Service Tips for Your Car Wash Doors.

Service and maintenance of your car wash doors are a very vital part of your overall success as a business. Lets' face it, without the attractive, functional and efficient use of this necessary component of your wash; your customers will decide to move on and decrease your odds for a profitable business. Knowledge of what you can service yourself safely and cost effectively will help you maintain a successful, clean and efficient operation all-year round.

Of course, purchasing a well-constructed door product for your wash environment is essential to start with, but proper installation and maintenance are very important keys for reliable and dependable door operation on a continual basis. Choosing an experienced installer when the door is initially installed will reduce much of the service and repair problems you will face down the road. Even if you were fortunate enough to start with a well-designed product and proper installation, eventually the test of your wash environment and frequency of use will diminish both the aesthetic value and workability of your complete door system. Service and maintenance on a continual basis are essential to keep costly major repairs at bay.

The focus of this article mainly relates to the door itself and excludes openers. Although most of the areas covered here are specific to polycarbonate sectional doors, many of the principals mentioned can be directly applied to thermal and other sectional door styles. It is a fact, that an unbalanced, improperly installed or poorly maintained door will increase the severity and frequency of service and repair problems. This is especially true when you add an opener to the system to automate it. If the actual door is not functioning properly, an opener and controls will only magnify problem and increase the likelihood of additional costs.

To follow are some items to help you learn with and will help you maintain your door's appearance, service and repair common parts and to help you identify problem areas and communicate more effectively with your door supplier. Most of these are easy, safe and can save you some money. Depending on your previous training, ability, mechanical aptitude and willingness, you may want to do the work yourself or leave it to a professional. Either is an essential ingredient to maintainng a good looking and dependable door system.

For Your Safety:
Whenever working on a door or opener system, shut off the power or disconnect the air source. Block off the door from unintentional use. When using any cleaners or chemicals; use the material safety data sheets for information how to use the material safely. I also recommend that the major service or repair items listed be performed by a professional who has the right tools, knowledge and abilities to do the work safely.

Door Sections
Cleaning
Polycarbonate panels should to be cleaned periodically to maintain curb appeal. Cleaners found to be compatible with Polycarbonate are Joy, Freon T.F, Palmolive liquid, Top Job, VM& P grade Naphtha and Windex with Ammonia D. Always use a cotton rag for cleaning. For algae problems add a small amount of ammonia to your mixture. Do not exceed 5% ammonia to water. Products to avoid using are highly abrasive or highly alkaline cleaners, benzene, gasoline acetone, carbon tetrachloride and gasoline should never be used. Aluminum framework can be cleaned with aluminum brightener and Scotch-Brite cleaning pad or similar buffing media. For full vision Plexiglas sections use plastic cleaners like Plasto-lite for cleaning, this will stop any electric charge that attracts dirt. Glass sections should be cleaned with a glass cleaner or a light citrus based cleaner. Do you have polycarbonate sections with peeling gasket tape? Remove excess gasket material to improve the overall looks of an old door.

Servicing
Door sections should routinely be checked for any damage from impacts and section fasteners should be tightened. Rusted out fasteners should be changed out with stainless steel ones for longer life. Straighten out marginally bent sections manually. If the bottom weather seal is damaged or worn it should be replaced to ensure a proper seal on the bottom of the door.
Door sections should be always be level when sitting in the down position, use a 3' level on top of the section to confirm. Out-of-level sections will not allow the complete door system to operate properly and will cause a multitude of problems. Adjust the levelness of the door by adjusting the coupler, if equipped. For doors not equipped with a coupler, the cable length should be adjusted by an experienced service person. Door sections should be always be centered between the tracks.

Repairing
In addition to the ugly image of a damaged section, damaged sections hinder the correct operation of the door system. If bent, the sections can hang the door up in the jambs, header or track and cause cable spooling. Any damaged sections should be replaced by an experienced service person to further damage and improve curb appeal.

