Home Repair forum - Installing new garage door opener

Author

Installing new garage door opener

Dave N

2005-07-29, 3:21 pm

My garage door opener died, and I need to install a new one. Here's the
problem: there's a beam running across my garage ceiling, about 8 inches
past the top of the door when it's open. With the existing opener, the
previous owners installed it in that space (flush against the beam on the
garage door side), but it prevents the door from opening all the way. It
hangs down about a foot lower than it should when opened, and I'm
constantly banging my head on it. I'd love to get around this problem now
that I need to replace the thing. The questions is, how can I mount the
opener so that it will allow the door to open all the way?

Art Todesco

2005-07-29, 3:21 pm

Two ideas. There is available an opener
that mounts above the door and drives
the pipe where the springs are mounted.
These used to be available only for
commercial doors, but now I see the for
residential garages.
33 years ago I moved into this house,
new at that time, which had the I beam
as you described. I made a small mouse
hole in the beam and mounted the
motor/gear/control on the other side of
the beam, with the track and chain going
through the beam and connecting to the
header above the door. Drilling was
somewhat difficult, however, once you
figure it out, it was not that bad. I
drilled
4 3/8" hole at the corner of rectangle;
starting with smaller drill bits and
stepping
up to larger ones. Then a metal cutting
blade on a sabre saw
was used the cut the 4 sides. If you
run the saw fast, the beam will remove the
teeth on the blade, however, if you run
it like a sewing machine, it cuts pretty
easy. Of course, a cutting torch would
be better. At the time I was concerned
about weakening the beam. After talking
to many mechanical engineers, they
reminded me of bar joists, which are
mostly air and a small hole like that would
probably do very little to weaken the
beam. Discalimer: my house is still
standing,
your results may vary .... but I don't
think so.

Dave N wrote:
> My garage door opener died, and I need to install a new one. Here's the
> problem: there's a beam running across my garage ceiling, about 8 inches
> past the top of the door when it's open. With the existing opener, the
> previous owners installed it in that space (flush against the beam on the
> garage door side), but it prevents the door from opening all the way. It
> hangs down about a foot lower than it should when opened, and I'm
> constantly banging my head on it. I'd love to get around this problem now
> that I need to replace the thing. The questions is, how can I mount the
> opener so that it will allow the door to open all the way?

Dave N

2005-07-29, 4:21 pm

Thanks Art. Do you know what brand/model opener mounts above or to the
side of the door, as you describe?

A mousehole in the beam is another good idea. I'll have to make sure
whatever model I go with has a track that extends the extra foot or so.

Art Todesco <actodesco@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:whuGe.2297$gt5.1401@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com:

> Two ideas. There is available an opener
> that mounts above the door and drives
> the pipe where the springs are mounted.
> These used to be available only for
> commercial doors, but now I see the for
> residential garages.
> 33 years ago I moved into this house,
> new at that time, which had the I beam
> as you described. I made a small mouse
> hole in the beam and mounted the
> motor/gear/control on the other side of
> the beam, with the track and chain going
> through the beam and connecting to the
> header above the door. Drilling was
> somewhat difficult, however, once you
> figure it out, it was not that bad. I
> drilled
> 4 3/8" hole at the corner of rectangle;
> starting with smaller drill bits and
> stepping
> up to larger ones. Then a metal cutting
> blade on a sabre saw
> was used the cut the 4 sides. If you
> run the saw fast, the beam will remove the
> teeth on the blade, however, if you run
> it like a sewing machine, it cuts pretty
> easy. Of course, a cutting torch would
> be better. At the time I was concerned
> about weakening the beam. After talking
> to many mechanical engineers, they
> reminded me of bar joists, which are
> mostly air and a small hole like that would
> probably do very little to weaken the
> beam. Discalimer: my house is still
> standing,
> your results may vary .... but I don't
> think so.
>
> Dave N wrote:
>

Jmagerl

2005-07-29, 5:21 pm

http://www.wayne-dalton.com/DirectDrive.asp
available at Menards

"Dave N" <daven@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:Xns96A2741912DE9davenmailinatorcom@216.196.97.142...
> Thanks Art. Do you know what brand/model opener mounts above or to the
> side of the door, as you describe?
>
> A mousehole in the beam is another good idea. I'll have to make sure
> whatever model I go with has a track that extends the extra foot or so.
>
> Art Todesco <actodesco@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:whuGe.2297$gt5.1401@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com:
>
>

Art Todesco

2005-07-30, 12:21 am

I have actually seen one of my
neighbor's house, a model home like
mine, that used a
side mounted regular opener. I think it
looked real unstable, i.e. pulling the door
from the side could cause it to cock
sideways and cause problems. BTW, there
was another answer about the direct
drive unit from Menards. I saw these unit
at Home Depot. I know there were a bit
more $$$ than the standard models .....
even though they give you less actual
hardware (no track, chain). But who needs
them anyway.

Dave N wrote:
> Thanks Art. Do you know what brand/model opener mounts above or to the
> side of the door, as you describe?
>
> A mousehole in the beam is another good idea. I'll have to make sure
> whatever model I go with has a track that extends the extra foot or so.
>
> Art Todesco <actodesco@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:whuGe.2297$gt5.1401@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com:
>
>
>

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