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Do you want to get as much stuff off your garage floor as possible?
To do so, the things can only move in one direction: up.
One way to obtain more headroom is to extend your garage door track.
Typically, garage door track extension is a remedy to make use of the additional space between the tracks and the ceiling.
Your garage door track will be extended so that the door hugs the wall and rises higher before the horizontal curve.
When the operational components including the garage door track of your existing garage door are adjusted to allow it to operate from a higher position within the garage space, this is known as a high lift garage door conversion.
To help you understand this matter, you can count on Beaver Garage Doors Portland.
We can give you the important facts with regards to garage door track extension or high lift garage door conversion.
We also offer other garage door services for your garage door needs including garage door repair in Portland.
Contact us to begin splicing an additional track into your existing arrangement.
Basics of Garage Doors
The tracks on a normal 7-foot garage door curve gently before leveling out about eight feet above the garage floor.
That’s fine for one vehicle, but if you lift a car inside a closed garage, it will block the garage door from opening.
You don’t need to convert your garage door to a high lift if you only want to lift one car to work on it from beneath.
Keep in mind that while the car is lifted, you won’t be able to open the garage door.
Garage Door Track Extension in High Lift Door
If your garage door is 8 feet tall but your ceiling is 11 feet or higher, you are sacrificing some above-head room in your garage.
This is when a garage door conversion with a high lift comes in helpful.
To switch to a high-lift garage door, the door tracks must be changed.
The tracks will extend vertically before they bend back into the garage,
Placing new hangers for the elevated horizontal tracks, replacing the roller, cables, and springs, as well as inserting new vertical tracks above the original door opening are all part of the process.
Obtaining the Appropriate High Lift Track Assembly
In order to obtain the proper high lift track assembly for your garage, you will need to measure the following factors.
- the dimensions of your door’s width and height
- the distance between the jamb and the back of the vertical track’s top
- the curved section of the horizontal track’s radius
- at both sides of the garage door opening, the distance between the floor and the ceiling
- the distance from the ground to the top of the horizontal track’s straight section
- the size of the springs and the number of drums
Extension of Garage Door Track in a High Lift Conversion
Measure the distance of the high lift conversion from the back of the horizontal track.
This is the additional height at which your door opens.
Then, when the garage door is open, add the length of the horizontal track that is left.
Cutting this amount of track will most likely result in the garage door not fully opening, so deduct about 1/2 foot and record the new distance on the track.
Then, at the mark made, cut both lengths of track.
Using a hacksaw, cut two sections of angle iron about 2 inches long.
Drill holes in one segment of angle iron and secure it with two bolts inside the horizontal track’s end.
This should be done for both parts of the track.
To reach the angle of the high vertical lift, the horizontal track angle must be expanded.
Using a carriage bolt, attach the angle (12 inches) to the horizontal angle for the horizontal tracks.
Place the horizontal track on top of the high lift track to confirm it fits.
Conclusion
As previously stated, the garage door track is extended in a high lift conversion.
And, a high lift conversion is not a difficult or time-consuming task.
However, it’s one that’s best left to the pros.
If you are still worried about your capacity to perform the job without causing harm to yourself or your property, engage a garage door specialist for peace of mind.
At Beaver Garage Doors Portland, we have well-trained garage door specialists who can help you with your garage door needs.
To start your garage door repair in Portland, contact us!