New garage has 10' ceilings with scissor truss giving me 3/12 pitch at ceiling 13' 6" at peek. Garage doors are orderd and comming in soon tracks are to fit the 3/12 pitch. Now looking at my current garage has 10' ceiling with standard door tracks which hang 19" from ceiling, should I have orderd a differant track or will this work OK. I'am thinking closer to the ceiling would be better, could the track be modified, like cutting say 10" from top runner and welding it to the bottom at the floor. It would be the time before there installed, then afterwards saying I should have.
Garage door advice or ideas
- Thread starter ktm010
- Start date
wssix99
Well-known member
Re: Garage door advise or ideas
The distance from the tracks to the ceiling is a function of the spring/balance mechanism and the design of the door. Your door manufacturer should have minimum measurements for that and I'd expect that you'd have some adjustability with your follow-the-roof kit.
What exactly did you order?
The distance from the tracks to the ceiling is a function of the spring/balance mechanism and the design of the door. Your door manufacturer should have minimum measurements for that and I'd expect that you'd have some adjustability with your follow-the-roof kit.
What exactly did you order?
Re: Garage door advise or ideas
Get longer vertical tracks.
You can adjust the springs, or get new ones, if needed.
The problem is that with the slanted upper tracks the weight of the door never comes all the way off the springs as it does on tracks that go horizontal.
If you are having it installed the installer should know about it.
If it is a DIY, be sure whoever you are buying from knows your set up.
Get longer vertical tracks.
You can adjust the springs, or get new ones, if needed.
The problem is that with the slanted upper tracks the weight of the door never comes all the way off the springs as it does on tracks that go horizontal.
If you are having it installed the installer should know about it.
If it is a DIY, be sure whoever you are buying from knows your set up.
Re: Garage door advise or ideas
What you really want is a "high lift, ceiling pitch" set of tracks for your application. I installed one of my OH doors this way years ago, but even with the additional foot of lift, it's still 18"+ from the ceiling. On another door, I actually did exactly what your thinking about doing: Cut out a section & weld it in and I haven't had any issue in 5 years or so with it.
What you really want is a "high lift, ceiling pitch" set of tracks for your application. I installed one of my OH doors this way years ago, but even with the additional foot of lift, it's still 18"+ from the ceiling. On another door, I actually did exactly what your thinking about doing: Cut out a section & weld it in and I haven't had any issue in 5 years or so with it.
Re: Garage door advise or ideas
Doors and track where orderd from a person who installs these for a living, tracks orderd to follow 3/12 pitch ceiling, no extra height track orderd. I guess I'll wait and see, if I end up 19" from pitched ceiling might not be too bad. Just thought if I ever get a lift or something extra height can't hurt. He's installing each door for 200 bucks which seems fair.
Doors and track where orderd from a person who installs these for a living, tracks orderd to follow 3/12 pitch ceiling, no extra height track orderd. I guess I'll wait and see, if I end up 19" from pitched ceiling might not be too bad. Just thought if I ever get a lift or something extra height can't hurt. He's installing each door for 200 bucks which seems fair.
wssix99
Well-known member
Re: Garage door advise or ideas
You should be able to confirm the measurements with your installer then. (They will know if they ordered the parts.) Better ask now than later!
I'd expect a follow the ceiling kit to be closer than 19", so you its worth asking. The tracks shouldn't need a drop like a regular set because you don't need clearance for the opener. You are using a jackshaft opener with this setup, right?
You should be able to confirm the measurements with your installer then. (They will know if they ordered the parts.) Better ask now than later!
I'd expect a follow the ceiling kit to be closer than 19", so you its worth asking. The tracks shouldn't need a drop like a regular set because you don't need clearance for the opener. You are using a jackshaft opener with this setup, right?
I am assuming you have your garage setup in a way that takes advantage of the pitch...You could have gone slightly closer to the ceiling but I would keep about 14-16 inches for your drums to have enough space to operate. If you have 19" of space you didnt really leave too much on the table.
As joes said you need to use Highlift adders with the setup you are talking about. This will let the door travel up the wall vertically farther before it begins curving and going up the ceiling.
Use a Jackshaft opener like the one Liftmaster.com offers (model 3800) with the setup you are talking about. A jackshaft opener mounts to the side of the garage door and turns the shaft. It enables you to maximize space.
Let us know how this goes for you and post some pictures.
Here is a guide I found on follow the roof pitch
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That would be perfect, I just hope it works out that way being it's already on order and due in any day now, will keep you posted. I due have a thread on the garage build started.
Doors finally came in and where installed yesterday, the end result, the tracks hang down 21" from ceiling. Might have been better to order the highlift,and ceiling pitch tracks. Who knows I might never see a lift anyway not being a mechanic. 
