Geani Garage door opener suspended from 9 ft. celing.

Bluwolf

My sister in Florida had a Geani opener professionally installed. The garage has a 9 ft. celing. They installed the opener with it's chain drive tract, suspended 12" from the celing.
The metal track that houses the chain, is bracketed together from 3 separate pieces, with no support hanger on the center.
The problem is when she opens the heavy hurricane garage door, the Trac really bends. Also the motor is 1/2" off center.
Does that 1/2" need to be rectified?
Does the Trac need to have some kind of support in the center?
Thanks, bluwolf

joecaption

Check out the install directions.
http://www.geniecompany.com/garage-d...rs/retail.aspx

A Squared

It shouldn't need intermediate support. They are designed to be only supported at the ends. If the track is bending excessively the sections of the track may not be assembled correctly, or the door may not be adjusted correctly, putting too much of a load on the opener.

Bluwolf

A Squared, I've never seen an opener and track suspended below the celling, only attached to it. Is that something thats done? How about the motor being 1/2" off center? Thanks!
How's the weather in sunny Alaska? Bluwolf

A Squared

Blufolf,

Alaska is not so sunny today, I'm shovelling snow.

Yes the standard way of mounting most garage door openers is to fasten the end of the track to the header over the door, and then suspend the motor head from whatever is overhead. My garage has 9+ foot high ceilings and this is how it is mounted, as well as every other garage door opener I've seen. I think that perhaps you haven't noticed this before bgecause you've seen them where the ceiling is a lot lower, and the opener track is much closer to the ceiling, so you just haven"t noticed that it's only supported at the end and the motor head. FWIW, I just installed a new opener in my girlfriend"s garage and this is the way it went up, but it's so close to the ceiling that it might look like its attatched along the length. The previous one was the same way. Take a look at the instructions that joecaption linked. I haven't read it, but I bet you dollars to donughts that they tell you to fasten it at the end and the motor head only.

As far as the motor being 1/2 inch off center, I'm not really sure I understand what you mean. Can you describe it in a little more detail. Off center relative to what? Up/down/left/right? Can you post some pictures?

Msradell

Could you please provide a picture of the installation? If the installation is done correctly. There really should be any significant pressure put on the openers track. Is the door easy to open and close when the opener is disconnected? If that there is probably a problem with the springs for the door, it should be able to be pushed up and down easily by hand. I've never seen an opener where the track had support at its center.

firehawkmph

The only tracks that are supported midpoint are commercial openers. Residentials are not. If the multi-piece track is flexing that much, the door isn't sprung right or the springs aren't wound correctly. The 1/2" off center means nothing. It will not affect the door operation. I have mounted openers outside the garage door track with a custom made steel bracket and the door lifted fine. One other thing, if your sister had an opener 'professionally installed', a professional wouldn't have hung an opener with a multi-piece track. Those are big box units meant for homeowners. The better openers have a one piece steel track and are supplied by the wholesale garage door warehouses.
Post a couple of pics if you can.
Mike Hawkins

Bluwolf

Thanks for responding. Yes, my sister purchased the g door at a big box r us. (home depot) She also used one of the "pros" from HD (no offense ment) Besides not being parallel with the door tracks, the opener track is 2" lower by the motor than by the header and almost hits the garage door by the opener, It's so low.
I disconnected the opener and had to really push to raise it up. Lowering it, I had to really hang on to keep it from slamming. I was wondering about that beforehand, even though It's a heavy hurricane door, the springs should be able to make the door open and close easier, as long as they are the correct spec springs, I'm guessing. I'll have her talk to a contractor she knows for a door co. recommendation to tighten up the torsion spring's. Thanks for the help. Bluwolf
I took some pics but don't know how to post.

joecaption

Should be able to lift and lower with one hand and when it's 1/2 way up it should stay there.
If I was her I'd be raising a fuss at HD and get her money back for the install if it was not right. If not there just gong to be sending that same person out on more jobs.

A Squared

Bluwolf,

I'm pretty sure the door adjustment is the problem. Like Joe said, the springs should be adjusted so that opening and closing the door is a one-hand task. If it's not, it puts too much load on the opener. That's what causing your track to bend. I don't think I'd worry too much about the opener being a half inch off parallel with the tracks. There's enough play in the link between the opener and the door that I don't think it will cause problems. Being lower at the motor end isn't a problem, in fact on a sectional garage door, it is supposed to be that way as the tracks for the door slope down away from the door.

The big issue is that the springs aren't adjusted correctly and it takes too much force to open your door.

Bluwolf

jocaption, I have installed two garage doors but never one this heavy. It's been a while but your statement about the door holding midway, rings a bell. I guess the same rules apply to that type of Hurricane reinforced door. Thanks, bluwolf

Bluwolf

I guess I could have checked the link from joecaption right away and saved everyone some time, but the beach was calling and we go back to dreary Cincinnati today. It's been around 79, breezy and sunny here in WPB Florida.
The only opener I've installed was nothing like this one. It was a Wayne Dalton, I drive!
Anyway, Thanks Much, bluwolf