Subject: A little Sectional Garage Door mechanics. Author: LJBimmers : 4236 posts Posted on: 2007-04-10 18:49:49

The overall weight of the door is not being lifted by a GDO (Garage Door Opener) the torsion spring, rod, drums and cables are assisting the door opening. A properly installed and adjusted door when open halfway will stay in that position. It wont go up or come down. Move it up some and it will open the remainder of the way by itself. Push it down a little and it will close!

Now to move the door up closer to the ceiling. For safety and proper operation you would need to move the torsion rod, springs and drums up higher also! That would require longer cables and larger drums to accomodate the cable. A good installer can do this for you without too much problem.

The GDO would pose the next problem, it uses an curved arm to grab the top section and pull the door open. But being moved, just in example, 18'' higher the rail wouldn't be long enoug to fully open the door. When currently open the GDO has probably between 8'' and 12'' from the mechanism to the head!, but you would need an additional 6'' to 10'' to fully open the door. Liftmaster does make a rail that is designed for 8' high doors that may help and since it is probably a screw drive it is also possible to get a rail for a 10' sectional door that would give the extra distance necessary to pull a 7' door up the extra rail height!

Where all this ends up, the torsion springs, cables and drums will do the primary work so the GDO doesn't have to. Use a good Garage Door installer to help you with this. Clopay has all the technical information necessary to accomplish this task and their registered installers have access to this information. Do it the right way, don't go buying the W/D unit or the LiftMaster commercial unit to accomplish this, you won't be happy! The LiftMaster is designed to go onto gearing for a roll up door not a sectional!

Good luck to all!



2001 740i Sport Black on Black, 16:9 Nav, Basslink, M-Pars, Chrome Strong Strut, Quad Brake Lights, Crystal Tails, Solaris Signals and Back Up Lights, Power Folding Mirrors, Chrome Guage Rings, Chromeline Headlights, CCFL DDE's, Euro Rear Fog Light Switch, Carbon Fiber Pedals, RevHigh CAI, M5 Style Trunk Lip Spoiler, Blacked out '97 Grills, White and Black C.F. Roundels, HID Fog Lights, Magnaflow 14816 SS Street Exhaust. Coming soon: Brembo Cross Drilled Rotors, New Painted Calipers, SS Brake Lines, Bluetooth, Sirius, BM53 Radio w/Audiotext, MP3 Capable CDC.

1997 740iL Black on Black, Factory M-Pars, Basslink, OEM Shadowline Sold!
1988 325iC Triple Black, in restoration process, OEM BBS Wheels, Panasonic MP3, New Tires, Battery!
1984 633csi, Black on Black, just a few minor issues and will be great!!

