Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory type. Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2 runners at ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds sensible to me

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could help me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and it will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need to lift it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in this position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to the 3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch or so requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action is deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the other needs to go in about an inch....

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour for such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly balanced door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch? Can they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

Lee.

In article , Lee
Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory type.
Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2 runners at
ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice
it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds
sensible to me

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could
help me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and it
will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need to
lift it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in this
position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to the
3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch or so
requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action is
deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the other
needs to go in about an inch....

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour for
such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly balanced
door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is
fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch?
Can they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

At the end of each spring should be a nut allowing you to adjust the
tension. Are you sure the track doesn't need lubricating?

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On 09/06/2014 10:24, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory type. Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2 runners at ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds sensible to me

It should be fairly smooth and roughly in balance. Something doesn't
sound right either its been forced or lacking lubrication or both.

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could help me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and it will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need to lift it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in this position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

I guess mine sort of does that a bit although I could easily open it in
one smooth motion but even my arms are not quite that long.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to the 3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch or so requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action is deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the other needs to go in about an inch....

That is bit more worrying. It should not require excessive force to
close it so something is out of kilter. Try WD40 first...

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour for such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly balanced door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch? Can they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

Lee.

The springs should have adjuster bolts which allow you to tension it to
get a roughly neutral balance condition which will be important so as
not to strain the motor on an automatic opener.

Fitting an automatic garage door opener is on my roundtuit to do list.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks all very much for your replies...

How do I know when it is balanced - i.e. the springs are at the correct tension and (I guess) even?

thanks

Lee.

In article , Martin Brown
wrote:
On 09/06/2014 10:24, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory
type. Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2
runners at ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice
it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds
sensible to me

It should be fairly smooth and roughly in balance. Something doesn't
sound right either its been forced or lacking lubrication or both.

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could
help me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and
it will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need
to lift it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in
this position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

I guess mine sort of does that a bit although I could easily open it in
one smooth motion but even my arms are not quite that long.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to
the 3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch
or so requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action
is deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the
other needs to go in about an inch....

That is bit more worrying. It should not require excessive force to
close it so something is out of kilter. Try WD40 first...

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour
for such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly
balanced door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is
fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch?
Can they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

Lee.

The springs should have adjuster bolts which allow you to tension it to
get a roughly neutral balance condition which will be important so as
not to strain the motor on an automatic opener.

Fitting an automatic garage door opener is on my roundtuit to do list.

I chickened out of diy and got one fitted late last year. SWMBO wonders
why I ddin't organise it yearsa go.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

On Monday, June 9, 2014 11:58:56 AM UTC+1, Lee Nowell wrote:
Thanks all very much for your replies... How do I know when it is balanced - i.e. the springs are at the correct tension and (I guess) even? thanks Lee.

Sorry one further question... Should the rails that the top of the door runs in be level? I would estimate that the rear of mine (i.e. the end in the garage) is about 150mm below the front end (i.e. where the door is).

thanks again

Lee.

"charles" wrote in message
...
In article , Martin Brown
wrote:
On 09/06/2014 10:24, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory
type. Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2
runners at ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice
it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds
sensible to me

It should be fairly smooth and roughly in balance. Something doesn't
sound right either its been forced or lacking lubrication or both.

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could
help me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and
it will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need
to lift it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in
this position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

I guess mine sort of does that a bit although I could easily open it in
one smooth motion but even my arms are not quite that long.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to
the 3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch
or so requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action
is deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the
other needs to go in about an inch....

That is bit more worrying. It should not require excessive force to
close it so something is out of kilter. Try WD40 first...

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour
for such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly
balanced door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is
fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch?
Can they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

Lee.

The springs should have adjuster bolts which allow you to tension it to
get a roughly neutral balance condition which will be important so as
not to strain the motor on an automatic opener.

Fitting an automatic garage door opener is on my roundtuit to do list.

I chickened out of diy and got one fitted late last year. SWMBO wonders
why I ddin't organise it yearsa go.

I fitted one to my door when i moved in this place, as an electric door
opener kit off ebay was cheaper than the price of the parts from hendersen
to replace the missing locking mechanism.

(opener was £55 from soneone who had converted the garage to be part of the
house for living, hendersen wanted around 70 quid for the locking parts)

But i did have to fanny about for a while getting the door to manually
operate nicely,
minde didn't have tracks to run in, but rather cantalevered arms with 2 long
springs pulling on them, bu it was mainly a case of getting the spring
tension equal and lubing the pivots.

