Door track lift
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Wrench97
Well-known member
High Lift Garage Door Conversion
High Lift Garage Door Conversion- Step-by-step instructions on how to convert your garage door from a standard lift to a high lift.
ddmgaragedoors.com
Wrench97
Well-known member
Doors won't go around corners like that they only bend in one direction.
Roll up door would fit but they have a commercial look and feel.
Roll up door would fit but they have a commercial look and feel.
kbuhagiar
Well-known member
Not to worry - you can get a hi-lift setup that goes up and out at a 45 degree angle and then another 45 when you get to the ceiling. That is how mine is set up. It might take a bit of work, and maybe the assistance of a garage door installation professional, but it can be done.
I'd post a picture of mine but I'm away from my garage for a few days.
AC-WC
Well-known member
I had the exact same situation as you. Took me 5 different quotes from local big names to get one that was right/fair. Most were in the $3-4k range. One said it couldn't be done. A small local door company did it for $1200. It's not just the track, it's the spring (different weight of the door on the angle), the track (the angled piece) and the roller (for leverage).
high lift tracks, springs and everything will probably cost as much as a new door unfortunately
whateg01
Well-known member
The "bend" is the same direction in both places. It's just that it appears to be about 40 and 50 degrees instead of a single 90.Doors won't go around corners like that they only bend in one direction.
Roll up door would fit but they have a commercial look and feel.
Sure seems simple to me. In my mind, the corner piece can be cut off to provide the necessary "bend" and a second set of corner tracks can be modified for the second corner. A jackshaft opener eliminates the opener also needing to make a turn in the middle. The only complicated part would be figuring out the spring, since there is probably more weight on them. Or, keep the single corner, but raise the opener end. Again, modifying the corner track and adjusting springs would be necessary. That's not a turn key solution, but I tend to want what I want, and if I wanted to move the open door location, that's what I would do.
Yankeefarmer
Well-known member
Here’s mine:
a
akbuhagiar
Well-known member
Here's mine:
whateg01
Well-known member
I'm curious... Why not just go straight up the wall, then inward?Here's mine:
afazz
Well-known member
You need a high lift follow-the-roof-pitch track with a jackshaft operator, and you must convert your tension spring setup to a torsion spring and drum setup. Since your pitched section isn't long enough for the door, you will either need two bends (adds complexity and cost that most installers will not be capable of) or simply reduce the pitch so it doesn't exactly follow the roof. That second method is what I did in your scenario, as pictured below.
In my case, I already had a jackshaft opener and torsion springs. I also had the label from the initial purchase with the door weight and original spring parameters, which provided the info required to size new springs and double check my method by reverse-engineering the setup that worked for 20+ years. I used the SSC engineering iPhone app to calculate the torsion spring and drum parameters, then ordered parts from DDM for about $200. I did all the design and fabrication myself. DDM can do the spring calculations for you, but you have to call / email / prepare drawings.
www.servicespring.com
Hiring this out, including new jackshaft operators and tracks, will cost nearly the same as new doors as stated above. The keywords in my first paragraph should help you explain this to an installer.
Before:
After:
Also note that I removed the end stop springs and replaced them with small compression springs so I could open the attic access door. I could have made the pitch steeper, but I left room for lights which are just outside the frame of these photos.
In my case, I already had a jackshaft opener and torsion springs. I also had the label from the initial purchase with the door weight and original spring parameters, which provided the info required to size new springs and double check my method by reverse-engineering the setup that worked for 20+ years. I used the SSC engineering iPhone app to calculate the torsion spring and drum parameters, then ordered parts from DDM for about $200. I did all the design and fabrication myself. DDM can do the spring calculations for you, but you have to call / email / prepare drawings.
High Performance Garage Door Springs Manufacturer | SSC
Your trusted garage door spring manufacturer since 1962. Trusted by garage door professionals to provide durable garage door springs direct from manufacturer.
www.servicespring.com
Garage Door Springs | Garage Door Repair | DDM Garage Doors
Shop for Residential & Commercial Garage Door Springs, Parts, Motors, Extension Springs, Dock Leveler Parts, High Lift Kits, In-House Training. Detailed DIY Instructions Available.
ddmgaragedoors.com
Hiring this out, including new jackshaft operators and tracks, will cost nearly the same as new doors as stated above. The keywords in my first paragraph should help you explain this to an installer.
Before:
After:
Also note that I removed the end stop springs and replaced them with small compression springs so I could open the attic access door. I could have made the pitch steeper, but I left room for lights which are just outside the frame of these photos.
Thanks! That’s exactly what I want to do. I know I’m going to need the torsion spring setup. How much space do you have between the top of the door to ceiling.You need a high lift follow-the-roof-pitch track with a jackshaft operator, and you must convert your tension spring setup to a torsion spring and drum setup. Since your pitched section isn't long enough for the door, you will either need two bends (adds complexity and cost that most installers will not be capable of) or simply reduce the pitch so it doesn't exactly follow the roof. That second method is what I did in your scenario, as pictured below.
