Garage door height

[awesome]

My garage door opening is high enough for my new tractor but the door would need to open up higher.
I can push it higher, so I thought I could have someone stiffen up the spring so it pulls back more on it. But the contractor said he'd need to change the rails. Does that make sense? What is the right solution?

 

[PoTreeBoy]

My garage door opening is high enough for my new tractor but the door would need to open up higher.
I can push it higher, so I thought I could have someone stiffen up the spring so it pulls back more on it. But the contractor said he'd need to change the rails. Does that make sense? What is the right solution?
View attachment 153167

Do you have an electric operator on it? If so, you may be able to adjust it to open further.

 

[Tarmy]

See if they have a 1 or 2’ extension for the type of opener shaft you have. I added a 2’ one to mine to get it completely opened…saved time and money redoing the tracks or getting a different opener.

 

[OntheRidge]

Why not just fold your rops down?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yes to do it properly you need rails that go higher if you have the room.

 

[Gaspasser]

I always had to let the ROPS down until one day when it started raining and rushed into the garage. Yup, you guessed it. Sudden deceleration and an newly modified garage door trim style. Couldn't hide that one from the wife,

 

[Runs With Scissors]

After smashing my door, and knocking it off the track for the 3rd time, I "adjusted" my door opener so that it opened another inch.

I'm not sure if thats "technically" the right thing to do, but it sure beats smashing the door.

EDIT: Although I have a "side mounted' opener like this. Not a "railed" one.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I have adjusted both styles (wall mount and belt drive) of door openers to make the bottom of the door even with the opening. As long as there is enough rail to accommodate the door.
One note about the ceiling hung opener- the bracket that attaches the trolley to the door hangs lower than the door. So if you go with an opener, get the wall mount.

 

[DeepWoods]

The door on my garage has an opener on it , and I adjusted the opener to open just enough to clear the opening. On my shop door, I cut a slot in the horizontal track for the slide latch to hold the door open enough. So far I haven’t forgot to latch it when putting the tractor in the shop.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Do you have an electric operator on it? If so, you may be able to adjust it to open further.

that's what I did and now have 3/4" clearance between door and my modified ROPS

 

[awesome]

I should have mentioned I don't have an opener.
I have a bit less than 24" available from the ceiling. So it does sound like I could get it extended higher.
So it means adding rail extensions and also moving the spring further up right?
So that would be about 2h job for a contractor?

 

[chim]

My tractor shed has a manual overhead door. It was easy to adjust the spring just a little bit.

 

[fried1765]

I should have mentioned I don't have an opener.
I have a bit less than 24" available from the ceiling. So it does sound like I could get it extended higher.
So it means adding rail extensions and also moving the spring further up right?
So that would be about 2h job for a contractor?

Call an overhead garage door company, and get an estimate,....in CAD.

 

[awesome]

My tractor shed has a manual overhead door. It was easy to adjust the spring just a little bit.

That's what I'm thinking. If I push on the door, I can see the cable being rolled up more on the pulley. So if I add more tension to the spring then it should work.

Or maybe I should just buy an opener and install it myself. I could adjust it to pull the door a bit more.

 

[Russell King]

I should have mentioned I don't have an opener.
I have a bit less than 24" available from the ceiling. So it does sound like I could get it extended higher.
So it means adding rail extensions and also moving the spring further up right?
So that would be about 2h job for a contractor?

They will probably replace all the rails with slightly taller vertical sections and then the curved sections will be higher and the horizontal sections will be mounted higher also. (but maybe that was what was done for a whole new door that was closer to the ceiling in my case).

Here is a picture of what mine looks like

 

[InTheWoods]

That's what I'm thinking. If I push on the door, I can see the cable being rolled up more on the pulley. So if I add more tension to the spring then it should work....

Seems that way to me. Why did the 'contractor' think you need different rails?

I have heard those springs store a lot of energy, and if a guy isn't careful, he can get hurt pretty bad...

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I should have mentioned I don't have an opener.
I have a bit less than 24" available from the ceiling. So it does sound like I could get it extended higher.
So it means adding rail extensions and also moving the spring further up right?
So that would be about 2h job for a contractor?

That's what I'm thinking. If I push on the door, I can see the cable being rolled up more on the pulley. So if I add more tension to the spring then it should work.

Or maybe I should just buy an opener and install it myself. I could adjust it to pull the door a bit more.

The surest way is to raise the rails, pulleys, etc.

The next surest is an operator, just be sure it won't hang down below the door. It shouldn't.

If you're sure it's still rolling on to the drums, you may be able to add a little tension. But, due to the geometry, there's a point where the cable actually starts unwinding a little as the door opens fully. When I adjusted my opener I think it's near the neutral point.

And caution, those springs store a lot of energy. You really need to have the right tools if you attempt it.