• Well I initiated the lift today...picked up my 3 series from storage. (pic) - txdarth 2007-04-05 21:32:39 (1228 views)
  • I'll be on your area soon, Im coming ova!!!!!!!! (nt) - R7 2007-04-06 20:12:43 (501 views)
    • Stop by.....lunch and BS on me! I'm pacing myself snce retirement. (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 20:41:57 (562 views)
  • Calif sucks I'm moving to TX so I can have a real garage too!!!!!!!!! (nt) - dcrane 2007-04-06 19:39:15 (607 views)
    • Yeah, in CA we can't afford the land his garage sits on (nt) - SDMike 2007-04-06 20:20:19 (508 views)
  • You have a 4 car garager AND a lifter!!??!! (nt) - mdude 2007-04-06 18:25:36 (526 views)
  • How do you hook up the auto garage door opener? - JeffC 93 740iL 2007-04-06 16:06:32 (554 views)
    • The openers are hooked up now... but it could be a problen if - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:26:57 (543 views)
      • Seen this? (url) - bmw635 2007-04-06 17:48:16 (606 views)
        • Recommended, but expensive. - spalding 2007-04-11 19:49:20 (553 views)
        • That is slick...I will check into this! (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 19:10:04 (494 views)
          • Double check into reliabililty! When I inquired about 4-5 yrs ago, it was not - bmw635 2007-04-06 19:32:13 (523 views)
            • Thanx...with these heavy doors that would not be good! (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 20:01:39 (520 views)
              • I've seen that direct drive in action and it doesn't save you - LJBimmers 2007-04-06 20:17:31 (651 views)
              • Check with commercial warehosue door install to see if they can fit (pic) - bmw635 2007-04-06 20:16:35 (676 views)
                • Good ideas (url) - JeffC 93 740iL 2007-04-06 22:19:39 (521 views)
                  • Don't do the IDrive!!! I have heard from multiple places... - eaglecomm 2007-04-07 23:44:57 (580 views)
                    • A little Sectional Garage Door mechanics. - LJBimmers 2007-04-10 18:49:49 (620 views)
                      • Although I believe I kind of understand some of this.. their brochure... - eaglecomm 2007-04-11 09:31:57 (493 views)
    • When you say 'auto garage door opener'.. what do you mean? - eaglecomm 2007-04-06 16:21:05 (494 views)
      • Re: When you say 'auto garage door opener'.. what do you mean? - JeffC 93 740iL 2007-04-06 22:24:23 (494 views)
        • Jeff, Yours looks a little tighter than mine. Are your garage doors 7 or 8 foot - txdarth 2007-04-06 23:34:35 (540 views)
          • Re: Jeff, Yours looks a little tighter than mine. Are your garage doors 7 or 8 foot - JeffC 93 740iL 2007-04-08 00:38:38 (496 views)
          • Here is what I ended up getting. I might be able to take pictures next weekend, (url) - eaglecomm 2007-04-07 23:51:33 (458 views)
            • The 3800 is a great opener, should do you well!! (nt) - LJBimmers 2007-04-10 19:19:51 (555 views)
  • How many nail guns does one need? (first pic) (nt) - lurcher 2007-04-06 14:54:18 (536 views)
    • One can never have enough toys............................... (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:20:06 (481 views)
  • Lord Vader, once again, you have made an impression - 750il96erbill - just Bill 2007-04-06 14:12:09 (537 views)
    • Plenty of land to be next door neighbor to Lord Vader (nt) - Claudio 2007-04-06 19:50:57 (504 views)
  • You should look in to a Liftmaster 3800. Will have 2 put in next week I hope. - eaglecomm 2007-04-06 14:07:22 (728 views)
    • My wife would kill me - those doors are 1/4 thicker than normal all - - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:18:57 (515 views)
      • Check in to it as the 3800 is a DC motor too. It can handle up to a 650lb door. - eaglecomm 2007-04-07 23:54:34 (496 views)
        • Did you order the 3800's from a dealer? If so online? - 750il96erbill - just Bill 2007-04-10 12:01:13 (528 views)
          • I got them on ebay. They should be coming in today so if they are good... - eaglecomm 2007-04-11 14:55:56 (536 views)
            • I am watching one that is $350.00 and $12.00 shipping with - 750il96erbill - just Bill 2007-04-11 15:06:08 (533 views)
              • That one looks good. The shipping would have been $45 with that seller to me. - eaglecomm 2007-04-11 16:28:02 (479 views)
                • You could choose Parcel Post for like $12. (nt) - 750il96erbill - just Bill 2007-04-12 13:06:11 (509 views)
                • Ok, I will wait to hear and see pics. They have those deals - 750il96erbill - just Bill 2007-04-12 11:49:53 (471 views)
                  • Yeah, they will only go down in price over time. Can't hurt to wait a week. - eaglecomm 2007-04-12 13:13:54 (489 views)
  • That's very nice - BJames38 2007-04-06 11:09:44 (528 views)
    • It's hydraulic. (nt) - eaglecomm 2007-04-06 14:01:32 (516 views)
      • 4 hydraulic posts to lift the platform? (nt) - bmw635 2007-04-06 14:08:24 (614 views)
        • No, a single hydraulic shaft attached to 4 cables. Shaft in, lift goes up. - eaglecomm 2007-04-06 15:23:58 (537 views)
  • How many nail guns do you own? Great garage! (nt) - dcrane 2007-04-06 10:56:50 (501 views)
    • Framer to 18 guage with crown stappler - still need a 23 guage pin nailer. (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:12:39 (525 views)
      • I'm a piker with 3 - good grief! (nt) - dcrane 2007-04-06 19:33:10 (527 views)
  • Now, THAT's a proper garage! Lotsa room, a lift, compressed - mikeym 2007-04-06 10:52:17 (529 views)
  • Gotta love it! Now the wife will never get you out of the garage! - LJBimmers 2007-04-06 10:51:25 (604 views)
    • That was actually the original plan but... - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:10:04 (496 views)
  • dude that rocks! (nt) - usa4148 2007-04-06 10:04:15 (471 views)
  • Looks great! Nice job! (nt) - Homerraas (Edwin) 2007-04-06 04:25:23 (493 views)
  • Sweet!!! (nt) - JL 2007-04-06 02:21:26 (530 views)
  • Looks great! (pic) - M.Wong 2007-04-06 01:15:46 (714 views)
    • Thats worth at least 10 hp and 3 mpg.......... (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:05:59 (481 views)
  • Really nice! Someday I may have to get me one of those. (nt) - Magnum 2007-04-06 00:25:41 (517 views)
  • Very nice! I'm jealous! (nt) - SDMike 2007-04-05 23:10:47 (541 views)
    • Ditto (nt) - inconsistent 2007-04-06 00:20:37 (505 views)
      • Double Ditto! Lift and a great garage... (nt) - RobinK 2007-04-06 06:15:25 (560 views)
  • No more than a week or so and already have stickers on it! Just a kid at heart! (nt) - eaglecomm 2007-04-05 23:03:47 (528 views)
    • Just covering up those shipping scratches you commented about (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:03:10 (490 views)
  • Whose Caddilac car? (nt) - ED 2007-04-05 22:44:23 (535 views)
    • Wife's! (nt) - txdarth 2007-04-06 17:01:10 (489 views)
  • Great looking lift... (nt) - Claudio 2007-04-05 21:49:52 (483 views)