What is the best method to raise my door opener to accommodate a high lift 4 post lift. I am purchasing a Bendpak HD-7W which has 86" of vertical travel. I need to raise my opener about 24". My ceiling is 149" high and the the opener is at 102" I'd like to move it to at least 125". Can I just cut slots and bent the tracks and then extend the door opener arm to reach the door?
Garage door opener with car lift
- Thread starter peryan
- Start date
HAP
Well-known member
Lift Master 3800.
finn
Well-known member
Lift master: I concur
I originally posted this about six month ago before my lift arrived. I needed to move to a high lift track setup but the door pro's said it couldn't be done with a rail style door opener. So I came up with this arrangement.
View media item 32285
View media item 32286
I was able raise the horizontal section of the door track by 14". This puts the top of the track 7" from the ceiling. I raised the entire opener & rail to have 1.5" of clearance from the ceiling and extended the flat bar from GDO trolley to the door. Worked just fine on the first try and I didn't have to make any travel adjustments on the door opener. The door balance was a little off due to a door panel still sitting on the incline section of track but a spring adjustment took care of it. $25 for a section of track, track bolts, flat bar and my time was all it took.
I have since install my Bendpak 4 post and I have all the clearance I need.
View media item 32285
View media item 32286
I was able raise the horizontal section of the door track by 14". This puts the top of the track 7" from the ceiling. I raised the entire opener & rail to have 1.5" of clearance from the ceiling and extended the flat bar from GDO trolley to the door. Worked just fine on the first try and I didn't have to make any travel adjustments on the door opener. The door balance was a little off due to a door panel still sitting on the incline section of track but a spring adjustment took care of it. $25 for a section of track, track bolts, flat bar and my time was all it took.
I have since install my Bendpak 4 post and I have all the clearance I need.
I wanted to use the opener I had so this was the best way to make it work. You need to maintain the first 45 degree turn at the top of the door so it can move away from the wall and start to follow the horizontal motion of the opener. From there you can build the rest of the tracking to suit your ceiling height. If you want the verticle rise and the 90 degree turn at the ceiling then you have to go with a shaft operator as you suggested.
Last edited:
Mister68, Did you cut the original tracks at the curve in half and then splice in straight segments? How did you attach the straight length pieces to the curved track segments? How did you determine the lengths of the spliced in straight pieces to get the door clearance you were looking for? Thx!
fnieto
Well-known member
Liftmaster 8500. This is the new model that replaces the 3800.
Notice that the ceiling area over where a lift would go is completely free of anything hanging down to maximize the available height. You can't get that clear ceiling with a raised ceiling mounted opener.
Notice that the ceiling area over where a lift would go is completely free of anything hanging down to maximize the available height. You can't get that clear ceiling with a raised ceiling mounted opener.
Peryan,
I cut my existing horizontal pieces at the middle of the curve then spliced in a 21.5" section to get the height I needed (this raised the track 14"). I used 1/8" plate 1.25" x 3" long to join the sections together. I picked up the flush mount track bolts from a local door supply shop to bolt the plates on. This ensures the door rollers don't get caught at the splices. Calculating the length of the spliced in sections works out to be approximately 1.5 times the increase in height you require (based on cutting your existing tracks mid curve).
As Gerald O mentioned about the door opener limiting overhead clearance; this would be true if your lift is located under the opener but you will be raising the opener as well (I guess it will really depends on the height of your vehicles). For me with a 16ft wide door the opener runs up the middle between two lifts.
My garage only has a 10' ceiling so you'll have more height to work with.
Send me a PM if you want me to send a few more pictures.
I cut my existing horizontal pieces at the middle of the curve then spliced in a 21.5" section to get the height I needed (this raised the track 14"). I used 1/8" plate 1.25" x 3" long to join the sections together. I picked up the flush mount track bolts from a local door supply shop to bolt the plates on. This ensures the door rollers don't get caught at the splices. Calculating the length of the spliced in sections works out to be approximately 1.5 times the increase in height you require (based on cutting your existing tracks mid curve).
As Gerald O mentioned about the door opener limiting overhead clearance; this would be true if your lift is located under the opener but you will be raising the opener as well (I guess it will really depends on the height of your vehicles). For me with a 16ft wide door the opener runs up the middle between two lifts.
My garage only has a 10' ceiling so you'll have more height to work with.
Send me a PM if you want me to send a few more pictures.
jayoldschool
Well-known member
You can get a larger radius for the 90 bend so you don't have to section anything. It will bring the tracks higher, and an easy pull for the opener.
One more tip: the opener will work if you offset it to one side of the door. Very few people think about this, but it can make a good difference in clearance.
One more tip: the opener will work if you offset it to one side of the door. Very few people think about this, but it can make a good difference in clearance.
Jagmandave
Well-known member
I once mounted a normal standard garage door opener vertically, alongside one of the rails then built a bracket to attach the "puller" to the door near the bottom - worked perfectly for years and years.....if you lift it from the bottom like this, it doesn't matter what you do with the rails, and there's nothing in the way of running the rails as close to the ceiling as they will go.....and the springs carry the weight of the door, the only thing the opener is doing is moving the door for you. Worked a treat and far less expensive than a jack shaft opener.....