In my case, I already had a jackshaft opener and torsion springs. I also had the label from the initial purchase with the door weight and original spring parameters, which provided the info required to size new springs and double check my method by reverse-engineering the setup that worked for 20+ years. I used the SSC engineering iPhone app to calculate the torsion spring and drum parameters, then ordered parts from DDM for about $200. I did all the design and fabrication myself. DDM can do the spring calculations for you, but you have to call / email / prepare drawings.
High Performance Garage Door Springs Manufacturer | SSC
Your trusted garage door spring manufacturer since 1962. Trusted by garage door professionals to provide durable garage door springs direct from manufacturer.Garage Door Springs | Garage Door Repair | DDM Garage Doors
Shop for Residential & Commercial Garage Door Springs, Parts, Motors, Extension Springs, Dock Leveler Parts, High Lift Kits, In-House Training. Detailed DIY Instructions Available.ddmgaragedoors.com
Hiring this out, including new jackshaft operators and tracks, will cost nearly the same as new doors as stated above. The keywords in my first paragraph should help you explain this to an installer.
Before:
After:
Also note that I removed the end stop springs and replaced them with small compression springs so I could open the attic access door. I could have made the pitch steeper, but I left room for lights which are just outside the frame of these photos.
Is that a regular liftmaster opener on its side, with a chain up to the torsion bar? Did you engineer that yourself?You need a high lift follow-the-roof-pitch track with a jackshaft operator, and you must convert your tension spring setup to a torsion spring and drum setup. Since your pitched section isn't long enough for the door, you will either need two bends (adds complexity and cost that most installers will not be capable of) or simply reduce the pitch so it doesn't exactly follow the roof. That second method is what I did in your scenario, as pictured below.
In my case, I already had a jackshaft opener and torsion springs. I also had the label from the initial purchase with the door weight and original spring parameters, which provided the info required to size new springs and double check my method by reverse-engineering the setup that worked for 20+ years. I used the SSC engineering iPhone app to calculate the torsion spring and drum parameters, then ordered parts from DDM for about $200. I did all the design and fabrication myself. DDM can do the spring calculations for you, but you have to call / email / prepare drawings.
High Performance Garage Door Springs Manufacturer | SSC
Your trusted garage door spring manufacturer since 1962. Trusted by garage door professionals to provide durable garage door springs direct from manufacturer.Garage Door Springs | Garage Door Repair | DDM Garage Doors
Shop for Residential & Commercial Garage Door Springs, Parts, Motors, Extension Springs, Dock Leveler Parts, High Lift Kits, In-House Training. Detailed DIY Instructions Available.ddmgaragedoors.com
Hiring this out, including new jackshaft operators and tracks, will cost nearly the same as new doors as stated above. The keywords in my first paragraph should help you explain this to an installer.
Before:
After:
Also note that I removed the end stop springs and replaced them with small compression springs so I could open the attic access door. I could have made the pitch steeper, but I left room for lights which are just outside the frame of these photos.
Also, you should probably put the spring stop back on the track. Trust me, you don't want the door popping off the open top end.
Me too....
firebirdparts
Well-known member
Yeah. Every building is unique, so you make it go where it helps you, like that. You can make your own tracks easily enough (and I have). They don't make drums to compensate for that exactly, so you'll have to wind your springs to a kind of happy medium (and I have).
I have something like afazz posted. Just cut enough curve off to send it.
I have something like afazz posted. Just cut enough curve off to send it.
afazz
Well-known member
Here are all of the dimensions for my setup, laid on top of the 1:1 scale template I made to chop the 22.62º (5/12 pitch) out of the existing 15" radius tracks.
I think it's a regular liftmaster opener on its side, but I did not engineer that portion myself. I kept it as-is, and it continues to work. There isn't enough room for a standard jackshaft opener, so that's why this scheme was developed.
I do still have spring stops, they're just different from the originals. With a jackshaft opener, the balance has to be adjusted so the door naturally falls; there won't be an upward spring force in the "up" position. The original springs are used for doors where the balance is opposite - the door is held upward, so if you pull it up quickly it can go off the rails (literally) unless there is a strong spring to stop it. These springs are quite stiff, and bolted firmly into the track and support, they act on the wheels instead of the door body to save some room.
kbuhagiar
Well-known member
TBH I'm not exactly sure...I never thought to question it, as my other high-lift door was installed in exactly the same fashion (although on a 12-foot ceiling; this ceiling is 14 feet high). The only other difference here, and I'm not sure if it makes a difference, is these doors are taller (16 x 8 & 10 x 8).
I'm very happy with the workmanship and it meets all of my requirements (plenty of clearance for my 4-post lift). I'll ask the installer about it when I see him next week.
Innovate1
Well-known member
I would be giving ddgaragedoors.com a call. I haven't used them myself but others here have and I have heard nothing but good reports about them. They should be able to give you some options and get you all the parts needed. The spring shaft length may be a shipping issue/cost so maybe you could get that from a local shop.
AC-WC
Well-known member
Here's some pics of where I started 2 yrs ago and just last weekend.
Pics 1&2 is the new ceiling (R19 insulation with vents) and then all my lights. Each flat section is 8ft
Last pic is the angle of new track.
If you have existing openers they CAN be used. Mine were only a few years old, belt drive and I had absolutely no room on either side for side mount openers.
