Garage Door - Highlift (Adding 11-1/2") Conversion Question

[Pythong]

I just purchased and installed 3 garage doors (Richard Wilcox Premium Doors) that are the following dimensions:

• 12x10' with top glass panel
• 16x10' with top glas panel
• 12x10' solid, no glass

After installation i'm not happy with the height clearance provided as i want the doors to hug the ceiling when i open them (extra clearance for 4 post hoist) and i want to potentially box the doors in with a header.

My current doors are 18-1/2" off the ceiling to the top of the track, i want to move the track 11-1/2" higher so the top of the track would be 7" off the ceiling.

The company i purchased the doors from is asking for $187/per door for this "high lift" change stating that I would require all new drums, cables and springs for this 11-1/2" raise. Does this sound reasonable?

For some reason (i'm not a door expert) but from what i been reading online when I look up high-lift kits they start around 54" extra lift and i'm only going up a 1/5th of that.. Here's what he said would be added/changed:

• New springs lh, rh,
• Centre plate 3 3/8 offset
• One lower splice 4 ¾ “
• New longer cable 15’ 7-7/16 “
• Larger lh, rh. Drums
• 2” upper wall angle, 39”, cut to 11,1/2”
• 2” horizontal angle 132” cut to 9’, 6-1/2”
• 2” track 9’,6”

They would be taking back my current hardware on this.


Do you think i can get away with not needing new drums/springs?

 

[The Cobbler]

Re: Garage Door - Highlift (Adding 11-1/2") Conversion Question

I went through the same thing with a new door I bought. in the end I decided I would live with the low tracks... I doubt you can get the doors to work properly without the drums & springs

 

[upndown]

You will definitely need new Springs, Cables and Drums!
If you do some research on here you'll see some guys have successfully converted. Others spend hours, days, weeks etc and still never get it right. Plus all the trips you'll be making to get parts you just don't have! The big box stores are no help either as they don't carry **** for door parts.

Any door man worth his salt should have parts on his truck and be able to squeeze 3lbs of **** into a 2lb bag!

I would spend the extra $$ and get it done right the first time and enjoy your new doors! JMHO

 

[Pythong]

You will definitely need new Springs, Cables and Drums!
If you do some research on here you'll see some guys have successfully converted. Others spend hours, days, weeks etc and still never get it right. Plus all the trips you'll be making to get parts you just don't have! The big box stores are no help either as they don't carry **** for door parts.

Any door man worth his salt should have parts on his truck and be able to squeeze 3lbs of **** into a 2lb bag!

I would spend the extra $$ and get it done right the first time and enjoy your new doors! JMHO

Thank you very much for this reply. I've gone though other threads as you recommended and i see they are all saying the same thing.

After paying a small fortune on these doors i don't want to cheap out and do a hackjob which will be used everyday. I was seeing other threads pricing out more in the $200-250 range so i guess this is very reasonable the price they are coming back with.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Pythong]

Re: Garage Door - Highlift (Adding 11-1/2") Conversion Question

I went through the same thing with a new door I bought. in the end I decided I would live with the low tracks... I doubt you can get the doors to work properly without the drums & springs

Yeah it ***** doing the install nearly twice but this is the time to get it done right.. really hate the extra $600 cost for an extra 11-1/2" but I know when i have the garage all done it would drive me nuts knowing i didn't spend the little extra to get it done the way i wanted it in the first place.

Kinda like the wife wanting 10' walls (so it matches the house more) but i wanted 12' so i can get a hoist in. Super happy i went with 12

 

[rburke65]

Research. Read. Research. Read. Research. Read.

 

[scheu]

I had the same, or similar, problem. When we built our house I asked for the doors to be high lift. Well they were and they weren't. The tracks were higher than the average install but had plenty of room to be closer to the ceiling. Before Christmas I had a different company come out and move them up where I had wanted them to begin with. They were able to reuse the drums and springs. Cost me $380 for both doors. Very pleased and I didn't have to mess with the springs myself.... scheu

 

[The Wizard]

Your price is amazing. Jump on it.

I was getting quotes anywhere from $500 to $1000 per door. I had 4 doors that needed to be raised. Two doors I had raised 1.5', two other doors I had raised 4'.

 

[gnpenning]

You will definitely need new Springs, Cables and Drums!
If you do some research on here you'll see some guys have successfully converted. Others spend hours, days, weeks etc and still never get it right. Plus all the trips you'll be making to get parts you just don't have! The big box stores are no help either as they don't carry **** for door parts.

Any door man worth his salt should have parts on his truck and be able to squeeze 3lbs of **** into a 2lb bag!

I would spend the extra $$ and get it done right the first time and enjoy your new doors! JMHO

This ^^^^ or using a longer radius track if you can but you will still be changing the cable length and drum size to hold the cable and springs for a proper balance.

Some will argue that your don't need springs and have done so without. Having used and played around with spring engineering I can say just because it goes up and down doesn't mean its right. There a thing called balance it will prolong the life of the opener.

You where giving a very good price on your quote.