Buckled Door Help

[OneSchoon]

Hey y’all. Gotta look at friends door tomorrow. By my thoughts, looks like the door closed too hard and popped off supports and brackets. You agree? If so, can I get away with refastening supports and adjusting torque/travel distance? Any other brainstorming ideas on a fix would be appreciated. Cheers

 

[wasfuzz]

Looks the the opener is set wrong and it closed to hard. The reversing switch is not set right and the door is missing the additional cross brace that should be installed if you are using an opener. It helps keep the uprights from doing what it did. I would try reattaching everything with larger screws and add the opener brace that goes side to side. Readjust everything and pray for the best.

 

[Bretny]

I have two doors with the same construction. The bottom of my center piece of C channel is bent a bit from closing to hard. There cheap doors so i would just screw it back together and adjust if closing to hard.

 

[OneSchoon]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated

 

[matt_i]

I would take a look at making tapping plates or just flat-bar with clearance holes drilled into it and hex nuts behind. Increase the clamping area with metal plates and washers in the aftermath of self-tappers stripping out.

In the era of impact tools these things are jackhammered together as fast as the tool can go.

 

[cdestuck]

You’re dealing with the cheapest of all garage door. Without insulation and inside steel you have just some thin steel there. Instead of using oversized tappers I would use short #12 or possibly 1/4” x 20 through bolts. Best this would be for a car to back through that door and get a nice quality door

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

The screws didn't strip out. They are still attached to the stiles. The stiles broke loose from the panels since they are only folded over or spot welded at the factory. Unless the installer left the driveway 5 minutes before this happened, I don't see how he is to blame. The op will have to use small sheet metal screws to attach them back to their original location, without interfering with the hinge sitting flat against the style. May have to get creative with blocks of wood to spread the load out farther. Or buy a new door.

 

[The Cobbler]

looks like the closer is pushing the door too far down, or there was something underneath it when it closed .
in any case, need to get creative with self tapping screws, pop rivets or something. if you can get some backing plates in there, it probably will help
Check to see how much the closer is pushing down, might need a small adjustment (shorten rod)

 

[OneSchoon]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I went today and it sounds like the door closed on her car. Brought some self tappers and got all the hardware back on and it looks like it’s good to go. It definitely took on some damage, lots of bent parts but was able to hammer some of it straight again. This young lady was going through some serious hard times/divorce so it was nice we were able to take care of this on a $0 budget. Thanks guys.

 

[SGKent]

check the springs to see if one broke. The door should balance about 1/2 way up/down. Put it down before you pull the safety release to check the balance in case there is a broken spring.

 

[JRC3]

Was the car moving when it hit? If the door went down on a stationary car it should not have done that. Even though everything is good now, you might check and adjust the closing force.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Was the car moving when it hit? If the door went down on a stationary car it should not have done that. Even though everything is good now, you might check and adjust the closing force.

I've learned the hard way that some closers don't have these adjustments, you're supposed to do it through a "MyQ" app or some dumb thing. I have mind set very light, so if anything is caught it will easily reverse. Same with going up. Many people have them set far too strong.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Looks the the opener is set wrong and it closed to hard. The reversing switch is not set right and the door is missing the additional cross brace that should be installed if you are using an opener. It helps keep the uprights from doing what it did. I would try reattaching everything with larger screws and add the opener brace that goes side to side. Readjust everything and pray for the best.

X2. Closing force needs to be reduced, too.

Tommy

 

[cdestuck]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I went today and it sounds like the door closed on her car. Brought some self tappers and got all the hardware back on and it looks like it’s good to go. It definitely took on some damage, lots of bent parts but was able to hammer some of it straight again. This young lady was going through some serious hard times/divorce so it was nice we were able to take care of this on a $0 budget. Thanks guys.

Thanks for helping out a friend in need. Glad it was a labor only fix and I’m sure she’s thrilled as pie. Great job