On 09/06/2014 10:24, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory type. Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2 runners at ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds sensible to me

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could help me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and it will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need to lift it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in this position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to the 3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch or so requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action is deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the other needs to go in about an inch....

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour for such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly balanced door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch? Can they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

Lee.


If the door mechanism has not been regularly lubricated it's very likely
to be worn. Be careful adjusting spring tension until you have
lubricated the mechanism and checked for jamming caused by wear.
Spare parts (pivots/rollers/guides are still available for some types.
Unless you can get the existing mechanism working smoothly I would not
fit an electric door opener.
Worst case is that you might have to fit a new door.

--
Blow my nose to email me

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

If the door mechanism has not been regularly lubricated it's very
likely to be worn. Be careful adjusting spring tension until you have
lubricated the mechanism and checked for jamming caused by wear.
Spare parts (pivots/rollers/guides are still available for some types.
Unless you can get the existing mechanism working smoothly I would not
fit an electric door opener.
Worst case is that you might have to fit a new door.


I have always been a bit obsessive about lubricating parts of my garage
door - but I have found that it has caused the rollers to slide rather than
rotate - caused them to get flats worn on them. One day I will replace them
- but I guess I should have tried to lubricate the roller spindles - but
keep the track clean.
In the meantime, I will clean and oil the runners so that the flattned
rolers can slide freely. My door actually opens or closed with one finger.
Most neighbours garages (built at same time) are stiff, noisy, or have been
replaced.

On 09/06/2014 14:10, DerbyBorn wrote:


If the door mechanism has not been regularly lubricated it's very
likely to be worn. Be careful adjusting spring tension until you have
lubricated the mechanism and checked for jamming caused by wear.
Spare parts (pivots/rollers/guides are still available for some types.
Unless you can get the existing mechanism working smoothly I would not
fit an electric door opener.
Worst case is that you might have to fit a new door.


I have always been a bit obsessive about lubricating parts of my garage
door - but I have found that it has caused the rollers to slide rather than
rotate - caused them to get flats worn on them. One day I will replace them
- but I guess I should have tried to lubricate the roller spindles - but
keep the track clean.
In the meantime, I will clean and oil the runners so that the flattned
rolers can slide freely. My door actually opens or closed with one finger.
Most neighbours garages (built at same time) are stiff, noisy, or have been
replaced.

Yes, same at my old house (built 1994). Mine was the only one left in
the cul-de-sac of 12 houses that worked smoothly thanks to regular
lubrication. At my new hovel the garage door now works properly thanks
to a bit of lubrication and adjustment. It was not square in the
aperture and tended to catch on one corner. The wire would then jump off
the cone pulley.

--
Blow my nose to email me

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

Martin Brown wrote:

Fitting an automatic garage door opener is on my roundtuit to do list.


If you have a canopy door, be aware that you will lose up to 8" of
height below the open door. I can't fit an opener to one of my doors as
the roof rack would foul the canopy arm required.

snot wrote in
o.uk:

On 09/06/2014 14:10, DerbyBorn wrote:


If the door mechanism has not been regularly lubricated it's very
likely to be worn. Be careful adjusting spring tension until you
have lubricated the mechanism and checked for jamming caused by
wear. Spare parts (pivots/rollers/guides are still available for
some types. Unless you can get the existing mechanism working
smoothly I would not fit an electric door opener.
Worst case is that you might have to fit a new door.


I have always been a bit obsessive about lubricating parts of my
garage door - but I have found that it has caused the rollers to
slide rather than rotate - caused them to get flats worn on them. One
day I will replace them - but I guess I should have tried to
lubricate the roller spindles - but keep the track clean.
In the meantime, I will clean and oil the runners so that the
flattned rolers can slide freely. My door actually opens or closed
with one finger. Most neighbours garages (built at same time) are
stiff, noisy, or have been replaced.

Yes, same at my old house (built 1994). Mine was the only one left in
the cul-de-sac of 12 houses that worked smoothly thanks to regular
lubrication. At my new hovel the garage door now works properly thanks
to a bit of lubrication and adjustment. It was not square in the
aperture and tended to catch on one corner. The wire would then jump
off the cone pulley.


