Garage Door Help

[BRAD]

Hi, hope someone can help. I installed our garage door recently (7ft x 7ft GRP canopy door with vertical side runners and sits half way inside/outside when fully open). The door opens fine to half way on it's spring but from half way upwards the door is quite stiff. I've tried adjusting the runners on either side just in case the door was binding, but to no effect. I've oiled everything and greased the runners. The spring tension seems okay. The wires inside the runners are not snagging. The runners are parallel to each other and are plumb each way. Any ideas? Cheers in advance. Brad

[Roger Mills]

Sounds like you need to wind some more tension into the springs. Have you set it up according to the instructions?

[BRAD]

Hi, I did put some more tension on the spring just after I fitted it. The door doesn't seem heavy and it stops in the position I leave it in (apart from half way downwards, it will open itself on the spring which I understand is normal). The door seems to feel as if it is binding somewhere, not bad but bad enough to stop me putting an automatic door opener on it at present or until I get the door working properly. I only want to increase the spring tension if it is really necessary as the gear is difficult to access. Cheers Brad

[BRAD]

UPDATE:

I've just had a right old job putting more tension on the spring. I've oiled everything including the spring. Now the door goes up a little better UP TO half way (I can feel a bit more tension when picking the door up) BUT the upper half of the travel is still the same. It still feels as though it's binding on the upper part of travel. I've adjusted the runners again and found their optimum position, where they don't interfer with the door opening. Now I'm out of idea's. Please heeelllppp. Brad

[John]

Is the wooden sub frame catching something?

Is the wire running correctly on the conical pulleys?

[BRAD]

Hi John No, there is nothing catching on the wooden frame etc and the wires are being wound onto both cones properly. It is as if the guides are catching inside the runners, but as I've mentioned, I've adjusted both runners every which way possible. I wonder if there is something wrong with either of the two spring mounting brackets?? Although they look okay and everything looks nice and straight/plumb etc. Clutching at straws again. Many thanks. Brad

[Invisible Man]

I vaguely remember having the same problem about 12 years ago. Bought a house with a garage door that would only go up about 3 feet. Lubed it all up and adjusted it but when I added power I seem to remember ordering some replacement parts. I believe the guides running in the runners were supposed to revolve but had seized. I got it all working in the end but that was a strong garage that could take the force applied by the motor against still some resistance. I wouldn't like to try it on my current garage!

[John]

Are the runners pinching the ends of the roller spindles? (i.e. are the tracks out of parallel?

[BRAD]

No, the tracks are parallel, measuring the same at the bottom as the top. I've tried leaning the tracks outwards at the top slightly with no effect. The wood frame is plumb in all directions as is the tracks. I can't see anything obviously wrong, that's why it's bugging me. Cheers Brad

[EricP]

Mine works in exactly the same way. It's just the geometry of the door mechanism.

Similarly closing it requires both hands to pull it down to start and then it slams shut under it's own weight. It was recently refurbished by the installer and works exactly the same.

[DavidM]

Are the guides detachable from the door? If so try taking one off and see if it runs smoothly up both tracks just on its own. Has the track been distorted a bit when screwing it to the frame? David ( a pic or two of the setup might bring forth other suggestions)

[BRAD]

The guides are possibly detachable BUT they are connected to the wires, so I would probably loose all spring tension if I try to take one/both guides out. Could it prove anything by taking one track off at a time?? Brad

[BRAD]

Could I be trying to solve a problem that is not really there? Is that what canopy doors actually feel like when they are set up properly? I would expect the door to run smoothly all along it's travel .... but I don't expect the door to go all the way up on it's own under spring tension though. What I'm worried about is that when I rig the automatic door opener to the door, the 'sticky' door might burn the motor out. The door seems to take a little effort, with both hands, to start to close it from the horizontal position. Probably the Bow Arm Converter may help in that respect. Should I go ahead and install the Converter and see how the door feels then? Probably wouldn't do any harm at that stage I suppose. Cheers Brad