Hanging 16' garage door tips?

[hell_fish_65]

Ok, Im trying to install a 16' roll up door. Its a used door that came with the unfinished shop. Is there a site that may have some instructions? I want to put it up correctly and not kill myself(it fell once )

 

[bobbyd]

Is it a roll-up door or sectional door (standard garage door)?

 

[hell_fish_65]

Sectional, sorry bout that.

 

[bobbyd]

Ask and ye shall receive:

http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/window/win_7.htm

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_door_window_installing/article/0,1797,HGTV_3684_1395171,00.html

The manufacturer of your garage door will also probably have installation instructions on their website.

 

[nova65ss]

Those links don't tell you much about the spring installation. Not many 16' doors have extension springs so the 1st link won't help you there. The 2nd link has a winding tool that put the tension on the spring with a drill. Doubt your door has that type either. They are pretty accurate in all the other regards though.

Torsion systems are very dangerous and if you never messed with them can be pretty aggravating. A torsion system has left and right sides the drums and springs are labled to determine where they go. If you are standing in the garage facing out the door red is always on your left and black is always on your right on a standard torsion system. Here are the directions on how to do it. Good luck , be careful.

Jimmy

http://www.doorson-line.com/info/torsion_extension_install.pdf

 

[bobbyd]

Take Nova's advice Hell Fish. If I recall correctly, he's in the door business.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Indeed I have a 14 foot glass door and it has the tension springs on a shaft and cables on drums. I won't touch them. I did have them retensioned once after installation and since then the've been OK.

Charles

 

[hell_fish_65]

Mine just has coil springs. I guess that is the extension springs?

Thank for all the info. One question, how far can the top rail be from the rafters? Mine is somewhere around 4'. everything I have seen says min 12" to 15", but no max.

 

[bobbyd]

There is no max I believe. It just takes longer supports to hang the end of the tracks and/or opener.

 

[nova65ss]

Mine just has coil springs. I guess that is the extension springs?

Thank for all the info. One question, how far can the top rail be from the rafters? Mine is somewhere around 4'. everything I have seen says min 12" to 15", but no max.

Coil springs with a hook or loop on the end? Or do they have aluminum winding cones on the end? With standard tracks you need at least 12" of headroom, like Bobby said there is no max just drop it down with angle. Is this door made of wood or steel?

Jimmy

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Mine just has coil springs. I guess that is the extension springs?

Thank for all the info. One question, how far can the top rail be from the rafters? Mine is somewhere around 4'. everything I have seen says min 12" to 15", but no max.

If these are the simple coil springs with hooks on the ends, make darn sure they have safety cables run thru the middle of them so if they break, and they will, they don't come tumbling down on you or your car.

Charles

 

[hell_fish_65]

Coil springs with a hook or loop on the end? Or do they have aluminum winding cones on the end? With standard tracks you need at least 12" of headroom, like Bobby said there is no max just drop it down with angle. Is this door made of wood or steel?

Jimmy

Coils with a loop on both ends. One end attaches to a hook and the other end has a pulley. The door is steel.

 

[hell_fish_65]

If these are the simple coil springs with hooks on the ends, make darn sure they have safety cables run thru the middle of them so if they break, and they will, they don't come tumbling down on you or your car.

Charles

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[DIGGER_DAVE]

Just finished giving my 16 foot steel sectional overhead door a "tune up."
Ever since the installation company put the door up; it "creaked" and "groaned" like crazy. It was installed about 20 months ago.

The first thing I discovered on close examination; was the hinges (between the panels) were NOT in alignment. They were slightly off center, and crooked.
I took one hinge off at a time and elongated the mounting holes so they were in alignment. (there are three hinges inboard of the guide wheel/hinges on each side) In a couple of cases; the mis-alignment had forced the bolts "off center"; so I had to drill new holes and use bigger diameter bolts in a couple of cases.

While I had each hinge off; I gave each of them a good shot of oil. (they tend to stiffen up over time)

THEN, I went over EVERY bolt on the door and tightened them up. (about 90 % of them were LOOSE!) Pay close attention to the roller track; the counter sunk bolts work free and start to "snag" the rollers! (if yours has them)

Next; a good "Chain Lube" squirted in each wheel AND on the torsion springs (shaft mounted) and finally on the chain drive of the door operator.
Works like "silk!"


BTW - the installation company that did my door has gone bankruped!!

 

[Willy Victor]

Just finished giving my 16 foot steel sectional overhead door a "tune up."
Ever since the installation company put the door up; it "creaked" and "groaned" like crazy. It was installed about 20 months ago.

The first thing I discovered on close examination; was the hinges (between the panels) were NOT in alignment. They were slightly off center, and crooked.
I took one hinge off at a time and elongated the mounting holes so they were in alignment. (there are three hinges inboard of the guide wheel/hinges on each side) In a couple of cases; the mis-alignment had forced the bolts "off center"; so I had to drill new holes and use bigger diameter bolts in a couple of cases.

While I had each hinge off; I gave each of them a good shot of oil. (they tend to stiffen up over time)

THEN, I went over EVERY bolt on the door and tightened them up. (about 90 % of them were LOOSE!) Pay close attention to the roller track; the counter sunk bolts work free and start to "snag" the rollers! (if yours has them)

Next; a good "Chain Lube" squirted in each wheel AND on the torsion springs (shaft mounted) and finally on the chain drive of the door operator.
Works like "silk!"


BTW - the installation company that did my door has gone bankruped!!

Geez I wonder why they went bankrupt.

Willy

 

[hell_fish_65]

A small update. I got the door up and the srings attached and a safty wire run. It needs a very small amount of adjustment to be perfect, but it opens with just one person now. I also started installing isolation and plywood walls on the interior of the shop. I have a long way to go, but its getting there.