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Mid-America Door
Residential Garage Door Installation Manual
Read all instructions carefully before beginning installation. Reading and following these
instructions will help assure proper installation and operation of your garage door.
Garage doors use torsion or extension springs to counter balance the weight of the door.
Never under any circumstances attempt to remove or install any spring assembly, bottom
fixtures, spring anchor, or any other component under spring tension. Contact a
professional for help. Failure to do so could result in serious injury or death.
1
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
•
Garage doors use springs to counterbalance the weight of the door. Never under
any circumstance attempt to remove or install any spring assembly, bottom
fixtures, spring anchors, or any other component under spring tension. Contact a
professional for help. Failure to do so could result in personal injury or death.
•
Never under any circumstances attempt to adjust, repair, or tighten torsion or
extension springs, cables, pulleys, bottom fixtures, or any other parts that are
under spring tension. Only a professional installer should adjust or tighten the
bottom fixtures, spring assemblies, or cables.
•
When installing a door with torsion springs use only ½” x 18” constant diameter
cold rolled steel winding bars. Do not use screwdriver, ratchet handles, wrenches,
or any other substitutes. See page 11 for more details.
•
The spring anchor on a torsion spring door must be mounted to a surface capable
of withstanding the torque of the spring assembly. To keep the wood from
splitting, a 3/16” pilot hole must be pre drilled. See page 11 for details.
•
The sway brace must be installed on the rear track hanger. Failure to do so could
allow the track to move and the door to fall, which could result in serious injury
or death. See page 8 for more details.
•
When door is operating keep hands and finger away from sectional joints. For
manual operation of the door, always use the lifting points as described on page 7
of the installation manual.
•
If the door has an electric opener then the top section must have a strut mounted
above the top fixture see page 9 for details.
•
Garage doors are not toys, do not let children operate or play around the door.
•
Never operate a door with bent, loose, or broken parts. Contact a professional for
service.
2
Tools Required
Drill
Level
Ladder
Ratchet & Wrench
(3/8”,7/16 and 9/16)
Tape measure
Pencil
Screwdriver
Locking Pliers
Hacksaw
Winding Bars
½” x 18” Constant
Diameter Cold Rolled Steel
Hammer
Pliers
Material Required
•
•
•
•
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Lubricating oil
Eight 5/16 x 1 ½” lag bolts for track support
Punched angle for track support
16d 3 ½” nails
Two 5/16”x 2 ¼” lag bolts for spring anchor (torsion springs only)
Things To Remember
•
•
•
•
•
Allow enough time to finish the installation (at least 4 hours).
Use care in lifting or handling door sections. They are made of steel and can be heavy.
If replacing an existing door the entire door, including the track, and all components, must be
replaced.
Use caution when installing screws. If over tightened the sheet metal will “strip out”.
When installing a door with torsion springs always use ½” x 18” constant diameter cold rolled
steel bars. Never use screwdrivers or any other substitutes.
Important Safety Information
Overhead doors are heavy. Many of the components are under extreme tension and can
exert strong forces. Improper use, installation, or maintenance of the door could lead to
severe injury or death. By adhering to the precautions given throughout this manual, this
door should provide many years of safe and reliable operations.
•
•
•
•
Doors with electric openers must have the top section reinforced to avoid damage to the top section.
Keep door in full view and free of obstructions while operating door.
Do not allow children to operate the door, including any electrical components.
Do not stand under door or walk through the doorway while door is moving.
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!!!! Warning !!!!
Only professionally trained installers should install and maintain doors
and components.
HARDWARE COMPONENTS
Make sure that all components are accounted for. It is recommended that the hardware and components be
separated into piles on the garage floor for ease of locating during the installation process.
The following chart (Table 1) is provided only as a general reference. Each door depending upon size and
installation specifications may or may not have all of the components shown.
Table 1
4
Step 1
First Obstruction
Measure The Door Opening
•
•
Headroom
First, measure the door opening. It should be
approximately the same size as the door itself (see
figure 1).
Next measure the headroom. The headroom is the
amount of room from the top of the opening to
ceiling or lowest obstruction (see figure 1).
As a general rule:
12” radius track requires 12” of headroom.
15” radius requires 15”of head room.
Door Height
NOTE: If you do not have the required headroom space,
contact your local dealer for low headroom options.
