Garage door opener question
 

Allight, it's winter, there's snow... We have a 2 and a half car garage... Both had openers, the one on my side's had a dead motor for a few years...

I bought a garage door opener for my side of the garage. Now, the one on my moms side's refusing to work correctly (i think it's jelious:rolleyes: )

It had this problem a few times last year, but only when it got uber cold (20 degrees or colder) It's now 35 degrees, and hers doesnt work.

What happens is that the garage door opener goes down 7/8 of the way, binds up, and refuzes to go past that point. In order for the door to go down, you need to help it down... It goes up just fine.

When I pull the door manually, it goes down fine also...

I think the problem's in the garage door openers track, it kinda flex's as the door's going down... When it gets to a few feet off the ground, the opener's track flex's upwards alot, before it resets.

I've tried greasing the track, tightening the bolts that hold the track together (wimpy 1/4" carrage bolts), and greasing the garage door track....

any other ideas before I burn the damn thing down?

Tks alot
~Nate

You can adjust how far down the garage door goes. There should be an adjustment knob on the thing.

It sounds like your tension thingamabob needs to be adjusted.

Adjust the downforce of the opener and you should be fine.

Sounds like your doors tracks are out of alignment and/or the door tilted to one side. Also possible are the rollers need to be cleaned and greased. Adjusting the downward force probably isn't the cure. In cold climates, you need to use low temp grease. It shouldn't take alot of force to open or close the door manually, it should glide smoothly on the tracks.

it DOES go all the way to the bottom, if you help it

I increased the tention on the chain, and it helped (a little)... it was very sloppy. I also increased the downwards closing force, but it just forced the track harder (NOT good)... I decreased it, to lesten the strain on everything.


low tempature grease, ok... I guess I get to clean all the grease I put on it, off, and buy some low temp stuff.

How do I check the tracks allignment?

~Nate

grab the manual release and unhook the opener and see how the door opens and closes on it's own.mine was doing about the same thing you describe.i have trim boards on the sides of the door and the door would drag on them as it shut and the motor would strain to the point of quiting,and i'd have to reset the breaker.i just moved the trim boards out about an 1/16 of an inch and that cured my problem.

Pull the door down manually, slowly. You'll feel resistance or binding. The problem might be a seized roller or detached wheel axel. Also check for a twisted/bent bracket that attaches the track to garage doorway framing, that causes the track to loose vertical alignment.

A clean garage door is a happy garage door. I take it that yours is chain operated. My Genies are screwdrive and will only work in cold weather when lubricated with clean "Genie" grease. (lubriplate white grease). If they get dirty or dry the safety mechanism will stop and reverse the door, thinking that it has hit something due to the increased resistence. Clean them up and lube them, rollers and all. If that fails to do the trick then call an expert or replace them. A faulty operner can cause injury and damage, not to mention being just darn irritating.

Are you sure the motor is bad ? Iv'e never had a garage door opener apart (althought I'd jump at the chance) but over my 31 years I've found more than a couple "motors that were bad" turn out to be a bad connection inside the unitsomewhere.

YMMV

-John

yeah, it was dead... I DID take it apart, and the motor only worked when I tapped it with a hammer. Stuck brushes? Cleaned the connections anyways, and no go.

it was a REALLY old stanly 1/3 hp one anyways, it had been making "funny noises" for a while. I bought a new one for my side, and now the one on my moms side is acting funny.



Standing outside, looking at the door, the top left part of the door isnt flush with the molding, the top right part is... How it's supposed to be is beond me.


could that be my problem? It's an inch or so off...

tks alot
~Nate