Garage door horizontal tracks not level

[Massination]

Hi I just had a $2000 insulated garage door installed yesterday and today I noticed that the top tracks (the horizontal ones) that the rollers travel in are not level at all. All garage doors I have ever seen before had level tracks, so I'm trying to determine if I should call the installers back out. What I mean when I say not level is that the tracks appear to be level with each other but from the garage door to the back of the garage, the tracks are angled upward enough that it's very easy to tell they're not level. If I had to guess I'd say the front of the tracks are a foot lower than the back where the tracks end. Maybe more. Is this a problem?

 

[Vintage Veloce]

Call them back and get a high lift kit. If there is that much slope I'd want it move level and closer to the ceiling anyway!

 

[gnpenning]

What type of opener?

As a rule the tracks should be close to level. Depending on the opener will help me understand what is going on. Pictures would be a big help.

In the grand scheme of things the tracks have to be level side to side, like you said yours are. The horizontal track can have a slope to it and the door as long as it is balanced doesn't really care. I try to have the tracks as level as possible. I think it looks better and the doors seem to be quieter. Pre punch that we use to hang the tracks holes are spaced a inch apart. That can cause a little out of level, but not what you are describing.

I was on a job today that the doors have been in for over 30 years. One door the tracks went up, the other down. Almost 2' difference. Looks like Hell, but working for over 30 years....

Get a couple pics and opener information. It sounds like the type of installs one of my competitors would do.

 

[cdestuck]

Wow, a foot is a good bit. At first I thought you’d be talking about a inch or three. For that amount, I’d be having them back out to level them out. Even though it doesn’t affect the operation.

 

[Massination]

I haven't decided for sure if I'll install an opener. We're conditioning this garage 24/7 and using it as a man cave and as an exercise, game room, etc. So I don't anticipate opening the door very often. If I get one, I'm going to get a jack shaft opener rather than a traditional one.

 

[TractorJeff]

If I had an additional foot of headroom caused by the end of the tracks being higher, I may consider leaving it as it would assist in getting a high clearance Gantry Crane over the bed of a Truck.
BUT!
Seen as you paid an Installer I would DEFINITELY make him come out and fix it to my satisfaction!

 

[jonshonda]

If you're not happy with the work you paid for, then by all means voice your opinion to the company that installed them. I recently had a less then ideal transaction with a garage door company. Based on my experience, I have no clue how they are still in business.

Unless there is a very good reason, all of the stuff in your home should be as square and level as possible. That is just how the world works.

 

[gnpenning]

Thanks for the information about no opener , have them come back and level the tracks. Before you do go over the door and make sure you are happy with everything else. The reason this was important is instead of using high lift of pusher springs with a jackshaft opener and doing it right. Some are raising the back of the tracks had hoping to increase cable tension. Not a fan of this.

Many threads on here about jackshaft opener issues. Read before buying. Make an informed decision.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

All good information. If they lower the back to make them level to ground, check the balance before they leave. They might have tweaked the spring(s) a little to keep the door open and now might be a bit much. Was the old door higher in the room than the new one? Like it had larger radius track to keep the door closer to ceiling? That might explain the short rear hangers and the new installers figured why bother extending them. No excuse for sloppy work.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

Well, especially with this information, you may really want a high lift kit. My ceilings are only 8', but my tracks are all within 8" of the ceiling, which makes for a more pleasant room with the doors up or down. Jackshaft openers do not need much space to the ceiling, but be sure to check the specs before the tracks go in, so you don't make things too tight to fit the opener.

I haven't decided for sure if I'll install an opener. We're conditioning this garage 24/7 and using it as a man cave and as an exercise, game room, etc. So I don't anticipate opening the door very often. If I get one, I'm going to get a jack shaft opener rather than a traditional one.

Just edited to add picture

 

[firebirdparts]

Is this a problem?

No, it's not. In fact it may be to your advantage when you set up your weight room or whatever you want in there. It may be to your advantage if you install a jackshaft opener. However, they can adjust them down in just a few minutes if you prefer.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

Are you sure that the rails aren't designed to be installed like that? The rails come pre-formed and ready to install and are quite rigid. I don't think there's a way to raise the back of standard 90-degree rails that much without kinking the rails themselves or having a serious misalignment issue where the vertical rail meets the horizontal rail.

 

[Massination]

Ok, I exagerated QUITE a bit on how far unlevel they were. I was going off of memory. Got home tonight, and it looks like the back of the tracks are about 3" higher than the front. I have attached a pic.

Here are some other observations I made:
It looks like they mounted the spring bar 2-3" lower than the previous one was mounted, which means they also mounted the tracks about this much lower. They re-used the existing mounting brackets where the back of the horizontal tracks attach, and as you can see in the picture, they mounted the tracks as far down as they would go on the mounting brackets, rather than putting longer brackets on or extending the ones that are there.

It seems to me that this is what they should do - leave the mounting brackets where they are, but raise the front side up - meaning raise the spring bar and all brackets up a few inches to level the horizontal tracks out. However - a problem with this is that I can tell that they cut the bottoms of the veritical tracks so that they'd fit where they are, and raising them up a few inches would mean they're that far off the floor, and in other words, they would need to replace the veritcal tracks. Given that the tracks come from the manufacturer, they'd likely need to order new ones and they might not be so happy about that.