Face Hardware/Hinges
Cleaning
Most face hardware is constructed of galvanized or stainless steel material. For stainless steel hardware products, cleaning is very easy. Wipe down with a degreaser or high alkaline soap, then power wash. This will help remove any chemical or hard-water deposits. For galvanized hardware that have not yet shown red rust, use a degreaser and power wash to bring them back to a cleaner finish. Coat galvanized hardware with a light coating of lithium-type lubricants to protect them.

Servicing
Servicing face hardware comprises of some lubrication and replacement. Hinges and other wear or friction points can also be lubricated lightly with lithium based lubricants to add life and quiet the door down. Pay attention to the side areas of the hinge where the two plates slide together, this is where the most wear and cracking can occur, especially with galvanized hinges. Top fixtures can be adjusted for proper top seal and clearance. Fastening points should be inspected for missing or damaged hinge screws and replaced with stainless steel ones. Tighten all loose hinge screws for less binding.

Repairing
Hinges that are damaged, rusted-out, cracked or split should be replaced by new stainless steel ones that do not rust and will put up with the repetitive punishment of your wash. Hinges are relatively inexpensive, easy to replace and can greatly decrease noise and section binding during operation. Note: An experienced technician should only replace bottom brackets.

Rollers
Cleaning
Car wash rollers should be lightly power washed with hardware detergent mixture to remove grit, dirt and other debris.

Servicing
Rollers should always spin freely at the tire for the best operation of your door. It is recommended that any damaged, rusted, seized or sticky rollers be replaced immediately to ensure free movement of your door through the track.

Repairing
When replacing rollers always choose high quality rollers developed for car wash use. The newest roller; the Magnum XTtm by American Garage Door Supply was released to the market that features stainless steel stems coupled with UHMW tire and a stainless steel bearing design. It has a load-bearing stainless steel ball bearing for long life, completely rust-free construction and a 5-year warranty. Similarly priced products, have also been available that feature sealed bearing and no bearing or bushing design. When replacing old rollers, install long stem rollers in the top and bottom of the door for safety.

Track
Cleaning
Track channels should be free and clean of grime, dirt, corrosion and any other obstruction that may prevent the free movement of the rollers. A high-pressure wand with warm water with a degreaser can be used to clear out any debris that could cause blockage of the roller. All fasteners should be tight and flush with the inside of the track.

Servicing
Properly mounted track should be positioning according to the following principals.

1. Vertical and horizontal tracks should be spaced so that rollers on each side of the section have ½" to ¾" gap from roller hub and the edge of the door. This should be consistent throughout the full travel of the door from close to open.

2. Vertical track should be plumb. Check with 3' level to confirm.

3. Each side of vertical track height should equal distance from each side of the level door section.

4. Each horizontal track should be an equal distance to the level floor elevation.

5. Sections should have ¼" TO ½" play (gap) to the jamb when the door is closed.

Sections can be adjusted by loosening the track bolts located on the track to create the desired gap from jamb. Just pull the vertical track assembly back from the opening and tightening the track bolts when the desired distance is achieved. Do this when the door is closed.
Horizontal track back and front adjustments are generally handled by a technician and may include adjusting the counterbalance assembly or repositioning the back-hangs to meet the before mentioned principals.

Some operators like to lubricate the track and jamb angle to reduce friction and noise. A lithium based spray lubricant should be used lightly in these areas to help keep the door operating smoothly.

Repairing
Repairing track sections can be a little difficult, but if vertical tracks are damaged, they can be replaced simply by opening the door to the open position and removing the track bolts and replacing the track section. When doing major replacements consider stainless steel manufactured track systems for long life and less rust related problems. A trained professional should handle all major replacements.

Counterbalance Assemblies
Counterbalance assemblies comprise of several different designs ranging from stainless steel or galvanized torsion springs, belt or strap-type and cable counterweights. For safety reasons; repair or service work involving the counterbalance system, cables and straps or belts should be performed by a trained professional. Forces of extreme torque are being used and can cause serious bodily harm, even death.