Figure 1
Wood Jamb
Step 2
Bend nail
Over End
Stile
Installing The First Section
•
•
•
•
•
Locate the section with the black weather seal and
place it in the opening, with the weather seal down.
Check and make sure that the section is level. If it is
not level you may need to shim the bottom.
Hammer a nail into the jamb on each side of the end
stiles and bend the nail head over the end stiles in
order to hold the section in place (figure 2).
Attach a bottom fixture to each end stile using ¼ x ¾
Zip screws (figure 2).
Attach the # 1 hinges to the center and end stiles
using ¼ x ¾ Zip screws (figure 2). For ease of
installation the hinges are stamped with a number and
an arrow that indicates the orientation that the hinge
should be installed.
Hinge
Zip screws
Top View
End Stile
Cable
Figure 2
Step 3
Bottom Fixture
¼ x ¾ zip screws
Installing the inside lock or key lock assembly
•
Nail
Center Stile
Lifting Lug
Make sure nails are 16d x 31/2 and drive in
solid. This will be the only thing keeping the
door from falling over.
•
End Stile
Place the second section on the first section and
attach it to the jamb temporarily by using two more
16d x 31/2 nails as in step 2.
Fasten the hinge from the first section to the second
section using ¼ x ¾ zip screws.
Vertical
Track
Inside Lock Assembly:
The inside lock assembly is attached to the second section of
the door. The actual placement of the inside lock could be
either end stile. The lock is attached to the stile using four ¼ x
¾ zip screws (figure 3).
Slide Bar
Figure 3
5
Night latch Assembly
For doors 9’ or less, the center stile is most likely the location of the lock. However, if the door is wider than 9’ or has more than one
center stile then the correct placement of the lock is one stile to the left of the right end stile.
•
On the selected stile of the second section, punch out both the small and large hole. Using the hole in the stile as a guide,
drill a pilot hole through the face of the pan with the small bit on a 1- ¼ hole saw bit.
•
With the center of the hole marked on the face of the pan, drill the 1- ¼ hole from the outside of the pan to the inside.
•
For the ¾ “ hole repeat the same process, using a ¾” hole saw bit, however, on the ¾ “ hole the two small holes above and
below must also be drilled out using a 1/8 “ bit. Attach lock as shown in (figure 4).
•
If the key lock assembly is used then it will serve as a lift point and the handle is not required or included. The key lock must
be installed according to the key lock installation instructions see (figure 4).
Figure 4
6
Step 4
Installing The Handle & Step Plate
The normal location of the handle is one stile to the right or left of either end stile. If the door only has one center stile then mount the
handle directly above the hinge (see Figure 5). Place the inside handle vertically on the desired center stile. Using the template or by
holding the handle flat against the stile, mark the location of the holes using a scribe or small drill bit (template on last page of this
manual).
• Check and make sure that the holes are centered on the stile.
• With the handle location marked drill a ¼” hole from the inside of the door through the stile and face of the section, making
sure that the drill bit is square with the section. From the outside of the door drill out the two ¼” holes to ½” holes. Only
drill the ½” hole through the face of the section, leave the ¼” hole in the stile.
• Slide the outside handle through the face of the section and attach the inside handle to the outside handle by using two #10 x
3½” long screws (see Figure 6).
• Do not over tighten screws.
• Next, the step plate should be attached on the outside and inside of the first section, at the bottom, by using a two Tek screws
on each side of the door. Make sure that the Tek screw goes through the stile on the front and back of the door.
Note:
In compliance with ANSI / DASMA 116/2000 two lift points must be on the inside and outside of the door. A lift
point can be a lock handle, stationary handle, or step plate. The step plate should be mounted on the outside and inside
within 6 inches from the bottom of the first section on the stile directly below the handle or key lock assembly. If the stationary handle
is used then it must be mounted vertically on the outside and inside of the door within 30 inches of the step plate on the second
section. If a lock handle is used then it must be mounted according to the instructions on page 6.
Top Of Second Section
Bottom
Step Plate
Possible Handle Locations
Step Plate
Figure 5
Outside Handle
Stationary Handle Assembly
Inside Handle
Figure 6
7
Step 5
Installing The Remaining Sections
•
•
Attach the remaining sections in the same manner as
the first section. For all center or intermediate stiles,
attach #1 hinges. For the end stiles on the top of the
second section use # 2 hinges. For the end stiles on
the third section use # 3 hinges. If your door has
more than four sections then use the hinge that
corresponds with your section on the end stiles (see
figure 7).