After all, if you didn't have an opener, you'd grab the door at the handle on one side, or pull up on a rope attached to one of the bottom wheels, right? Opener can do the same thing.....
After all, if you didn't have an opener, you'd grab the door at the handle on one side, or pull up on a rope attached to one of the bottom wheels, right? Opener can do the same thing.....
caddsource
New member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 1
I have a 4:12 sloped ceiling section above the spring that runs for 48 inches and then becomes horizontal at 116.5 inches above the floor. Does anyone think it would be possible to create a track to bypass the sloped section and run horizontally close to the ceiling. This is for a four-post lift I'd like to install.
In advance, thank you for you assistance.
In advance, thank you for you assistance.
tdott
Well-known member
Finally got around to raising my tracks using the method Mister68 used.
Just a warning for those with Double garage hurricane doors, they are heavy mofos and after the track conversion, the door can't be lifted easily. I tried adding a few turns to the springs but after 1/4 turn they were at the max and couldn't turn any more.
I have a guy coming to take a look and hopefully all he has to do is install stronger springs.
EDIT: So I had a guy come, he was able to add more turns to the spring, at a certain point you just have to muscle the spring to bind so you can add tension, I was stopping there. It is still not perfect, the door requires more effort to close and does not balance 1/2 way up. It also does not stay closed, it lifts about 1" off the ground unless I lock the door. The guy said I need high lift tracks to be done properly, since I cut mine it will cost more now. His estimate was $1200.
I was able to get my opener to close the door and open properly by adjusting the force, but he warned that I may burn out by opener.
Just a warning for those with Double garage hurricane doors, they are heavy mofos and after the track conversion, the door can't be lifted easily. I tried adding a few turns to the springs but after 1/4 turn they were at the max and couldn't turn any more.
I have a guy coming to take a look and hopefully all he has to do is install stronger springs.
EDIT: So I had a guy come, he was able to add more turns to the spring, at a certain point you just have to muscle the spring to bind so you can add tension, I was stopping there. It is still not perfect, the door requires more effort to close and does not balance 1/2 way up. It also does not stay closed, it lifts about 1" off the ground unless I lock the door. The guy said I need high lift tracks to be done properly, since I cut mine it will cost more now. His estimate was $1200.
I was able to get my opener to close the door and open properly by adjusting the force, but he warned that I may burn out by opener.
Last edited:
Hpozzuoli
Well-known member
Another vote for front mount openers and hug the ceiling with the doors. I just did it as well.
tdott
Well-known member
How did you do yours? Did you have to replace the spring/drums? any pictures to share?
pattenp
Well-known member
Normally when a high-lift is done it requires new drums, springs and cables. This is how mine was done...
View media item 16314
Last edited:
tdott
Well-known member
Looks good, did you have to make any changes to your springs or drum setup?
The door actually got lighter by raising the track and opener up. Not sure how but it did. I did not mess with the springs though. Those things scare me...
Only one way to go. the Liftmaster 3800. Not only does it get the height, but the unit is out of the way and with the MyQ technology you can monitor your door operation and also open/close remotely using your Iphone. I love the 8500
I moved my opener to the side. Removed the t-bar and chain, cut a sprocket on the plasma table, bought a couple of hubs from Rural King, welded them up, slipped them on the torsion shaft, cut the chain the right length, and viola. Side opener for $6. Since this pic, I have moved the top track up by 10" and moved the opener to the other side of the door.
View media item 75305
View media item 75305
Last edited:
tdott
Well-known member
Nice, what method did you use you lift the track up? Can you get some updated pics?
I went to the local garage door place and dug through their scrap until I found a track that matched what I had. Cut 10" off of the spare piece, welded it to the bottom piece, bolted it to the top track and raised it all up. I'll be able to get more pics on Thursday.
tdott
Well-known member
Just an update on my door:
I had a guy come, he was able to add more turns to the spring, at a certain point you just have to muscle the spring to bind so you can add tension, I was stopping there.
It is still not perfect, the door requires more effort to close and does not balance 1/2 way up. It also does not stay closed, it lifts about 1" off the ground unless I lock the door. The guy said I need high lift tracks for it to work properly, since I cut mine it will cost more now since he will have to replace the tracks. His estimate was $1200.
I was able to get my opener to close the door and open properly by adjusting the force, but he warned that I may burn out by opener.
I had a guy come, he was able to add more turns to the spring, at a certain point you just have to muscle the spring to bind so you can add tension, I was stopping there.
It is still not perfect, the door requires more effort to close and does not balance 1/2 way up. It also does not stay closed, it lifts about 1" off the ground unless I lock the door. The guy said I need high lift tracks for it to work properly, since I cut mine it will cost more now since he will have to replace the tracks. His estimate was $1200.
I was able to get my opener to close the door and open properly by adjusting the force, but he warned that I may burn out by opener.