But I think they were just being lazy when they installed these - they actually arrived at about 4:55pm to install this door, and threw it up in a little over an hour.

Maybe theres no issue performance wise with the tracks being un-level, but astethtically speaking, I would rather have them level, as this is a room we're planning to make look nice and probably installing laminate flooring, etc. It also means that in the front the tracks are probably 3" lower than they could be, giving us less space there.

 

[gnpenning]

I doubt they went to the work to cut the tracks. More likely they used a track with less radius. Example a 10" radius instead of a 12" radius. They can always fit a 10" in but not always a 12", less inventory and you don't have to worry about headroom. Lazy way of doing business.

 

[Massination]

I doubt they went to the work to cut the tracks. More likely they used a track with less radius. Example a 10" radius instead of a 12" radius. They can always fit a 10" in but not always a 12", less inventory and you don't have to worry about headroom. Lazy way of doing business.

Yeah maybe you're right. On closer inspection the vertical tracks do look smooth on the bottom, so maybe they didnt cut them. Its a little hard to tell b/c they're touching the floor.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

Really, it crosses a window? It's that low? For, me that would never stand.

 

[SALIV8]

Really, it crosses a window? It's that low? For, me that would never stand.

yup. seems way low, unless its a weird camera angle.

 

[Massination]

Really, it crosses a window? It's that low? For, me that would never stand.

Yes, but unfortunately, theres no way to avoid that. The ceilings are 11', and the windows are mounted up high. I discussed a high lift kit with the installer, but we measured, and due to the giant 26" beam going down the middle of the garage (I put a red X on it in the attached pic since its dark and may be hard to tell that its a beam), a high lift kit would only be able to raise the tracks about 10 inches or so. It was going to cost $200 extra to raise it that 10-12", so i passed.

 

[kbs2244]

Mine follow the 4 in 12 roof slope.

 

[APEowner]

This may just be me but if the door works like it's supposed to and everything is securely mounted then I'd call it good and move on.

 

[Vintage Veloce]

OK, I see that beam and the fan and lights. Sadly, it's a design that never accounted for neat integration of the garage doors.

I'd put the tracks within 9" of the bottom of the *ceiling*. I'd put the track right up to the beam so it is at the level of the top of the window trim. I'd just check that leaves enough room for your chosen jackshaft opener. To me that looks like it would raise it more than 2 feet, if that is a standard side window.

Personally, I'd be looking for a way to rearrange the fan and the lights too. The appearance of all that track hanging so low would bother me. I'd hang the fan so the blades are BELOW the open door: that would work much better with the doors open!

But if the low tracks and position of the lights and fan don't bother you and if the tracks actually work OK now, I'd just let it go.

Yes, but unfortunately, theres no way to avoid that. The ceilings are 11', and the windows are mounted up high. I discussed a high lift kit with the installer, but we measured, and due to the giant 26" beam going down the middle of the garage (I put a red X on it in the attached pic since its dark and may be hard to tell that its a beam), a high lift kit would only be able to raise the tracks about 10 inches or so. It was going to cost $200 extra to raise it that 10-12", so i passed.

 

[nes999]

I wonder if not planning on having an opener has anything to do with it. I originally told the GC I didn't want an opener and my door is about 3 inches out of level. Ive since put an opener on and have zero issues.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

 

[Lelandwelds]

I was in a water tower once that had vertical only door tracks. The end angled about 18" from the vertical. If properly adjusted, I don't think it matters much.

 

[Fyrme]

Yes, but unfortunately, theres no way to avoid that. The ceilings are 11', and the windows are mounted up high. I discussed a high lift kit with the installer, but we measured, and due to the giant 26" beam going down the middle of the garage (I put a red X on it in the attached pic since its dark and may be hard to tell that its a beam), a high lift kit would only be able to raise the tracks about 10 inches or so. It was going to cost $200 extra to raise it that 10-12", so i passed.

Maybe it's the pic, but I see over 24" above the door. And for them to tell you the only thing available is a 12" high lift kit sounds like BS. I've seen doors go vertical 3-4' before breaking over to horizontal. Looks like you have room to go up 2'. That'd be worth the $ to me.

 

[gnpenning]

Maybe it's the pic, but I see over 24" above the door. And for them to tell you the only thing available is a 12" high lift kit sounds like BS. I've seen doors go vertical 3-4' before breaking over to horizontal. Looks like you have room to go up 2'. That'd be worth the $ to me.

Your right about being able to have taller high lifts. I haven't seen what height door he is using in this thread. But if he has a 11' ceiling and a beam that hangs down 26" that leaves him 8' 10" of space to work with. Depending on if it's a 7' or 8' door. Not much room for a high lift, but a track with more radius could have helped. Again depending on the height of the door.

 

[Trey T]

That's adequately leveled. I think it's good to slope it a bit to load the spring and put less loading the opener for the initial operation of closing.

When it's leveled, about 98% of the garage door weight is being carried by the horizontal track. This setup likely allow about 95% ... Which is more than adequate.

That horizontal appears to have about 0.5" drop per 3ft of track