Johnny Angell

Garage Door Problem

We have a 3 car garage, with 2 doors, 1 of which is a 1-car width door. This door has stopped closing automatically. It can be opened, but won't even nudge it 6 inches, when I try to close it.

If I release the door from the traveling thinga-ma-bob that pushes and pulls the door, I can than manually close the door. When I then activate the closing cycle, the traveling thinga-ma-bob works fine and goes all the way to the door and reengages. I can then use it to open the door.

The first thing I did was to check the sensors, that they weren't blocked or that the lenses hadn't gotten dirty. If that were the case, I don't think the motor would move the traveler, even when not engaged.

Maybe I need to lubricate something? Any advice?

Johnny
www.teamfurr.org

Dave Poehlman

Re: Garage Door Problem

Does it sound like the motor is running and the chain is not moving or does the whole thing stop?

I had a garage door opener stop working on me (an old craftsman) and found that, internally the gears are made of plastic... well.. vinyl, probably. But, these would wear out over time and eventually the garage door would stop working. I was just about to pull the trigger on a new opener when I decided to take the cover off the thing and look inside. I saw the stripped gears and immediately went online to see if I could buy a new set. Sure enough! Saved myself a ton of $$.

Word of advice.. don't ever mess with garage door springs. Call a professional!!! Those things hold a lot of energy and can seriously kill you if they cut loose. My neighbor nearly lost 3 fingers this past summer because his spring got stuck and he just went to jiggle the spring to check it out.

BrianW

Re: Garage Door Problem

Dave asked a good question. Does the motor run when you try to close it, but the door doesn't come down?

More questions:

Is this a worm-gear (basically, a long screw), chain drive, or other type of system?

If it's a worm-gear system and the motor is running without the garage door closing, then the rack that engages the screw may be unevenly worn so that it acts like a ratchet, catching in one direction, but slipping in the other. It's not difficult to take out. Take it out, if you can, and examine it. If the gear teeth look like the teeth on a saw, then it needs to be replaced. If you can't tell by looking, then reverse it (remember which way it was when you took it out) and put it back in. If you can then close the door, but have trouble opening it, or if the door actually works in both directions, then it's unevenly worn, and it needs to be replaced. (The door may work in both directions after reversing this piece. Don't let that fool you into thinking that you've fixed it. All you've done is face the ratcheting side of the rack toward the direction of less force so that the ratcheting no longer occurs This is only a temporary condition, as the piece is now wearing in the other direction so that you will eventually not be able to move the door at all.)

If this is a chain drive and the motor runs without the door closing, then, as Dave has said, you likely have stripped gears inside the housing. Don't be intimidated. Taking it apart and replacing the gears with new parts is actually a little easier than installing a new door.

Give us more info, when you get a chance.

-Brian
Come, Rubidia. Let's blow this epoch.

Johnny Angell

Re: Garage Door Problem

This is a chain drive motor. The motor and chain drives a mechanism that can be attached to and unattached from the lever kind of thing that is attached to the garage door.

If the mechanism is attached to the door, it can open the door, but jams when trying to close it. When I disengage or unattach the mechanism, I can then manually close the garage door. The leaves the attaching mechanism some distance when where it is supposed to be attached to the door. When I then start the closing cycle, it works. The mechanism travels down to the attaching point of the door and reattaches itself.

So, motor does run, and it can cause the chain to move the attaching mechanism properly. It just can't do the closing cycle when the door is attached.

I wondering if don't need to lubricate something? Is WD40 ok to use?

Good advice about the spring. Just looking at it tells me it's dangerous.

Johnny
www.teamfurr.org

Todd Hochard

Re: Garage Door Problem

The opener should have some sort of adjustment for setting the threshold for reversal on downward interference. In other words, if something is pushing up on the door, and the opener "feels" it with chain counter-tension, it will reverse.

Make the setting a little more aggressive, and see if the door will go down. Don't go too far, or it will crush you!

I love to singa, about the moon-a, and the june-a, and the springa...
-Owl Jolson

BrianW

Re: Garage Door Problem

What Todd said. Also, don't use WD-40. It's usually common to use lithium-based grease on garage door openers. Basically, you want something that's both slippery and very sticky.

I don't think lubrication is your problem, though.

Man, I wish I had a nickel for every time I've said that...

-Brian
Come, Rubidia. Let's blow this epoch.

JohnRice

Re: Garage Door Problem

I think Brian means Silicon based lubricant. You can get it in an aerosol can, just like WD-40, at a home center. I'm not sure there is such a thing as lithium based lubricant, unless your garage door has violent tendencies.

We give to you a disc of gold
It represents the dreams we hold

Jassen M. West

Re: Garage Door Problem

White Lithium Grease

I think he means lithium

Marianne

Re: Garage Door Problem

We had a roll up garage door jump the track at work and the repair man fixed it and applied white lithium grease to the track.

When we had a problem with our garage door a few years back the repair man suggested that we should use old engine oil in a squirty can and put some on top of the big springy thingy. This is supposed to extend the life of the spring.

JohnRice

Re: Garage Door Problem

Well, whadayaknow.

We give to you a disc of gold
It represents the dreams we hold

Johnny Angell

Re: Garage Door Problem

I'm gonna get some of that.

Johnny
www.teamfurr.org

Dave Poehlman

Re: Garage Door Problem

You can also get it in a tub in sort of a cake-frosting form. You can just slather it on your tracks/wheels. I've never used the spray stuff... actually, I've never seen it in spray form before.

Todd Hochard

Re: Garage Door Problem

I have a can of white lithium spray grease. I picked it up at an Ace Hardware store. I don't come across it often.

It's a little messy, though, so I probably won't be buying another when it's done.