Most garage doors are pre-ruined by the builders who allow sand and grit to
get into the tracks - and then the buyer of the house just assumes
everything is nice an new so such things don't get maintained in time. It
is only when people have to exert a lot of force that they perhaps wished
they had done some maintenance - but by then it is too late.

snot expressed precisely :
On 09/06/2014 10:24, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory type.
Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2 runners at
ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice it
seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds sensible
to me

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could help
me pls....

When I open the door, I have to give it a tug (or push the top in) and it
will lift itself to around 3ft off the floor and stop. I then need to lift
it myself and push it into the fully open position. If not in this
position, it drops itself to around 5ft off the floor.

When I close the door, I give it a pull and generally it gets down to the
3ft mark itself. I then push it into position with the last inch or so
requiring the use of my foot .... Just before the foot action is
deployed, one side of the door seems to be in position whilst the other
needs to go in about an inch....

Forgetting the foot bit for a second, is this the standard behaviour for
such a door? The advice the opener suggested that a properly balanced
door should stay in whatever position you put it in....

Any idea what is causing the door to be out of line when closing (it is
fitted squarely into the frame)... Could the springs be out of synch? Can
they be adjusted?

Thanks in advance for your advice....

Lee.


If the door mechanism has not been regularly lubricated it's very likely to
be worn. Be careful adjusting spring tension until you have lubricated the
mechanism and checked for jamming caused by wear.
Spare parts (pivots/rollers/guides are still available for some types.
Unless you can get the existing mechanism working smoothly I would not fit an
electric door opener.
Worst case is that you might have to fit a new door.

I bought a door electrification kit several years ago. During the
fitting, I decided my door mechanism was too worn for it to work
reliably, so I ended up fitting a new electric roller kit and selling
the other kit on. It cost me £500, made to measure for DIY install, but
well worth it. It gives me much more space in the garage and works
every time.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

"Capitol" wrote in message
o.uk...
Martin Brown wrote:

Fitting an automatic garage door opener is on my roundtuit to do list.


If you have a canopy door, be aware that you will lose up to 8" of height
below the open door. I can't fit an opener to one of my doors as the roof
rack would foul the canopy arm required.

That is true, mine needed the canopy door arm thingy to allow for the weird
movement the door makes going up and over, not a problem with car height to
it as the car never goes in the garage,
but the sodding thing is regularly whacked by my head as i walk in.

On Mon, 9 Jun 2014 02:24:36 -0700 (PDT), Lee Nowell
wrote:


I have a double garage door which I believe is called a retractory type. Essentially it has 2 coiled springs (one each side) and 2 runners at ceiling height for the door to run on.

I am about to fit an electric door opener and looking around for advice it seems I need to firstly ensure the door works properlly - sounds sensible to me

Anyway...... I *think* mine needs adjusting and was hoping you could help me pls....


Check the door maker's website for instructions on
installation/maintenance, and if the springs look dry, lubricate them.

Check the door maker's website for instructions on installation/maintenance, and if the springs look dry, lubricate them.

Unfortunately, the door was there when I bought the property and can't seen any obvious makers mark or anything. I have done some searching for similar but still no joy - it could be fairly old (I would guess at late 80's early 90's)! Looking at it I can see
1. It is made from a fibre glass type substance
2. It is a retractable type
3. has a single spring down each side
4. the style is a "Wood look" with Georgian type design (ie several square panels)
5. oh... and it is a double sized one

These seem quite common in my area so assume they were made by a popular door manufacturer of the time..

thanks

Lee.

Check the door maker's website for instructions on
installation/maintenance, and if the springs look dry, lubricate them.

Lubricating the springs is only necessary if they are the type that twist
(above the door). It they are merely tension springs at the side of the
door frame then they don't need oiling.

Hi

The saga continues... Help........

I have spent all morning "adjusting" the door. The rails were out so have now been corrected and there was a fair amount of movement on them which has now been corrected. So as far as I can tell, they are now parallel and the door when open hits both buffers at the end of the rail (well within 5mm - it was about 60mm out!)... All joints have been oiled and the rails completely cleaned.

Now moving to adjusting the closed position and I am stuck! The bottom of one side of the door is about 70mm from the frame when the other side is in position. This is before it reaches the floor so no obstruction there....

Measuring the closure mechanism on each side indicates it is exactly the same. The only odd thing I can see is that there is about 20mm difference on the spring adjusters. Adjusting them doesn't seem to make any difference although I haven't evened the lengths completely.

Anyone have any ideas? How do I know whether the springs are out of sync? Does this matter?

Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom..

Lee.