"Cox SMTP central" wrote in message .. .
Does anyone have a solution to center mount a garage opener for a 17' x 7'
garage door where the distance from the front wall of the garage is 8' - 4"
from a steel ceiling beam the runs the width of the garage? The garage door
company has used a side mount chain drive opener for the past 10 years since
the house was built and I have the following recurring problems with this
type of setup.
- Side mount pulls on door unevenly and causes problem with adjustment.
- Garage will only open within 10" of door opening because not enough
pull clearance.
The door company has indicated going to a gear drive opener and still having
it side mounted will improve the pull by about 6 inches, but I would prefer
to get the opener to the center of the door. I have been told that it is
not a good idea to cut into the beam. Any ideas - any new openers out
there?

It's not easy but you can cut the rail on a standard opener & make it
an "L"
shape. Use a steel plate to hold the rails together at the "L" with
room on
each side of the corners to put a bolt on each side of the rail. Then
you
use either a case hardened collar (that can turn freely on the bolt),
a pulley, or sprocket on each bolt w/ the chain between the bolt &
rail on the inside
of the "L" & the chain outside the bolt on the outside of the "L". The
actual motor would be parallel to the door. If it is done right it
works
quite well & the door should open all the way.

Side mount openers work OK but not great if they are done right & if
the door
works smoothly and has torsion springs (springs on shaft across top of
door).
They do not work well at all on doors w/ extension springs (stretch
along
the tracks). Normally when we do this we use a screw drive opener
though w/
the screw facing the jamb. This is to prevent items or fingers, etc
from
getting caught in the chain as it goes up & down along the wall a
sprocket.

As to cutting the beam that depends on the type & soundness of the
beam. It
has been done in many areas but it would be impossible in this forum
to say
whether the beam could be cut or not. If you know any engineers ask
them or
if the original builder is still around they be able to give advice on
that
issue.

Doordoc
www.doorsandopeners.com