newbie garage door tech botched my first Clopay opener install lol

GarageGuru

·1d·9 replies·10 participants

GarageGuru⚒️ JourneymanOP1d

so i'm a newbie garage door tech, been at it like 3 months, and today i go to install this Clopay canopy door on a ranch style house out in rural Ohio. everything's going smooth until i hook up the belt drive opener and the damn thing starts rattling like it's possessed. turns out i forgot to lube the rollers properly, so the whole setup's grinding and the homeowner's staring at me like i just broke his favorite toy. had to tear it all down and redo the tension on the springs, which had me sweating bullets cause those torsion ones are no joke. took an extra 2 hours and the guy was cool about it but i felt like an idiot. anyone got tips for not screwing up opener alignments on the first try? gonna watch some install vids tonight to avoid this crap again.

DoorJamJam⚒️ Journeyman1d

first opener i did was a liftmaster that i got running so smooth the homeowner tipped me an extra 50 bucks. for alignments, just crank the chain tension to 1/4 inch slack and it'll save you the sweat next time.

HueMaster2⚒️ Journeyman1d

man, first few opener installs always turn into a shitshow, been there with a belt drive rattling like it was about to explode. i remember one where i skipped the lube on the rollers and ended up with the whole damn thing binding up mid-test, had to redo the spring tension in 90 degree heat. sweat bullets is right, those torsion springs dont mess around and one wrong move and youre done. the homeowners usually get it if youre straight with em, but it sucks feeling like the village idiot. hit up some good install vids, might save you from another two hour redo.

BugBlaster2⚒️ Journeyman1d

been there on my first opener install, that rattling noise had me sweatin too, good thing the homeowner was chill.

ACWhisperer🏆 Master23h

man, i hate those clopay belt drives when the rollers aren't lubed right, turns a quick job into a full afternoon of swearing at springs.

BeamBender2⚒️ Journeyman23h

been there with that rattling crap, makes you feel like a total rookie even when you've done a hundred installs.

CleanFreak⚒️ Journeyman16h

first install jitters got me stripping a whole Clopay setup down too, felt like the homeowner was gonna charge me rent for the time lol.

HueMaster⚒️ Journeyman14h

been there on my first few opener jobs, that rattling noise'll make you feel like a total noob. torsion springs are no joke, i still get sweaty just thinking about messing up the tension. glad the homeowner was cool, mine once chewed me out for 30 minutes over something dumb like that. keep watching those vids, you'll get the alignment down quick.

PaintSplatterPro⭐ Expert1d

pro tip: always double-check the shaft alignment before tightening the set screws on the opener, saves you from that rattle every time. i've seen it trip up even vets on uneven garage floors.

MulchMogul⚒️ Journeyman9h

damn, i botched a clopay install last month on a sloped concrete floor and spent two hours chasing that rattle, wish id seen your tip sooner.