hey guys this is my first post so be gentle. Just finished installing my first High lift conversion. i spliced in a section 48" long for my high lift everything went pretty smooth. i ordered all the material from a reputable company they did all the calculations and sent the appropriate hardware. Here is my problem. the door starts to get heavy around 5-6 ft off the ground and takes significant effort to raise it too 8 ft or the top of the door. Could it be a cable lenght problem or a drum problem?
High Lift Conversion
- Thread starter Cpsfrench
- Start date
firebirdparts
Well-known member
It's just reality. As the door goes up 48 inches. the weight carried by the springs doesn't change, but the springs are unwinding. The whole system works on very simple physics principles which of course don't change.
If you tighten the springs, then you can achieve a reasonable balance, but you will get it to the point that you have to pull it down to close it. That's how mine is anyway. I don't use an opener so I need mine to stay up on its own.
There may be a sophisticated mechanical solution to offsetting door weight with extended door tracks, but I personally have not seen it.
If you tighten the springs, then you can achieve a reasonable balance, but you will get it to the point that you have to pull it down to close it. That's how mine is anyway. I don't use an opener so I need mine to stay up on its own.
There may be a sophisticated mechanical solution to offsetting door weight with extended door tracks, but I personally have not seen it.
Trey T
Well-known member
If the drum in photo was captured while door closed, then the cable is too long.
The drum that you're using has larger radius, the outer grooves steps up, which give mechanical advantage when the door is being lifted off the ground. The springs are loaded with a lot of energy/force when the door is being lifted off the ground (and then slowly looses energy). The mechanical advantage (by the drum) is coupled with the initial high energy spring should bring the door over the horizontal track by more than half of the door height, should the design be adequate.
Just from the photo, @ 6ft off the ground, less than half of the door (~3ft) is on the horizontal track which give you that issue. (Assumption: 7ft door with 10ft vertical track)
The drum that you're using has larger radius, the outer grooves steps up, which give mechanical advantage when the door is being lifted off the ground. The springs are loaded with a lot of energy/force when the door is being lifted off the ground (and then slowly looses energy). The mechanical advantage (by the drum) is coupled with the initial high energy spring should bring the door over the horizontal track by more than half of the door height, should the design be adequate.
Just from the photo, @ 6ft off the ground, less than half of the door (~3ft) is on the horizontal track which give you that issue. (Assumption: 7ft door with 10ft vertical track)
Cairo94507
Well-known member
I had my garage doors in my last home converted to high lift to accommodate a lift and 12' ceiling. The garage door installer replaced the existing drums on my jackshaft opener when he converted the door to high lift. I sold that home 4 years ago or I would take a picture and post.
Trey T
Well-known member
but hey, stop posting photos from your phone - photos are crooked!
Trey T
Well-known member
let's see some final photos of open and close
firebirdparts
Well-known member
Awesome! I need to get myself some of those drums. Only $29.95 at diygaragerepair.com
jstroede
Well-known member
You will need all the correct parts to match such as cables, springs, and bearings, depending on what you already have.
If you are really looking for drums and cables and such, I may have some extras that I could get you for less than you would pay there. I have some parts left over from a job a couple years ago.
John
jstroede
Well-known member
For that drum, the length of the cable should be approximately the distance from the floor to the center line of the torsion shaft plus 63" minus the amount of high lift (not the length of track added), where high lift is the distance from the bottom of the horizontal track to the floor minus the height of the door.
John