# Installed a new garage door opener, bounces on closing...



## sipperphoto (Jul 6, 2011)

Hey everyone,

I just installed a new Genie Screw drive garage door opener. I adjusted the open and closing settings with no problem. When I open the door, no problem. When I go to close it, it gets about 1/2-3/4 of the way closed, the track looks like it bends upwards some, then pops and shakes a bit, and then closes.

This can't be normal. I've checked the heights, lowering the motor unit some and still had the same problem. Could it be the brackets that attach the motor unit to the ceiling, causing too much play? They don't look like the sturdiest things in the world.

I'm stumped... I've spent too many hours just staring at it trying to figure it all out... any help would be great!

Jeff


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## jamm51 (Sep 27, 2011)

Sounds like something is binding up.

Disconnect the trolley and roll the door up and down by hand. It should roll very easily
Check that the tracks are square.
Run the opener with door down and trolley disconnected.


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## Just Bill (Dec 21, 2008)

Check the door operation with the opener disconnected at the emergency pull. The door should go up/down with about equal force required, no stops, drags, catches. If you stop the door in mid travel, it should stay where you stop. If it does not, springs need adjusting.


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## sipperphoto (Jul 6, 2011)

Ok... sorry for the delay in getting back here. Busy week...

I un-hooked the trolley from the door... everything glides super smooth, zero problem. I moved the header piece down a couple inches, and tried it again.

Same problem. I shot a video with the door attached to the trolley, but not connected to the screw drive. When I try to push the door closed, it seems to still lift the track up and does not want to close without more pushing. When I push harder, the track lifts 4-6 inches and then slams down once the door gets to a point where it is finally moving.

Could it be the pivot point on top of the door? It's almost as if it isn't getting enough leverage, but I'm not sure where to go from here. I followed the directions according to Genie and I'm stuck. It is a single piece door. Springs, etc. all seem good.

Here is the video of me attempting to push the door closed. I am doing it by hand, but giving it a fair amount of force to get it going.

http://youtu.be/0pPzIfA47ec

Thanks

Jeff


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## zappa (Nov 25, 2011)

It looks like the rail it too high compared to the door. Instead of pushing the door it wants to lift the rail because of the excessive angle of the link.


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## rrolleston (Oct 17, 2011)

sipperphoto said:


> When I try to push the door closed, it seems to still lift the track up and does not want to close without more pushing. When I push harder, the track lifts 4-6 inches and then slams down once the door gets to a point where it is finally moving.



Is everything fastened in place and centered properly? The only thing that should move is the door and that part that attaches the door to the track. I can't really tell what is going on from the video.

Seems like something not straight binding towards the end of the track.


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## zappa (Nov 25, 2011)

Are you sure that you are not missing a 90 degree arm piece that goes from the trolley to the door? I have never seen just a straight piece like you have attached there. Normally the 90* is bolted to the straight piece.


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## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

I'm with Zappa; the arm from door to trolley doesn't seem right but hard to tell from the video.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

zappa said:


> Are you sure that you are not missing a 90 degree arm piece that goes from the trolley to the door? I have never seen just a straight piece like you have attached there. Normally the 90* is bolted to the straight piece.


Zappa hit in on the head, you are missing the goose neck portion of the trolley arm.


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## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

I also think that when you find the gooseneck arm that it attaches to the inside face of the door, not the edge of the top rail of the door.
Best reread the directions and go over what you have vs. what they wanted done.


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

I look at the veido there are two thing it did come up right away.,,

First thing is that you are missing a 90 degree gooseneck sorta like oversized " J " peice that you need it for proper operation.

Now second thing this is not a convental door set up as most readers will used see this due there is not one there due it is a povit door set up they will swing diffent than conventail tracked overhead doors.

There should be a special instuction included in your garage door opener unit for this part.

Merci,.
Marc


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## sipperphoto (Jul 6, 2011)

Thanks everyone... I added in the J-piece arm after I posted the video on the last post. The directions claimed I did not need it, but it has made a HUGE difference. It is still not 100% perfect. It still has a slight hitch when the door is starting to go down.. nothing appears to be binding, either on the door, or the track itself. 

I followed the directions for the height of the mounting bracket-according to Genie: Measure from the floor to the top radius of the garage door, and then add 6 inches. Put the mounting bracket there. I may try lowering it a couple inches and see what happens. I'm pretty sure it is just a leverage thing.

As for mounting the gooseneck piece-the instructions said that for a one piece door, to mount it to the top of the door. (it's also where the old opener was mounted). I will play around and see if it will mount to the inside face of the door, near the top and see if I have the clearance for the bracket to clear.

Thanks everyone!

Jeff


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## zappa (Nov 25, 2011)

Cool....I have never seen an opener on a one piece door so maybe the J-bar really isn't needed?

Can you lower the rear of the rail (motor) any more? The straighter the push the smoother is should become.


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## sipperphoto (Jul 6, 2011)

Oh yeah, I can lower it a bit. How level should it be? And which way should it angle, if any?

I think the old opener had the motor about 4-6 inches lower than the header piece.


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## zappa (Nov 25, 2011)

You will have to experiment and I don't know what the J-bar has done to the angle. But in your video one could see the the angle was much too severe and was trying to raise the rail instead of pushing the door closed. The lower the rail is in the rear the straighter and smoother the push will be.


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## sipperphoto (Jul 6, 2011)

zappa said:


> You will have to experiment and I don't know what the J-bar has done to the angle. But in your video one could see the the angle was much too severe and was trying to raise the rail instead of pushing the door closed. The lower the rail is in the rear the straighter and smoother the push will be.


That makes perfect sense to me. I'll play with it tonite and see what happens when I lower the rear a couple notches on the supports.

Thanks! :thumbup:


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

OMG I went to watch you video and a clip from "Jackass III" came on it was called "The POO supreme". I almost threw up from it,t hose guys are crazy.


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## sipperphoto (Jul 6, 2011)

Ravenworks said:


> OMG I went to watch you video and a clip from "Jackass III" came on it was called "The POO supreme". I almost threw up from it,t hose guys are crazy.


LOL! Obviously not my link!


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