As a preface I tried Googling and looking through threads but I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. My garage door keeps popping back up after it bottoms out when I try to close it. Everything I read says to adjust the door's limit switch but for some reason any adjustment seems to not have an effect whatsoever and the door when going up just goes all the way to the stop bolt. Could it possibly be the limit switch and how likely is it for a limit switch to go bad? Also, is there anything mechanical I should also be looking for that can be causing this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you
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Garage Door Troubleshooting
- Thread starter TMN22
- Start date
gnpenning
Well-known member
What make and model of opener?
Wouldn't be a jackshaft model by any chance?
Wouldn't be a jackshaft model by any chance?
Last edited:
CJ7VFR
Well-known member
If you have the type of garage door that has the two tension springs, one that goes along each door track to help lift the door, then it sounds like possibly the downforce on the door opener is set too high.
There should be an adjustment for the downforce as well as how far the door travels upward. Adjusting how far the door goes up (towards the stop bolt) does nothing to help solve the problem you are having.
You have to adjust the downforce. This is the actual force that is applied to the door when it closes. When the downforce is adjusted properly, the door should reverse back up when it comes in contact with something. This is a safety thing.
Open up your garage door and put a piece of a 2x4 on the ground laying flat where the garage door closes. Then hit the remote and close the door. When the door hits the 2x4 it should reverse and go back up. If not, you have to adjust the downforce until the door reverses back up after hitting the 2x4. In your case it sounds like the downforce is set too high and the door will go right back up after hitting the 2x4.
Adjust the downforce so that when the door hits the 2x4 it does NOT go back up. Then, slowly adjust the downforce until you can get the door to go back up when it hits the 2x4.
Then, once you have that done, open the door and stand near the door either on the inside or the outside. Hold your hand out about chest high with your palm facing up. Hit the remote to close the door. As the door starts coming down it will come in contact with the palm of your hand.
The door will start to put pressure on your hand, but you should be able to keep the door from closing, and it should reverse back up. This is so that the downforce will not be too great, and anything that might get in the way of the door (like a child or your car for example) will not be hurt. If you can't hold back the door and make it reverse back up, the downforce is set too high. Adjust the downforce until you can make the door reverse back up.
If the downforce is set properly, then the door should close all the way and not pop back up.
Try this and let us know how you do.
Jim
There should be an adjustment for the downforce as well as how far the door travels upward. Adjusting how far the door goes up (towards the stop bolt) does nothing to help solve the problem you are having.
You have to adjust the downforce. This is the actual force that is applied to the door when it closes. When the downforce is adjusted properly, the door should reverse back up when it comes in contact with something. This is a safety thing.
Open up your garage door and put a piece of a 2x4 on the ground laying flat where the garage door closes. Then hit the remote and close the door. When the door hits the 2x4 it should reverse and go back up. If not, you have to adjust the downforce until the door reverses back up after hitting the 2x4. In your case it sounds like the downforce is set too high and the door will go right back up after hitting the 2x4.
Adjust the downforce so that when the door hits the 2x4 it does NOT go back up. Then, slowly adjust the downforce until you can get the door to go back up when it hits the 2x4.
Then, once you have that done, open the door and stand near the door either on the inside or the outside. Hold your hand out about chest high with your palm facing up. Hit the remote to close the door. As the door starts coming down it will come in contact with the palm of your hand.
The door will start to put pressure on your hand, but you should be able to keep the door from closing, and it should reverse back up. This is so that the downforce will not be too great, and anything that might get in the way of the door (like a child or your car for example) will not be hurt. If you can't hold back the door and make it reverse back up, the downforce is set too high. Adjust the downforce until you can make the door reverse back up.
If the downforce is set properly, then the door should close all the way and not pop back up.
Try this and let us know how you do.
Jim
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Hot Rod Grampa
Well-known member
In an older a Liftmaster there is a mechanical limit switch, adjustable with a screw driver as well as an rpm counter. Electronics can go bad and I have seen wires fall off the mechanical switch. You need to identify brand, model and approximate age. All on the opener label.
dfiler2
Well-known member
I would first take the opener loose from the door to make sure the door itself is properly adjusted, the springs should be adjusted so some weight is keeping it closed.
Garage1
Member
Hi. Perhaps you need to start with a garage door service?
This article shows how you check if that is needed:
https://www.mrgarage.co.za/check-garage-door-service-requirements/
This article shows how you check if that is needed:
https://www.mrgarage.co.za/check-garage-door-service-requirements/
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Doorguy
Well-known member
Being a Liftmaster opener take the cover off and check that the travel adjustment assembly has not come apart. The plastic adjusting screws sometimes pop out of their holders and then no longer hit the metal contact tab at the end of travel.
Core
Member
Make sure the door works right without an opener attached to it. Then check the down force adjustment. That should be the 2 small knobs on the back of your opener.
Turn the force down to about 25% of the dial.
Run the door. If it stops at some point during the down stroke and goes go back then turn it up just a little bit, usually about ½ to 1 whole number on the dial is pretty good.
Check it the scientific way: – Straddle the eyes w/ a short table and measure w/ an analog bathroom scale. If it breaks the table…it’s too high and it’s a good thing you checked it. Bathroom scales as a rule require all 4 feet to be on something flat. Most stools aren’t quite this big. A small table or hanging it off the tailgate of a pickup bed may work as well. You want it about 5lbs.
(a professional will just bump it with his shoulder, but, that sounds like a lawsuit if we tell you to do that doesn’t it?)
Turn the force down to about 25% of the dial.
Run the door. If it stops at some point during the down stroke and goes go back then turn it up just a little bit, usually about ½ to 1 whole number on the dial is pretty good.
Check it the scientific way: – Straddle the eyes w/ a short table and measure w/ an analog bathroom scale. If it breaks the table…it’s too high and it’s a good thing you checked it. Bathroom scales as a rule require all 4 feet to be on something flat. Most stools aren’t quite this big. A small table or hanging it off the tailgate of a pickup bed may work as well. You want it about 5lbs.
(a professional will just bump it with his shoulder, but, that sounds like a lawsuit if we tell you to do that doesn’t it?)