The reason for replacing my doors is rodent intrusion. Just spent the door money on an $8600 annual so I'm going to keep the horizontal sliding/rolling doors for now. I just bought some brush seals to put all the way around them. I also have a spray foam insulation company coming on Monday to spray a 1' strip around the base, roof to wall seam, and gable of the building. I know I'm fighting a losing battle but the mice/rats down here are terrible. Not sure yet how I'm going to seal the gap where the two doors meet when closed. Garage door bottom seal maybe???

Ouch. That sucks.

Anyone here ever retrofit bi-parting hangar doors (that are hanging on a standard tractor supply barn door track system) with a power opening contraption? The more redneck the solution the better. 4 doors total (two cascade left and 2 cascade right. They’re big and heavy. It’s a 60’ opening and they’re 14’ tall. I like them and the way they look, so I’d like to retain them if possible.

Sounds like a fun project, but before getting all MacGyver on it...., maybe some simple mechanical way, from the ground? As in, a small tractor or ATV.... other wise I'd call Surplus Center and get one of their catalogs, if you can't cobble some mechanical/hydraulic/electric way to pull those doors open after perusing it, it can't be done.

· A simple cable loop, driven by capstan-type winch drum.

(likely at door top? And loop=width of door)

· One Clamp on each leg of loop in center.

· Winching in=clamps move apart. Winching out=clamps move together (or vs-versa)

· Attach door to correctly moving clamp



Notes:

· For ease of maintenance two more pulleys and mount winch low at working height or on floor.

· Limit switches can be near winch, tripped by clamps on correct cable.

· Easier to adjust tension near floor too.

· Could be battery winch so works if power out, (solar,.…..)





Sorry if worded poorly, I draw worse.

--Bill

I'm renting a hangar with roller doors. Looks like one of the rollers was walked off track with the ice build-up. Does anyone have experience getting one of those doors back on track?

Thinking we're going to use a 6' lever/pry bar and do our best to avoid bending the bottom of the door while nudging it back into place.

Lesson learned in case I do eventually get to build one.

That’s exactly how I’ve gotten doors back on the track multiple times. Takes some trickery but you’ll get it.