I'm installing my DDM high lift setup this weekend. What I am curious about is the spacing left to right for the vertical tracks. I have read to leave an extra 1/2" wider than the wheels on the bottom (1/4" of play each side) and 1 1/2" of play at the top of the door (3/4" of play each side).

At the floor, how far 'apart' from each other should the vertical tracks be for a 16 x 7 door in a 15' 11 1/2" opening? What about the distance at the top of the opening? What about 4 feet higher where it makes the turn to go horizontal? I thought the tracks would have been installed with a level.


Anyone here with more experience than me (which is none) explain the right way to do it?

Thanks

Its been a while since I have worked on garage doors but I think a 1/2 inch on each side would be fine.

Better made doors have side to side play in the shafts for the rollers at the attachment plate to the door.

A little grease on the shaft will make the movement in and out smoother

The wheels are ball bearing and do move in and out of the hinge to adjust to the track.   I'm just curious how much intentional space I should leave.

Every garage door I've put up, you put the door sections up first, using nails driven in at an angle to hold them up, then put the rollers and hinges on, then the tracks on the door with a little play and then lag them down.

Your door should come with instructions.  Best to read them.

I assume this is the setup you are using:

DDM High Lift Garage Door

If so, you are not removing the bottom track, so the extension tracks stay the same distance apart the old ones are.

Good, simple instructions and pictures at the link.

Don't use grease use a light weight oil or spray lube of some sort. Every time my FIL and I service a door that the home owner greased it ended up needing almost all if not all the rollers replace. The grease attracts dirt and dust and causes premature wear and failure. Also don't forget to oil the springs as well.

If you use the correct grease it is not a problem.

Most of the time someone reaches for wheel bearing grease instead of the correct semi-hardening storage type grease.

It forma a nice waxy coating as some of the solvents evaporate.

The rollers do not require grease anyway.

The shafts for the rollers do.

I had to replace bottom tracks as well......they were old and flimsy so I went with all new tracks