On the top of the last section attach the adjustable top
fixture to the end stiles using four ¼ x ¾ tek screws
(see figure 7).
Top Fixture
Note: All hinges are stamped with a corresponding number for
ease of reference and attached using ¼ x ¾ zip screws.
Figure 7
Step 6
3/8” carriage
Head Bolt
Installing The Vertical Track
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•
•
•
•
Place the rollers into the hinges and slip the vertical
track around the rollers.
Mount the flag brackets on the vertical track at the
top of the opening using the supplied track bolts and
tighten by hand (see figure 8).
Attach the #4 jamb bracket to the bottom and a #5 to
the middle of the vertical track by using the ¼ track
bolts hand tighten only.
Adjust the vertical track toward door section until
there is ½ inch spacing between the track and the
edge of the door. Attach the flag and jamb brackets
to the wall using the 17/8 lag screws.
Push the vertical track in toward the jamb until the
face of the door seals against the jamb and tighten all
the track bolts.
Flag Bracket
¼” Track
Bolts
And
Nuts
Vertical Track
Assembly
#5 Jamb Bracket
#4 Jamb Bracket
Lag Bolts
Figure 8
Back Hanger
Step 7
Loosen to adjust
Installing The Horizontal Track and Back Hanger
•
•
•
Make sure that the track is level and square by using
diagonal measurements. Attach the horizontal track
to the vertical track using a ¼ track bolt with a ¼ nut
and using a 3/8 x 1 ½ carriage head bolt with a 3/8
hex head nut attach the horizontal angle to the
vertical angle (see figure 8).
Install the angle back hanger (provided by the
installer) to the rear of the horizontal track. Make
sure that the track is level and square, by using
diagonal measurements (see figure 9a). The back
hanger must be firmly attached to the building
structure and be capable of withstanding the weight
of the door.
Loosen the top fixture and adjust the door so that it is
sealed against the door jamb and tighten the bolts
(see figure 9b).
Sway Brace
a.
b.
Figure 9
!!!! Warning!!!!
The sway brace must be installed to keep the horizontal
track from moving during operation, failure to do so
could result in serious injury or death.
8
TEK screws
Center stile
Step 8
Installing Struts
If your door did not come with any struts then
proceed to the next step.
•
•
Strut
Attach the struts to every stile on the correct section
with ¼ x ¾ TEK screws (see figure 10).
Depending on the size and type of door, the location
of the struts will vary. Contact your dealer for exact
placement of the struts.
!!!! Warning!!!!
If your door has an electric opener
then the top section must have a strut
mounted above the top fixture.
Figure 10
Step 9
Installing Lock Bar Guide
•
•
If your door utilizes the extension bar for a key lock,
the guide should be placed on the proper end stile
corresponding to the operating direction of the lock.
Attach the lock bar guide using two TEK screws as
shown in figure 11.
TEK Screws
Note: Make sure that the guide is in line
with the square lock hole in the track.
Figure 11
9
Spring Assembly
Normal Headroom Extension Spring
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•
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Raise the door to the fully open position and prop open by placing locking pliers or “C” clamps on both sides of the track
(figure 12a).
Make sure the bottom edge of the door is level with the header.
Attach the stationary pulley to the horizontal angle as shown in (figure 12b).
Place the pulley fork around the end of the extension spring and bolt the pulley to the fork using a 3/8 x 1 ¼ hex head bolt.
Bolt the eye bolt to the rear hanger and place the extension spring around the eye bolt (figure 13).
Attach the lifting cable to the bottom bracket by placing the looped end of the cable around the lifting lug on the bottom
fixture (see figure 2 page 5).
Run the cable over the stationary pulley around the spring pulley and back to the cable tie off (figure 13).
Attach the “S” hook to the cable tie off and tie the cable as shown in (figure 12c).
To prevent injury the safety cables provided with the door must be installed. Place the safety cable around the “I” bolt and
through the extension spring attach the other end to the horizontal angle with a ¼” x 1”hex head bolt and lock nut. Allow
some slack in the safety cable to prevent wear against the spring (see figure 13).
!!!! Warning !!!!
Extension springs and cables are under extreme tension.
Only trained professionals should install safety cables. Do
not attempt to adjust the springs. Contact your local
professional for help.
a.
b.
c.
Figure 12
Eye Bolt
Figure 13
10
Normal Headroom Torsion Spring with Tubing
All views are from the inside looking out.
