How to set the travel limits on a garage door opener?

The travel limits on garage door openers adjust how far up or down the opener allows the door to travel. This is always done when unit is installed because garage doors can be very different from each other.

Four different ways to adjust garage door’s opener limits

There are four different ways that I know of to adjust travel limits. The first and most common is 2 slotted plastic screws each with a different arrows up and down to represent the up limit and down limit that the opener will allow door to travel. And the up and down arrows will have another arrow to tell you which way to turn the screw left or right to increase the up or down travel. Example: If the arrow is pointing down and the other arrow points clockwise then you turn the screw clockwise to make door travel further down. Same for the up travel limit.adjust travel limit garage door opener

The second way to adjust travel limit – using switches

Is most common on Genie /Overhead door brand openers. This is 2 actual switches one at the front of the opener rail for down limit and one set close to the motorhead for the up limit. The older model openers limit switch will have a plastic lever attached. When the opener carriage or trolley will hit the lever and the switch will stop motor at that point. The newer openers use a magnetic switch with no lever. The trolley has a magnet built inside and when the two magnets intersect the switch stops the motor. These types of travel limit switches can be adjusted very easily. They have a small set screw that keeps it in place. If you loosen the screw just enough to let the switch slide back and forth on the rail you can make the adjustment then tighten screw back down.

The third application – metal or plastic notch

Is an metal or plastic notch on usually a chain or belt drive openers.This small piece is removable and is placed on the actual belt or chain and when the notch passes thru a switch it stops opener at that point.

The fourth application – digitally

Is all done digitally by pressing different color buttons to set the

door up and down limits. This is found on newer openers made in the last 5 years. This kind of adjustment is different on all brands so the owners manual or manufacturer’s toll free help line is the way to go. Its to confusing and so many different ways to adjust that the manufacture will walk you thru the process over the phone.