High Lift Garage door problems - Help needed!

[dh0765]

Hi all, I sure hope I can get some help from someone on a problem I have. I currently have a building with 12' ceilings and 7' tall garage door openings. I needed a high lift option to get the door tracks closer to the ceiling for a auto lift. I decided to go with advice of adding 2 additional dummy panels to the door and extend the track up to the ceiling. I did this, and it looks really nice. The only problem is that I am now having a problem with the door seal catching on the panels as it is raised. Typically the top panel is immediately pulled back from the frame opening when raising the door. Now, the panels are still going straight up at the top of the opening, and the seal is catching in the opening between each panel. Does anyone have any fixes for this problem?

 

[jstroede]

The end of your vertical track should be 8" below your opening height. From there, the piece above that should break back away from the wall. This will allow your sections to clear.

As far as the dummy sections go, the only reason that you need those is to run a trolley style operator instead of a jackshaft operator. If you are using a trolley style opener than you need them, otherwise you don't.


John

 

[dh0765]

That is the problem then, my vertical tracks go all the way up past the opening and curve toward the ceiling. Is there any way to fix what is already existing? They open fine, except for the top seal catching between the panels.

 

[kbs2244]

Can you put a slight cant in the vertical at the top of the door point?
I am thinking just 2 or 3 degrees.
Just enough to pull the top of the panel back enough.

 

[jstroede]

Like was stated before, the track needs to break back about 8" below the top of the door opening. I does not have to be a lot, but that is going to change everything that is above it. If we were making that, it would be cut and spliced at that point, but I have seen them done in the field where the track is V-cut, bent back, and then either welded or have a plate bolted to it to reinforce it.

It sounds to me like you just have say a 10'6" high door and not a high lifted door. Is this the case?

John

 

[dh0765]

Can you put a slight cant in the vertical at the top of the door point?
I am thinking just 2 or 3 degrees.
Just enough to pull the top of the panel back enough.

I am not sure what you are referring to when you ask if I can put a slight cant in the vertical. Can you please explain a little further?

 

[dh0765]

Like was stated before, the track needs to break back about 8" below the top of the door opening. I does not have to be a lot, but that is going to change everything that is above it. If we were making that, it would be cut and spliced at that point, but I have seen them done in the field where the track is V-cut, bent back, and then either welded or have a plate bolted to it to reinforce it.

It sounds to me like you just have say a 10'6" high door and not a high lifted door. Is this the case?

John

I do believe this is the case. Everything seems to be working fine, except for the catching on the top seal.

 

[jstroede]

That's what I thought. Here is a layout of a full vertical lift door. Yours would be the same, but with the addition of the radius at the top. Hopefully this helps.

John

 

[dh0765]

Thanks for the picture jstroede, mine are not like that. My tracks just go straight up all the way and then they have a 12" radius horizontal track. Do you know of any simple fix that I can do with my existing setup to keep the top seal from catching on the panels?

 

[jstroede]

I know...that picture was just to show how the door should break away from the wall. The simple fix is to break the track away from the wall. Your track should look like the picture, but with your horizontal track on top. The setup I pictured is for full vertical lift without a radius.

John

 

[dh0765]

John, I am putting some thought into your suggestion, and it leads me to a couple of questions. First, does anyone make a short piece of track that has slight angles in each end so I could cut out a short section around the top of the door opening and insert them so It would give me an angle? Also, by doing this, how would my door then seal against the header seal when closed, since the rollers with the stand off brackets are at the very top of the door, which is 2 sections up on the wall? Would I need to install stand off brackets on each of the top 3 sections? I hope I am making sense with my questions.

Thanks...

 

[dh0765]

3rd thought, is there not just a different kind of seal that won't catch in between the panels as they are raised?

 

[jstroede]

You could try the whisker type seal. It would not be as apt to catch, but I don't really like that stuff. Your other option might be to do away with that top seal (probably just cut the vinyl flap off) and attempt to seal it from the inside. Normally the section at the top of the opening is the top of the door, and they make a seal called a head seal that screws to the top of that section to seal it from the inside. You might be able to get some of that and make it work. It is normally used on commercial doors with steel jambs, but it can be handy stuff for other applications too.

On the track, you would just cut what is there. You wouldn't need an additional piece. As for the brackets to adjust it up to the wall, you would take them off of the top section and put them on the section at the top of the opening and just use hinges on the top two sections (they are just along for the ride really) or put those top fixtures on each section.

Does this door have an opener on it, and if so what type?

John

 

[dh0765]

Yes, it does have an opener, it is a chaimberlain whisperdrive / Belt drive opener

 

[pauls340]

dh0765, I have the same exact problem with the vinyl exterior trim catching on the framed windows because I have a cathedral ceiling and I ran the track as high up the front wall. My intention was to follow the contour to get the door as high up as possible...a lift is in the future.