Heat of the Summer, fun project...

[homie]

When the asphalt is hot enough to fry an egg place whatever you want to say on your driveway with those brass letters you get at home improvement stores. Put a board over the numbers/letters and park your truck on it for the afternoon. Had these embedded for several years now and they draw as much attention as a PCX in a parking lot

This is a homie original, like the stable style garage door -

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fun for old men Not going to work on concrete and surely must be out there on facebook by now. If not, someone should do the 'how to' video and post it.

[chicaboo]

Precision pressdown?

[JohnL]

Liquid nails would work on concrete, it doesn't have to be embedded. Might also stop neighbourhood skateboarders

[PCX150Rider]

Awesome garage door.

Mine is beginning to show signs of age and deterioration. Had thought about making my own or just paying the grand and having someone install a new one. Leaning towards having it done. . ..

Did you make that yourself or buy a kit or something? And it definitely does allow enough space for a horse. . .although a clever one would jump that and disappear into the wilderness like Chief at the end of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwzSx-MBjsI

Gotta have those bars.

[relic]

I think PCX rider was flashing back to Mr ED.
ie garage doors and horses

[homie]

Awesome garage door. Did you make that yourself or buy a kit or something? And it definitely does allow enough space for a horse. . .although a clever one would jump that and disappear into the wilderness like Chief at the end of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

You have a horse? Yes the door separates and restores to full function with just the flip of a wrist. I can show you how to make it do this in video if you like. Had it this way for a couple years now and it too will dominate conversations for everyone that gets close.

[PCX150Rider]

I guess my reply did sound like I had a horse but no I do not. That being said I worked about 6 months on the rescue farm my daughter works at and spent a lot of time leading the horses out to the paddocks, tossing hay bails, filling up water buckets, and mucking stalls. It didn't seem like a job it was more like a real life experience. Watching horses on TV Westerns (or Mr. Ed. . .great show. . .Ed sounded like Nixon) is one thing. . .taking care of them is another. So when I saw your garage door I thought it would give me an option to keep the garage cooler in the summer and maybe keep out some critters. . .although birds I'm not so sure. I also like to open it manually sometimes just for the exercise without using the electric door opener so opening half a door would be easier.

Winters are brutal up here in New England sometimes and they don't last forever.

I'll probably just have a new door installed but am considering the options. Even the ones that just swing out right and left and are attached with hinges may be a possibility. No door opener motor involved or tracks.

[PCX150Rider]

Oh and thanks for offering to show the mechanicals on a video but since I'm still in the decision making phase I don't want to waste your time. If I do though I'll give you a shout. If it's lasted two years it should last twenty right? . . . at least the metal stuff.

[you you]

Would heavy rain work too?

[homie]

Oh and thanks for offering to show the mechanicals on a video but since I'm still in the decision making phase I don't want to waste your time. If I do though I'll give you a shout. If it's lasted two years it should last twenty right? . . . at least the metal stuff.

No problem, sounds like you are going a different direction with garage doors. To do what has been done here (top down bottom up) automatic garage door would require the following;

Single port doors (not those giant two car entry doors) dead lifting the top half would be too great for the opener.

Parts;
4 lead carriers - 5.00 each
2 slide locks - 8.00 each
1 brass security lock (like used in an apartment to slightly open door before allowing access) - 5.00

Maybe one hour or two of your time to install and adjust for smooth operation.

No need for concern as everything is reversible if you didn't find it totally useful... but trust me, you will
Keeps leaves, cottonwoods, animals, blowing snow and vagrants out of your garage while enjoying semi open doors.
Confines your animals and vents whatever fumes from paint or fuel. I go a step further with a mosquito net in the season while working long after dark. Its a beautiful thing yet you can't buy it

[kramnala58]

Homie, I wouldn't mind seeing a how-to. I have a similar door on my US house garage.

[homie]

Homie, I wouldn't mind seeing a how-to. I have a similar door on my US house garage.

Okay no problem, look forward to showing it off Been meaning to spam it out on youtube to my subs anyway. Needs it to stop raining here so might be a while.

[PCX150Rider]

When you had your door installed originally was it like every other single wide garage door (basically)?

After that you took the existing garage door and tweak it, or convert it, to your design?

Sounds like if I had one installed then I could just convert it later on after if I understand you correctly.

And a mosquito net? Another good idea.

Back in the '60s they had what they called "Car Ports" as a feature in a lot of real estate developments. They were basically over hanging roofs with no walls on three sides. So you could park your vehicle out of the weather and get into the house dry. Although in winter with blowing and drifting snow they did fall short keeping the weather out. Most people eventually had them closed in as full garages. . .. But when you were buying a new house it helped keep the price down.

I'll tell you, when I mentioned about keeping out critters I wasn't kidding. Yesterday when I came home and opened my garage door I interrupted a garter snake taking a snooze in the dirt where the leading edge of the door lands. It's a narrow path of dirt between the tar and concrete so water drains down if needed. Smart snake though. . .he didn't have to be convinced to bug out of there. They are native to my area and have seen them before but not so much lately. . .nor the hop toads. They are both good for pest control.

