NEW Garage Door won't open!

[Texas Garage]

I installed my new 12' wide x 8' high, insulated, Amarr door. I can raise it about 18" and it binds to a stop. If you pull hard enough it will stick in that position. I thought I was completely **** about the install! I've spent several hours going over all the hinges, track, springs, rollers, etc, but can't find anything wrong.

The rollers still float freely at the point where the "binding" occurs. Any ideas?

 

[tcianci]

Check the spacing on your tracks, they may be binding where the lower cables attach to the bottom of the garage door.

 

[pattenp]

This issue is very hard to trouble shoot without seeing first hand what's going on. The binding should be easy to locate because it should be the door coming into contact somewhere on the track. I'm sure you placed all the hinges in their proper places, but it does happen sometime that a hinge/bracket is put in upside down or on the wrong panel causing the door to not follow the track correctly.

 

[tcianci]

Thanks pattenp, I had thought of the hinge arrangement (making sure the hinges are in order and not upside down) but then I forgot to put it in my post!

The mind is a terrible thing to waste

 

[Texas Garage]

I've checked the hinges for orientation and proper installation order. I loosened all of the track brackets, so they're free to 'float'. The rollers have plenty of spacing. I pulled the tracks out as wide as they would go and away from the face of the framed opening so they're wouldn't be any 'pinch'. The drive drums on the i-drive opener are disengaged, so it has no effect.

I had a friend come and look it over for a second set of eyes. He was scratching his head too. We wondered if the center-to-center spacing on the rollers was wrong, but they all measured about the same. We removed the top panel's upper roller to see if the door would make the transition (curve in track), but it didn't have any effect.

I backed the springs off, left them loose, and ensured that the shaft would rotate freely... checked good. I checked the 'flag brackets' (that hold the shaft bearings) to make sure they're perpendicular with the shaft... checked good. The shaft is very straight from end to end and through center support bracket.

I ordered the spring tools and did the work myself to save money, so I hate to bring in an expert to point out something obvious. I already feel pretty stupid.

 

[little d]

eddie, its hard to give a good responce over this thing but, what i would do if i were there is raise the door to the point of sticking. now starting at the top or bottom, i'd start checking every thing out to see if it is locked down. hinges, rollers and track, door panels, ect... just off of the top of my head, it sounds like a door pannel is sticking on the jamn. it might be as simple as shimming a bracket that holds the track to one of the cripples.

 

[REDSHELBY]

On a four panel door the hinge offset is different on each panel . Make sure the second and third panel are not reversed.

 

[Ed T]

When you figure this out, it'll probably be something that you're absolutely sure is correct at the moment, but later you'll find that it isn't. So, recheck everything that you're absolutely sure is correct. Also, from years of troubleshooting, I learned that, more often than not, it's something simple rather than something complex and subtle. Good luck figuring it out.

 

[tcianci]

I'm leaning toward a hinge problem too. Double check that the pivots are all in line with each other at every panel. If they are not, the door will most certainly bind, and do so without contacting any part of the jamb or track. If the hinges are wrong, you are essentially trying to get the door to fold at 2 different center lines which will exhibit itself as a slight degree of flex as the door wants to round the corner and then it will wedge on itself. Since you mentioned you get about 18 inches of travel out of it, I would suspect something in the area of the hinges for the top panel, most likely the top alignment of the pivot points of the top hinges that carry the top roller with the alignment to the other hinges across the panel. A quick check is to remove the rollers from the top hinges and see if that panel will fold back down on itself. If it does not, there's your problem. Also check the height and level of the horizontal portion of the track, if they are not aligned, the door will also bind.

 

[PassnThru]

You don't still have the vise grips on the shaft spring do you? That still moves whether the opener is engaged or not.

 

[AdamMopar]

I'm leaning toward the tracks if you are positive the hinges are right.

I think you would be able to tell where it is binding though and you said the rollers all spin free.

If it were me I would unhook the springs and cables entirely just to rule that out.

Good luck.

 

[pattenp]

I know you've about had it with figuring this problem out, but I agree with Little d as how to maybe figure this out by pushing up the door until it jambs and look it over again to make sure none of the panels are coming into contact with the door jambs. I had a buddy that was having a problem with his door not opening and sticking and couldn't figure it out. I went over and stood on the outside as he openned it and the face of the door was rubing on the jambs but he couldn't see the problem from the inside as he raised the door. All I can say is to check from inside and outside.

 

[PassnThru]

Also, pay special attention to the bracket on the bottom panel where the cable attaches. I have had those bind before if the tracks are too close to the wall or if the track is too close to the door.

 

[Texas Garage]

Thanks so much for all the ideas and encouragement. I'm going to get back on this thing tomorrow morning. I'll get report back with what I find. Maybe it will save someone else the same frustrations.

 

[larry_g]

When I look at your last picture I see the cable on the inside of the door. Are you hanging up on the cable as the second panel tries to go around the curve? You may have to move your wind drums out a bit so the cable clears the door.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[kbs2244]

I am starting a pool that says larry g has it right.

 

[pattenp]

Could it be the pair of ViseGrips clamped on the torsion bar.

Just realized that PassnThru had the same comment.

 

[nehog]

I too think LarryG has it right. The cable is on the wrong side fo the door edge if I am seeing the image correctly. The pulley needs to be moved to the end of the shaft. My Amarr doors the pulley is at the very edge of the tube...

 

[larry_g]

Another thing to look at is are the drums on the correct side, it looks ok, but there is a left and right. I also have a problem with mine in that if I don't fully retract the lock it will bind in the track. Also per chance are you hitting the drive with the door?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[koditten]

I know that we haven't discussed the opener yet, but I was under the impression that those WD Idrive openers were recalled? I had the same opener on one of my doors 2 or 3 years back and it was repalced because they were recalled. The thing is a dream to install but in the real world it was a pice of **** from the git go. I took the opener right out of the box and it was diagnosed with having a bad circuit board before I used the first time. I struggled with it for 10 more months before I called Lowes and told them I was returning it. I didn't even have the reciept and they gave me a new Genie screw drive with no questions asked.

I remember that top of door lock lever was very problematic the whole time I had it.

 

[Texas Garage]

It's fixed!!! Thanks to Torino Dan! He had the same symptoms, where the door would come up about 18" and stop. The problem... springs were reversed. I had already written this off as impossible, because I accidentally installed them correctly the first time only to swap them after reading an article on the 'net that led me to believe I had them reversed. I'll try to get a picture of the correct orientation posted. Thanks all!

Now I'm ready to engage the Wayne Dalton i-drive opener and see if I encounter all the problems everyone seems to be having. I hope not. It's new and never been plugged in, but I bought it a year and a half ago (ordered from Ace Hardware) so I don't have the option to return it. Wish me luck.