Overhead door problem

[Cougar]

I have a 16' door with a chain drive opener.
Been working fine.
Then when closing, it would close most of the way then stop and go back up.
I thought the down pressure needed an adjusment.
So I adjusted it, same thing, adjusted it some more a couple times.
All that did was tear up the nylon gears in the opener.

I replaced those.
Now I can get it to close most of the way then it stops and goes back up. If I hit button to stop it when it starts going back up and hit the button again it will close all the way.

Something is binding.
I can run the door up and down real easy when it's not hooked up to the opener. But with the opener pushing it, it binds up.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Gary S]

Do the basics from step 1. Disconnect the electric opener and see if the door works freely there.
From there, common sense will tell you where to go.

 

[WVBrady]

Check all of the nuts and bolts on the rails. Mine had come loose and allowed the rail to move out of alignment. Maybe the opener moves it faster than you do by hand.

 

[Herb67SS]

If the door moves freely, does the opener run the full length on the track when the door is not attached? Perhaps the the slide is binding. You could also pull the plug when the door gets to the point it reverses, then see if the door is able to move freely when unhooked from the opener at that point or if it's bound. If it moves freely, chances are your opener is the culprit, not the door. If the door is binding at that point, find out where and why.

 

[upndown]

Hey cougar, check your sensors sometimes they get bumped knocking the beam to the edge its spectrum. vibration down the door jamb or the tracks can break the beam causing it to reverse.. also check the wires to make sure no critters have chewed the insulation. Have seen this many times!! Good luck

 

[Rhino43]

I'll bet its the sensors.

 

[Al Bundy]

Rail grease.

 

[Cougar]

Thanks for the replies.
Gives me some things to try.

 

[Cougar]

Checked every nut and bolt, found a few loose, snugged them up.
Didn't fix it.
Checked the sensors, they're lined up good.

Then I noticed the top roller looked a little crooked.
Adjusted that and the door works like new.

I bought this opener at a box store. The rail came in four pieces, then bolt it together. It's kinda flimsy but it's been working. Would it be a good idea to take the rail and weld a brace along the top to stiffen it up.

Got this door fixed then the wife said the door on the attached garage isn't working right. Found a broken hinge. Hope I can find a hindge for a 22 year old door. If not I could machine one.

 

[upndown]

Hey cougar, that should be a standard hinge. Is that a center hinge (flat) or an end hinge (graduated)? The end hinges have the # stamped on them! just take old hinge with you and match up!! HD or Lowes should have them

 

[Cougar]

Hey cougar, that should be a standard hinge. Is that a center hinge (flat) or an end hinge (graduated)? The end hinges have the # stamped on them! just take old hinge with you and match up!! HD or Lowes should have them

I looked at a few websites, the hinge from my door doesn't look anything like those. It's an end hinge, made out of some kind of plastic.

 

[AndyL]

Pics... and is there a brand name on that door... this sounds familiar...

One of the old school techniques for these old proprietary doors was to use flat hinges and adjustable roller brackets (which got hard to find in the past few years) or top fixtures mounted upside down

 

[Cougar]

I'll get a pic tonight. I don't think there is a name on the door.
Have to figure out how to get the hinge removed.
It's held on by 3 lag bolts and one is behind the roller stem.

 

[AndyL]

Oh boy, OK, does it actually have center hinges? Or do the sections fold over each other to form a hinge?

 

[upndown]

Sounds like an old Taylor door! Small black hinge, one hole on top, two on bottom.. hole behind roller stem has square metal washer? I have re-hinged those doors with metal ones in the past

 

[Cougar]

Sounds like an old Taylor door! Small black hinge, one hole on top, two on bottom.. hole behind roller stem has square metal washer? I have re-hinged those doors with metal ones in the past

I did find a small sticker on the door.
You're good, it is a Taylor.
A standard hinge will work on this door?

Here are a couple pics of the hinge.

 

[upndown]

Cougar, Helluva design isn't it Whats more amazing is that soft plastic hinge lasted for years! metal hinge will work..Just watch the spacing to the center of the roller to avoid rubbing on the door stop or binding. Also these doors use a backing plate for hinge mounting..(pretty small) Best to use self-tapping screws,Stay close to end of door and as close to top and bottom of sections as possible!! Then ask Santa for a new door