Thanks for the info on the parts list.

[homie]

When you had your door installed originally was it like every other single wide garage door (basically)? No
After that you took the existing garage door and tweak it, or convert it, to your design? Yes
Sounds like if I had one installed then I could just convert it later on after if I understand you correctly. Yes
And a mosquito net? Another good idea.

To be clear so folks don't try to use the mod on a LARGE single garage door. This is for one or both of your individually operated two car garage door designs. Why only for small doors? Well we need to gather a basic understanding of a counter balanced garage door first.

Torsion spring design doors are what we are looking to modify here... not the extension type. So if you have the (torsion spring) garage door design you can continue to entertain this project.

WARNING! these torsion springs are powerful and can be deadly, you go no where near them for this mod.

1. First buy two common garage door locks and install them in the pre-cut knock outs on both sides of a one car (single individually operated) garage door. (no need to mod both doors) You will find the knock outs about hip level below the mid section of a four panel door on both sides.

WARNING! Do not leave these locked and operate the opener yet. You can go ahead and do this first step while I do a video but until you complete the entire mod don't lock the door down and walk away for any reason. Once the original hinges are removed and new lead carriers are installed this warning expires and damage can no longer occur when openers are powered up.

Example of failure; You are happily testing the positions of the new locks and your wife drives up the street and uses her remote opener while you have the locks engaged Disengage the quick release on the track while working or pull the plug on the opener to avoid this kind of fail PLEASE. After mod completion lock down will result in separation of the panels. Unlock will allow
the door to operate typically.

[PCX150Rider]

Torsion spring design doors are what we are looking to modify here... not the extension type. So if you have the (torsion spring) garage door design you can continue to entertain this project.

I have the extension type installed on my existing door. . .. When a cable snaps they can get your attention as well. I've had to do a few Rube Goldberg kick the can down the road a little further repairs on it already.

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It seems the torsion type springs use a twisting action in lieu of the more linear extension type?

[homie]

Torsion spring design doors are what we are looking to modify here... not the extension type. So if you have the (torsion spring) garage door design you can continue to entertain this project.

I have the extension type installed on my existing door. It seems the torsion type springs use a twisting action in lieu of the more linear extension type? yes

I think you are out bro, I would revisit this project if you ever replace your old doors completely with torsion type. I won't say for sure as I have not seen (extension spring) counter balance garage doors. Expect to be set back about 1200.00 for two new insulated automatic doors and openers. Home Depot did mine recently because my wife had banged them up over the years with her excellent driving skills. I immediately preformed the mod again

As for safety precautions,
Two locks means double action would have to happen before you accidentally let the bottom half loose.
A slight notch in the lock bars will make it impossible to release the locks under pressure anyway (video will show).

Because you are dead lifting the top half with the opener when you lock down the bottom half (disengaging the counter balance) the question is will this stress the lift system? After a dozen consecutive cycles on a hot day these modern openers over heat and shut down for 10 minutes cooling and reactivating automatically like a blow dyer safety switch. This does not happen on the normal setup so yes there is concern. I tested this until shutdown (failure) but who does this much constant opening and closing of a garage door. Will this mod cause premature wear on the lift belt/chain or openers motor? I don't see this yet and the other un-modded door is there to compare. It's been a couple years now and I use this mod so much I just can't imagine not having it so replacing the entire opener/track system is about 150.00 if premature wear did cause failure over the years to come.

[PCX150Rider]

I think you are out bro, I would revisit this project if you ever replace your old doors completely with torsion type. I won't say for sure as I have not seen (extension spring) counter balance garage doors. Expect to be set back about 1200.00 for two new insulated automatic doors and openers. Home Depot did mine recently because my wife had banged them up over the years with her excellent driving skills. I immediately preformed the mod again

Yup. . ..

First the PCX and then the garage door. Have to keep the priorities in order. The list goes on. . .home maintenance. . .what you don't finish today you can always think about finishing tomorrow.

While I'm at the dealership I may take a look at the CBR300R just to contrast it to the PCX for fit and ergos. I know they've had their issues with crankshaft problems but the new 2017 red one looks cool. . .about another $1000 cool. . .cool costs extra.

[homie]

Video's up... we shall see what the world has to say about it now Hope I'm not dodging lawyers in the near future.

[Mel46]

If you could see my garage door....really....I'm waiting for someone to build me a garage, or enclose my carport. :-/
Well, I get plenty of ventilation, and bugs, and leaves. The fun part is when I have to try to park my scooters in the carport, with our two cars already in it. ...and forget about working on the bikes there. The bugs will have a field day.
In short, you are lucky to have a garage, and I am glad that you have made the most of it. Great ideas. If the bugs get too bad you can just hang a removable screen over the opening in the top.

[PCX150Rider]

Video well done!

Thanks for sharing that garage mod with the tech comments.

Perhaps add it to the list of "Homie's Top Ten Tips"?

Your garage reminds me of the Home Improvement TV series featuring "Tool Time" . ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibVc87MHZ60