Bad start / Friday Night

[Bob Elliott]

I seem to be spending far to many friday nights at home lately,but at least this time it is not my fault.

One of my lady friends invited me over for a night of dinner,and sitting down to a Chicago Bulls Playoff Game(now that they are on the verge of finishing off last years world champion and worth watching).
after I hit the garage door opener There was a bang that shook me up for a second.Turns out an bracket that supports one of the door tracs broke.
Soon as I jumped out I pulled the plug on the opener and found a piece of 2x4 to prop it up,then pulled my van forward in case it collapsed.
Next I went thru the phone book and was suprised to find that these guys come out on emergency basis.Makes sense tho as who wants to leave a normaly locked area open to the public.
Any way to make a long story short,he gave me a few tips when checking garage doors.
When testing for retract never sit your 2x4 perpindicular to the door as the new metal doors can dent at the bottom fairly easy if there is to much pressure.
Check the bottom bracket where the cable attaches for signs of wear or rust.
When inspecting the door it is amazing how many begin to crack in the middle
as they are cheap gauge material not able to handle the stress.
If you check your neighbors around you it will be a suprise just how many have this problem



At least the Bulls won,

[Ted Allen]

Originally Posted by relliott

I seem to be spending far to many friday nights at home lately,but at least this time it is not my fault.

One of my lady friends invited me over for a night of dinner,and sitting down to a Chicago Bulls Playoff Game(now that they are on the verge of finishing off last years world champion and worth watching).
after I hit the garage door opener There was a bang that shook me up for a second.Turns out an bracket that supports one of the door tracs broke.
Soon as I jumped out I pulled the plug on the opener and found a piece of 2x4 to prop it up,then pulled my van forward in case it collapsed.
Next I went thru the phone book and was suprised to find that these guys come out on emergency basis.Makes sense tho as who wants to leave a normaly locked area open to the public.
Any way to make a long story short,he gave me a few tips when checking garage doors.
When testing for retract never sit your 2x4 perpindicular to the door as the new metal doors can dent at the bottom fairly easy if there is to much pressure.
Check the bottom bracket where the cable attaches for signs of wear or rust.
When inspecting the door it is amazing how many begin to crack in the middle
as they are cheap gauge material not able to handle the stress.
If you check your neighbors around you it will be a suprise just how many have this problem

Attachment 11188

At least the Bulls won,

I never use a 2x4 or a roll of paper towels. I use my hands to gauge the tension on garage doors. I learned my lesson 4 years ago when a garage door folded due to my 2x4!!!

It cost me $85.00 to fix it. I know it failed under testing , but I did it anyway.

If I tested all garage openers with a 2x4 I would bend about 50% of them as they are not set correctly.

I use my arms and pretend that it is a child... If it seems to hard I wright it up.


Live and learn.

[dchew]

Also check the springs. It's not unusual to see two different springs. When a spring breaks, you should always replace both. Of course, it's never done that way.

[jwortham1]

Originally Posted by dchew

Also check the springs. It's not unusual to see two different springs. When a spring breaks, you should always replace both. Of course, it's never done that way.

Just replaced both my springs after just one broke. So SOMETIMES it's done that way!

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by tallen

I never use a 2x4 or a roll of paper towels. I use my hands to gauge the tension on garage doors.

Ditto. . .

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Ditto, Ditto,Ditto

[Bob Elliott]

We still have tension springs and he recomends going to compression type above the opening for safety.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Torsion springs are much safer.

Marcel
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[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by tallen

I never use a 2x4 or a roll of paper towels. I use my hands to gauge the tension on garage doors. I learned my lesson 4 years ago when a garage door folded due to my 2x4!!!

It cost me $85.00 to fix it. I know it failed under testing , but I did it anyway.

If I tested all garage openers with a 2x4 I would bend about 50% of them as they are not set correctly.

I use my arms and pretend that it is a child... If it seems to hard I wright it up.


Live and learn.

That is the recommended way to check the door according to my friends at the Original Overhead Door Co.

Also check the angled control arm to be sure it's loose. If the arm is installed tightly, it can cause damage to itself or the door. This also came from the OOD Co.

And also, from experience, I recommend that the door be all the way open before backing the wife's van out of the garage.

[gporter]

Originally Posted by jpope

Ditto. . .

Ditto.

[mporras]

I use a small child to test garage doors......JUST KIDDING!

[kbowles1]

You people take your jobs too far. Enough about the garage door, how did the evening turn out with your friend?

Kevin

[Bob Elliott]

Buy the time the guy was done I had put it off till tonite.
Went well as you can fill in the blanks.
Remember the lights went out if you see my saturday thread.

[Bruce A. King]

Might want to inspect those tires on the van too...........

[Bob Elliott]

Hey watch it Bruce I just bought two $25.00 tires for that grey beast.
Paid $1,000 3 years ago and never had an engine problem yet .Thank you God.(Yes used.)You go to a good Mexican run shop in Chicago and you get the best deals.