood

I did not read whole post, only first one so apologies if this has been said.
Replace door with roll up door and tracks will no longer be there.

You don't need to replace the door, you can get a door opener that mounts on the side, and work with a standard door. They're expensive (comparatively) but they increase overhead clearance.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by LarryB.

Using a “light duty” zip tie is good advice. Per the video, the lady (homeowner) was able to break the zip tie should an emergency arise.

In addition, if the garage door and opener are installed correctly, there should be a minimum (or no) “play” movement on the top panel to make it more difficult for the “bent hanger” break-in.

Lastly, when I have had garage doors with glass panels, I have put translucent film on the inside of the glass. It lets light in but does not allow anyone to view garage contents.

The zip tie approach is excellent for a garage that has another access (attached garage with access from the house or another outside door). In my case, the garage is detached and has no access door. In the event of a power outage, I have installed one of these external quick release key locks that allows me to operate the disconnect to gain access to the garage.

The other thing to keep in mind is if there is a fire in the house or blocking the access to the house door someone doesn't want to be trapped in the garage. That's why the 'safety releases' are installed in the first place.

Adding translucent contact paper over the window is good advice!

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by JohnE3

If the garage door is hard to open by hand, then the spring tension is not properly adjusted.

The garage door opener is designed to work with the spring, and is not actually expected to lift much weight. If the spring is the proper spring, and properly adjusted, the door, no matter how heavy, should be easy to move by hand.

The spring is acting like a counter weight, before springs the over head doors had heavy counter weights that would go up in the air and down to the ground to help open and close.

[cpaharley2008]

After watching that video I removed that red plastic knot on my opener so there is nothing to grab.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by JohnE3

You don't need to replace the door, you can get a door opener that mounts on the side, and work with a standard door. They're expensive (comparatively) but they increase overhead clearance.

This is the back door. I don't need it to be automatic so don't plan to spend much money on it. But I was glad to learn about side mount openers in case I ever did want to raise the back door to the full 9 feet. Might have been a cheaper way to go in the front. (Which is already done.)

[Bobbie54]

All that worry for nothing...it cleared everything and the AC is actually not as wide as reported so not even an issue if it had been a bit taller.