Genie garage door opener force adjustment?

Question

I recently replaced the springs on my garage door.

Now I need to adjust the closing force on my Genie GXL9900-2 1/2 hp Screw Drive Garage Door Opener. Although the door opens and closes freely and clearly by hand, it closes nearly all the way but then reverses and goes back up when using "Genie". Yes, the safety light beam is clear and properly adjusted.

On the GXL9900-2 you apparently adjust the opening and closing force by turning either a nylon nut with a wrench or a metal screw rod with a screwdriver slot on the back of the unit, unlike the electronic opening and closing adjusters inside the white plastic "light lens" on newer units.

I need to know if the nylon nut or the metal screw rod adjust the closing force and which direction I turn the adjuster, clockwise or couterclockwise, to increase the force.

I've tried to make the adjustment but it's just too difficult given two adjustors and two different directions, plus climbing up and down a ladder to hit the door control button. Got to be a better way!

The PDF manual on the Genie website is for the newer, all electronic screw drive opener, not the older mechanical opener.

Any help would be most appreciated.

--ben

Ben Jammin · Accepted Answer

Answering my own question, I just got an email from Genie Customer Service with the following helpful information:

"To adjust the contact reversing system on your older clutch model Genie.

"Close the door, hold screw slot in rail with a large blade screwdriver. Use a 3/4" wrench or adjustable wrench to turn the clutch nut on the motor shaft protruding from the rear of your Genie powerhead.

"Turning the clutch nut clockwise will tighten the clutch and increase the amount of force the motor will put on the door and visa versa.

"The clutch should be just tight enough to let the door operate both up and down under it's own power while still being able to reverse itself from a 2 X 4 placed flat on the floor in the middle of the door.

"If your unit will not adjust properly, you might need to disassemble the clutch system, clean, and reassemble."

Thanks, Genie!

--ben

clare · Answer

Those adjustments are the up / down LIMIT switches, The force limitsare small potentiometers (like volume controls) on the controllerboard.. Use a remote when you are on the ladder

Ben Jammin · Answer

My understanding is that the limit switches are on the track itself -- not the body of the unit -- and that the GXL9900 has NO electronic adjustments, only the mechanical clutch adjustment on the back of the unit.

Of course, using the remote is a good tip: I should have thought of that the first time I tried to make the adjustments.

Thanks,

--ben

bjwyman · Answer

Well, I had suspected that plastic nut had something to do with it, but it took a good deal of searching to find this. Before you get all set on finding that 3/4" wrench, grab the 11/16" while you are at it. My wrench set in the garage only went up to 11/16", so tracked to a 3/4" in the house, only to discover it was too big! :-P 11/16" worked.

hrhofmann · Answer

This may seem strange, but what does the instruction manual for your door opener say, or have you tried to get a copy from the manufacturer if you do not have one?

Tony Hwang · Answer

Hi, I had similar Blue Max which lasted 20 years. It came with a little knobby tool to turn the plastic nut in the back of the opener. Genie Support folks are very friendly and prompt. Did you try them?

rick · Answer

Mine plastic nut was also 11/16"

Thomas · Answer

On Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 4:04:35 PM UTC-4, rick wrote:

Genie garage door opener force adjustment?

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