Question:
I want to install a sears Opener on my stanly metal sectional 8 foot garage
door. The Sears instructions say that I must disengage the manual door
opener and lock.
How do I do this? Do I unbolt and remove the two "wings" that lock into the
slots on each side of the door? Do I remove the outside handle (which is
lockable)? Do I cut the cables that activate the above-mentioned "wings"?
Answer:
Obviously you must ensure that the manual locking mechanism is permanently
disabled. The easiest way to ensure this is done is probably to remove
the locking "wings". If you don't if someone should happen to lock the
door after the opener is installed, you'd have trouble.
I assume that the Sears instructions warn you about bracing the door in
the open position while you are doing the installation. Be very careful
here. Otherwise, that door will come crashing down when you disconnect
the springs.
The reason that is in the instructions is because the locking mechanism on
most garage doors is spring loaded and if not "disengaged" (read that
disable the self locking mechanism) the manual latch will engage when ever
the door is in the closed position. All that is required to "disengage the
manual door lock is to move the knob on the inside lock to the open
position and slide the small button over to keep it that way. If you are
going to be gone for a period and turn the door operator off, you just have
to release the lock and close the door!