The basic idea behind the proper operation of any counterbalance system is that the door should properly balance in the opening. This means that the door should want balance in midpoint by hand. Once the door is moved up or down it should want to gradually continue in the direction it is moving with little effort. A properly balanced door should want to clear the header and sit on the floor. Counterweighted doors generally have a tougher time balancing a door perfectly whereas spring models seem to balance a door perfectly more precisely. It is very important that your doors are balanced for safe, dependable operation!

Proper spacing of the torsion shaft is very important to all of the of the counterbalance types. The torsion shaft should be equally spaced from the header wall on both ends and in the middle of the door. The shaft should also be an equal distance from the floor elevation at all points. To confirm this; measure the center of the shaft to the top section of your level door in the center and both ends. These measurements should equal for smooth operation.

Bearings/Bearing Plates

Cleaning
Bearing plates should be washed down with cleaner to remove grit, dirt and other debris. Use the mixtures mentioned for hinges for best results.

Servicing
Greaseable bearing should be lubricated through the grease zerk with marine grade grease. Bearing plates should be securely fastened to the track and header. Greaseable bearings should and should spin freely.

Repairing
When replacing bearings and bearing plates, look for rust-free construction. Greaseable bearings and bearing plates are both available in stainless steel for long life. They are relatively inexpensive and will increase the life of your system, decrease maintenance and speed up any future repair time.

Shafts/Couplers

Servicing
Keys and setscrews should all be securely inserted and tightened at all keyway points. Replace missing keys or set screws and make sure all coupler bolts are tightly fastened.

Repairing
Only a properly trained professional should perform replacement of couplers and shafts. When replacing old components, replace track with stainless steel and plated couplers for maximum life.

Drums/Cable

Cleaning
Most cable pick-up drums are constructed of cast aluminum and have a tendency to build up white oxide and grime. Power washing the drum with aluminum brightener or high alkaline detergent will help. This will keep the cable grooves clean and helps the cable track properly on the drum.

Servicing
Set screws should all be checked for rust and checked for tightness. Drums should be butted up against the bearing plate to eliminate shaft crawling/migration. This will help reduce the likelihood of cable spooling.

Repairing
When replacing drums look for the drum number stamped in the side of the drum for ordering. This will help you communicate with your service technician and speed your part orders. Consider plated drums for replacements to reduce oxidation buildup and improve durability. Stainless steel keys should be requested for all replacements. Should your pick-up cables that show corrosion, wear, nicks or frays; have it replaced immediately. For cable counterweight drums request non-rotating cable for safety.

Weather seals

Cleaning
Most weatherseals can be cleaned with warm water and mild detergent to make them more appealing.

Servicing
Weather seals can be adjusted on the jamb or header to give you an adequate seal. Keep the blade spaced to provide a full seal (normally at a 45o blade angle) while leaving the least resistance to the door when in motion. Weatherseals installed too tight will inhibit the doors free travel and add to service problems.

Repairing
Replacing weather seals is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and will save you energy dollars throughout the winter months. When installing aluminum/vinyl combinations pinch the ends of the aluminum retainer to prevent the vinyl from sliding off after installation.

Keeping a clean and well-maintained door ensures a profitable and safe operation all year round. I am confident that this information will not only help you communicate with your door supplier, but will also help you keep your future repair costs down. With your doors properly cleaned, serviced and repaired; automation of your doors will be more trouble and service free. Combine some of these ideas with a customized routine preventative maintenance schedule and you will keep your doors ready to go year round.

Depending on the amount of use, your geographic area and your type of wash will dictate the frequency of service intervals. For basic recommendations on frequencies, please consult with your equipment or door specialist.

Written by:
Kevin Baumgartner
President- American Garage Door Supply