Depending on the size and installation specifications, your door may utilize one or two torsion springs.
• Lock the door in the down position.
• The torsion springs are marked on the ends with red or black paint. The black is used on the right and the red is placed on the
left (see figure 14).
• Slide the red spring assembly (stationary cone first) then cable drum over the left end of the shaft. Slide the nylon bearing,
and then the black spring assembly (stationary cone first) then the cable drum over the right end of the shaft (see figure 14).
• Attach the spring anchor to a solid header surface, which is attached to the building structure, using two 3/8” x 11/2” lag
bolts. To keep the wood from splitting, a 3/16” hole must be pre-drilled.
!!!! Warning !!!!
The spring anchor must be mounted to a surface capable of withstanding the torque of the spring assembly.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Attach the head plates to the horizontal angle with four 3/8” x ¾” carriage head bolts and attach to the jamb using a 5/16” x
11/2” lag bolt.
Lift the torsion tube with the springs and slide the tube through the head plate bearings.
Attach the stationary cones to the spring anchor bracket using two 3/8” x 1 ½”.
The looped end of the cable is attached to the lifting lug on the bottom bracket. The cable should be brought up between the
roller shaft and the wall.
The cable end should be placed into the notch of the cable drum. The cable drum should be rotated until the cable is tight and
the set screws on the drum tightened down (see figure 14).
Locking pliers should be placed on the shaft, to prevent the bar from turning before winding.
!!!! Warning!!!!
At this point a professional should be contacted, the professional will know how many turns the springs
should be wound. Do not attempt to wind the springs without contacting a professional. Failure to do so
could result in serious injury or death.
Cable Drum (Black)
!!!! Warning
!!!!
Springs are under extreme torque.
Only a professional should wind
the springs.
Warning Label
Winding
Cone/Spring
(Black)
Cable drum
(black)
Spring Anchor
Setscrews
Locking Pliers
Cable
Cable Drum (Red)
Stationary Cone
Winding Bars
1/2” x 18” Constant Diameter
Cold Rolled Steel
Lag Bolts
Set Screws
Winding
Cone/Spring
(Red)
3/8” x ¾”
Carriage Head Bolts
Head Plates
!!!! Warning !!!!
The spring anchor must be mounted to a surface capable
of withstanding the torque of the spring assembly.
Figure 14
11
Low Headroom Front Mount Torsion
All views are from the inside looking out.
•
•
•
•
•
Lock the door in the down position.
The cable drums are marked on the ends with red or
black paint. The red is used on the right and the black
is used on the left. (This is opposite from the normal
installation in order to get to the set screw on the drum).
Slide the red spring assembly over the left end of the
shaft, slide the nylon bearing and slide the black spring
assembly over the right end of the shaft.
Lift the shaft and spring assembly and slide the shaft
through the bearings on the low headroom brackets.
Attach the spring anchor bracket to a solid header
surface, which is attached to the building structure,
using two 3/8” x 1 ½” lag bolts. To keep the wood from
splitting a 3/16” hole must be pre-drilled.
Cable
Cotter Pin
Cotter
Key
!!!! Warning !!!!
The spring anchor must be mounted to a surface capable
of withstanding the torque of the spring assembly.
•
•
•
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Attach the stationary cones to the spring anchor bracket
by using two 3/8 x 1 ½” bolts.
Slide the red cable drum over the right end of the shaft
and the black cable drum over the left end of the shaft.
Attach the looped end of the cable to the lifting pin;
making sure that the cotter key is in place.
Run the cable straight up and place the cable lock into
the notch of the drum see (figure 15 for details). Rotate
the drum until the cable is tight and lock down the
setscrews.
Locking pliers should be placed on the shaft, to prevent
the bar from turning during winding (see figure 16).
!!!! Warning
!!!!
Springs are under extreme torque.
Only a professional should wind
the springs.
Figure 15
Winding Bars
1/2” x 18” Constant Diameter
Cold Rolled Steel
Spring
Anchor
Warning Label
Cable Drum (Red)
Locking Pliers
Stationary Cone
Shaft
Winding
Cone/Spring
(Black)
Cable Drum (Black)
Winding
Cone/Spring
(Red)
Set Screw
Figure 16
Cable
!!!! Warning !!!!
The spring anchor bracket must be mounted to a
surface capable of withstanding the torque of the
spring assembly.
Low headroom
head Plates.
12