Hi folks,
First time posting so firstly...hello! Last year i fitted a liftmaster 5580 and chamberlain arm to my mother’s canopy garage door but recently i’ve faced some problems.
Firstly, i’ll explain the set up: its an older canopy door but still works fine. The roof is extremely low in the garage meaning the end of the opener track is screwed in to the wooden frame above the door (about 10-15cm above the top edge of the metal door. Being an older door It is a bit heavier, but not so heavy that it was ever a problem before the opener was fitted. The spring has been adjusted none the less so the door opens easier. Lastly, a chamberlain arm is fitted. I did try this with the metal curved bar that came with it but it didn’t work as i hoped so the plastic clamp on the metal track is connected to the chamberlain arm with the straight metal bar. This has been shortened however as i had to shorten it when trying the metal curved bar...as that didn’t work, i’m now using it with the shorter metal straight bar. Oh well!
On initial installation last year, it took a while to adjust the limit settings but eventually got there. I had to wait between opening/closing sessions while the motor cooled down. So, the door closes perfectly. The issue is during opening, it opens, struggles a bit near the very end of the opening procedure, then closes about 6 inches and stops. Its as if it just gives up and says ‘nope’.
So first thing i thought was weight. But its really not that heavy and the automatic force adjustment was set correctly when installed (and numerous double and triple checks by me as i remember). Next thing is turning the opening limit adjuster...allowing more opening seems to make no difference, whether that be an 8th of a turn, 1/4 turn etc. But the weird thing is, the ‘dropping’ has only just started consistently. It did happen near the beginning of the installation and id adjust the opening limit to allow more opening, then a few months later same thing again. But it was always corrected with an adjustment. Or if i tested it too many times, it seemed to get more power/juice after it had cooled down.
So, what i’m wondering is:
- Am i causing less than efficient opening by using the (now) short metal bar (without the curved bar), with a canopy door and chamberlain arm? Will using the longer bar make any positive difference? I cant picture how the forces would differ if using shorter or longer bars.
- Have i adjusted the opening limit beyond the correct/maximum operational opening limit? I’m away with work at the moment but from memory, i can still adjust the opening limit for ‘less’ opening. What i’m thinking is it opens, then closes 6 inches, and that end point is then possibly the end opening limit i.e. the distance PLUS the distance back the other way that causes the 6 in h drop.
- Why would it slow near the very end, stop about 2 inches from being opened fully, finally resting 6 inches from the fully open position? Is the opening limit adjuster damaged?
- The struggling near then end of the opening procedure, could that mean the opener actually isn’t powerful enough? There’s definitely no obstructions in the door however and its plenty lubricated.
This was a gift for my mum as i’ll be off to canada for good soon enough. She absolutely loves the door but it pains and worries me that this could happen when i’m not here. And she’d struggle/possibly be taken advantage of by a repair main who’d charge hundreds of pounds.
So, with that...thanks for reading folks! Can anyone help?
Thanks folks!
First time posting so firstly...hello! Last year i fitted a liftmaster 5580 and chamberlain arm to my mother’s canopy garage door but recently i’ve faced some problems.
Firstly, i’ll explain the set up: its an older canopy door but still works fine. The roof is extremely low in the garage meaning the end of the opener track is screwed in to the wooden frame above the door (about 10-15cm above the top edge of the metal door. Being an older door It is a bit heavier, but not so heavy that it was ever a problem before the opener was fitted. The spring has been adjusted none the less so the door opens easier. Lastly, a chamberlain arm is fitted. I did try this with the metal curved bar that came with it but it didn’t work as i hoped so the plastic clamp on the metal track is connected to the chamberlain arm with the straight metal bar. This has been shortened however as i had to shorten it when trying the metal curved bar...as that didn’t work, i’m now using it with the shorter metal straight bar. Oh well!
On initial installation last year, it took a while to adjust the limit settings but eventually got there. I had to wait between opening/closing sessions while the motor cooled down. So, the door closes perfectly. The issue is during opening, it opens, struggles a bit near the very end of the opening procedure, then closes about 6 inches and stops. Its as if it just gives up and says ‘nope’.
So first thing i thought was weight. But its really not that heavy and the automatic force adjustment was set correctly when installed (and numerous double and triple checks by me as i remember). Next thing is turning the opening limit adjuster...allowing more opening seems to make no difference, whether that be an 8th of a turn, 1/4 turn etc. But the weird thing is, the ‘dropping’ has only just started consistently. It did happen near the beginning of the installation and id adjust the opening limit to allow more opening, then a few months later same thing again. But it was always corrected with an adjustment. Or if i tested it too many times, it seemed to get more power/juice after it had cooled down.
So, what i’m wondering is:
- Am i causing less than efficient opening by using the (now) short metal bar (without the curved bar), with a canopy door and chamberlain arm? Will using the longer bar make any positive difference? I cant picture how the forces would differ if using shorter or longer bars.
- Have i adjusted the opening limit beyond the correct/maximum operational opening limit? I’m away with work at the moment but from memory, i can still adjust the opening limit for ‘less’ opening. What i’m thinking is it opens, then closes 6 inches, and that end point is then possibly the end opening limit i.e. the distance PLUS the distance back the other way that causes the 6 in h drop.
- Why would it slow near the very end, stop about 2 inches from being opened fully, finally resting 6 inches from the fully open position? Is the opening limit adjuster damaged?
- The struggling near then end of the opening procedure, could that mean the opener actually isn’t powerful enough? There’s definitely no obstructions in the door however and its plenty lubricated.
This was a gift for my mum as i’ll be off to canada for good soon enough. She absolutely loves the door but it pains and worries me that this could happen when i’m not here. And she’d struggle/possibly be taken advantage of by a repair main who’d charge hundreds of pounds.
So, with that...thanks for reading folks! Can anyone help?
Thanks folks!
