Vaulting the garage ceiling...

So, I installed a Mohawk A7 2 post lift this spring and my ceiling is only 10' high.

I'm not loving the concern of hitting the ceiling while raising cars and I'd also like to use the full 6' of height the lift is capable of.

I was planning to do this in spring but I had my contractor buddy over tonight and I said "what the hell, let's do it"

We plan to start this Friday or next.

I'm going to raise the ceiling to 14' I'm not raising the roof, just vaulting the ceiling. I'll track the door up the slope and add lights up the slope and the ceiling flat.

PS, I'm only doing this in the one bay with the lift.
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As is now
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if the garage ever gets built. did I make a mistake. I can add 2' at this point since only one wall is studded. contractor and architect might have a fit. but they work by the hour, and know how to bill!

 

12' is enough. I need to go 14' so the door will have enough height up the vault (slope).

 

I did this when I build my garage. Totally worth it. High lift kit for the garage door is a must. I used DDM garage doors for mine. Get the parameters of your current door install before you take it down, and figure out what you want to do with it (how much extra lift, roof pitch, other stuff I can't remember - see their website) and they'll sort you out with a kit.

Good luck with the construction. Cheers!

 

I've been emailing with Dan all weekend Did you do the door track work yourself? Did it go well?

 

All that redesigning last week of my garage you did for me got you a little ansy I see!

 

Yep!

 

I owe you something for your help to Dave. I just can't wait till my garage is done! I'm desperately trying to beat old man winter! Thanks again! I will keep you posted.

 

It was/is my pleasure, Marcus. You don't owe my anything but I do like Vodka and dealing with contractors, we will both need plenty

And, we are not done until you are 100% happy with the design - let me know if you need anything else.

As long as you get the concrete in before you need to heat it, you will be fine.

 

My Dad and I did the track work. Making the extensions and getting the angle right wasn't too bad. I still need to adjust mine a bit, I wasn't paying close enough attention to the location of the cable relative to the door, as the cable winds up and moves inward on the drum, so now when the cable spools on the drum, i get rubbing/slapping of the cable on the drum and door. If I unwind my springs and slide the drum over a touch, it'll clear. No big deal, but the fewer times I have to wind garage door springs the better. I have 400 lb doors, so the springs are pretty beefy.

 

Pics?

 

Nice, I'll be interested to follow this project! I am building my new house next spring and have a vault drawn into my third garage stall for just this reason as well. My third stall is also much deeper then the other 2 (31' vs 24') to hopefully avoid door issues.

 

I did the same thing with my garage when I got my lift. I vaulted the ceiling and modified the door tracks to run up the sloped part. After fooling around with different springs and trying to balance the door, it turned out that what worked was just different drums that the cable winds onto. I replaced the normal drums with tapered ones, so the torque on the system changes as the cable unwinds. I did the door spring work myself; just be careful and it isn't a huge issue. I cut and welded the curved part of the tracks to follow the ceiling. I did have some pictures posted at one time. I'll see if I can find them.

Rick

edit: didn't think it was still on-line, but here is some info I put together when I did this mod:

http://wheeltimesolutions.com/garage.htm

 

Thanks, Rick. That's cool. You had trusses - I'm lucky - I'm stick framed so it will be pretty easy.

 

Here's a shot of the tapered drum, you can see as the cable winds up, it will work to inboard towards the door, so if you line up your drum with the door down, you may start hitting the door with the cable by the time the door is up. Again, this is easy to correct for as long as you take it into consideration before you start winding springs unfortunately, I just realized I've got my bearing brackets too close together to all me to slide the drum outboard any further. This just added a bit of fooling around to my little "adjustment." live and learn.
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Post a photo of the overall bay, if you don't mind. I'm sure others are interested too.

 

My bad. Only pic I've got of a vehicle raised. Before anybody asks, the pickup isn't for sale and I totally regret not insulating and drywalling before I started moving stuff in. I was on a schedule and had to cut out the finish work. Now the finish work will be 2x as hard!
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For those interested in structural details, the building is 38x24, with a single bay at one end with 10' truss ceiling, double bay with 15' ridge beam and rafters in the middle, and a small "pool house" on the far end with 10' ceiling and trusses. Girder trusses at the ends of the double bay holding up a 2x micro lam and 2x12 beam sandwich make it all possible without adding any support poles.

 

Now that's what I'm talking about More pics with the door and track, please..

 

Me too!!! I can't wait now. Wow, glad I takes to you about this whole vaulted roof thing Dave! Man do I owe you big!!!!!!!

 

I hope that you can provide lots of pictures Dave. This is a really cool project. Are you going to vault the entire ceiling or just the side of the lift?

 

Only the bay with the lift (I already have a single bay door there). Yes, Eric, I will document the whole process. I'm pumped.
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Door track pic: bottom bracket is where high lift starts, I splice in a short section that I cut from the horizontal track. Second bracket is where the curve starts. Old flag bracket is removed and replaced with DDM supplied bracket. Good miter box saw and sharp blade made nice tight joint and things bolted together nice.
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Lift is positioned 2.25' back from threshold of door opening, and still allows plenty of clearance. A suburban would hit the door, but it can always slide the lift forward a few feet.
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