Garage Door Installation Help

[snydesc]

I have a 9'x7' garage door with torsion springs that I am running into issues with. This is a new install for a newly build garage. I wound the spring but when I lift the door I can only lift it about 20 inches before it gets stuck. It sounds like the door is scraping against the rail where the rail start bending to transition to the ceiling rail. The scraping sounds are only on the left hand side (when facing the door inside). I have checked and can't find where it's scraping, everything seems ok and nothing seems to be rubbing against each other. There is no garage opener. The rails seem to be in square. 20 inches is roughly the height of 1 panel. I am stumped on why it's getting jammed. I attached a bunch of photos that may be useful in finding out what I did wrong.
If anyone has any ideas why this is happening and how to fix it I would greatly appreciate their input?

Album with more photos

 

[RWorth]

look inside the 2 tracks, all the way, make sure nothing is intruding into the track that will catch a wheel. Also make sure the door is level when going up, one spring may be tighter than the other and causing it to bind.

does it lift real easy before it binds?

 

[BPJOOP93]

Did u wind the spring the correct way? Is the spring on the correct way?

 

[Redraptor]

I have seen when the hinges aren't put on correctly they bind. And or wrong roller in wrong location. This is typical of $250 doors from Lowes. Dunno what yours is.

 

[finn]

Are the rails parallel?

 

[PWC Repair]

Did u wind the spring the correct way? Is the spring on the correct way?

This is what I'm thinking. I literally just did that on one of mine because i had never put any up before. Got one right had the second door spring wound backwards. Symptoms were as you describe.

 

[snydesc]

I will check the springs when I get home. I have a feeling that is what may be wrong. I would have thought the door would not have opened if I put it on backwards. Rails are parallel, and it's a Hass 600 series door.

 

[creativecars]

Check the cables for correct alignment. I must admit when I installed a new 16x8 door I installed one of the cables so that when raising the door the cable was pushed off the roller and bind up.

 

[joes169]

You mention that the rails are parallel, but are you sure that they are also square to each other? It looks like the rails widen fairly quickly from a few of your pictures. Double check your parallel on the horizontal portion of the tracks, and then measure an "x" or diagonal from the rear of the tracks to a similar point at the front of each track.

One other issue that can cause problems, although it's unlikely on a door your size, is that the torsion springs can bind on themselves. If you can, you want to "stretch" the length of the torsion spring slightly before tightening the square bolts to the torsion rod.

 

[lakelandcat]

I put up a 9x7 and went though all of these problems that everyone mentioned. I am a firm believer in plumb, level and square, I am still kicking myself for being so wrongs many ways. I had to step back and take it one step at a time. My biggest prob. was my vertical tracks were not square but before I could find that prob. I have tension springs and they had to be right first. To find that I let the door all the way down and made sure the door was flat on the floor, next when I raised the door I looked to see it was coming up even. Thats how I adj. my tension. Then I watched my rollers to see if they got wider, thats how I found out one of my tracks were off, I noticed in your photo that the top roller is in a different place. Which is right now? I would put it even with the edge of the door. Go from a common point at the end of the tract to just before the bend to make sure your square. You also have a adj. on the top roller that might help.

 

[gnpenning]

While you have a number of photos none show the entire door and spring assembly with the door down.

I'll ask some questions then make a couple of observations.

A couple things I'm asking aren't related to your current, they are just too make sure you won't have other problems.

Have you had anyone else open the door while you watched?

The numbered hinges on the outsides with the rollers. Have you double checked for the correct position? Meaning the second panel has number 2 hinges on both sides, etc.

The center bearing support that the spring mounts to which way is the taper, up or down?

Tell me what you did after setting the first and second panel in place.

Tell me what procedure you used for setting cable tensions.

How far above the door is the bearing brackets on each side and the center bracket?

If you plan on putting a opener on that door, make sure you add a strut across the top of the top panel first.

It looks like you have the top roller brackets mounted a little far down.

 

[Jlbc212]

From looking at your pictures it appears the horizontal tracks are spread too far apart. A simple way to determine if the tracks are spaced correctly is to look at the space between the dimples on the roller stems and the hinges. You should have anywhere between 1/8" and 1/4", but no more, for the whole distance of door travel. The roller stems often do not slide very well in the tube in the hinges and may be binding as you try to open the door.

 

[GreyOwl]

From the one pic that shows the spring, it is wound correctly. Make sure the cables are not interfering with the rollers and also the cable drums have clearance from the door as it travels up.

 

[snydesc]

It ended up being the spring mounted on the wrong side. I switched sides and the door opened up smoothly. The only issue I have is I need to balance it as 1 side is about half inch off the ground when closed. Thank you for all your help.

 

[Trey T]

Sounds like you did a good job. You just have to fine tune the drum to get the door plumbed!

 

[gnpenning]

Reread post #11. Mainly from how you set the panels on down.

 

[old__man]

Your angle iron/supports hanging the end of your rails is installed incorrectly (the pictures with your level). That metal work needs to be installed at 90 degrees to what it is now. It needs to prevent the tracks from moving left or right.

The danger is when you raise the door the ends of the tracks could end up doing the splits and you could end up wearing your new door as a hat.



Here is a quick google picture to show you what I mean

and this is yours

 

[casmurbax]

Glad you were able to rectify the problem.


FWIIW

However, I noticed your pictures that your tracks do not appear to be parallel when the door is raised.

Look at the location of the spindle of the top roller.

See how far out the spindle is when the door is open?

 

[PWC Repair]

Yes, you don't want any side to side movement at the end of those upper tracks.

 

[snydesc]

I fixed my angle iron, it's now like in the picture old__man posted. Previously I had a bolt that went through the face of the rafter to prevent sway but that would not be feasible when I drywall. I also adjusted the tracks a bit so the spindles don't go out so far.

I am still having issues leveling the door. I put vice grips on the rod to prevent it from turning and then loosen both left and right drums. The door is now resting on the ground. I tighten the right side first (side that was 1/2" higher) and the door shifts up that half inch. When I tighten the left side the cord is tight but doesn't resolve the height issue on the other side. If I don't tighten the right side as tight, there will be a noticeable difference in tension on either side. I believe my foundation is sloped slightly where the left side is slightly lower than the right (1/2" higher side).

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

Is it possible the set screws are going into the original dimples? Try rotating the torsion tube 90* then go through the tightening sequence. You door must be level. If the floor is off so be it. Shim door to level. Start with the left drum then the right.