Question about adjusting door zone rollers on old Otis units

For years, I'd just tap the rollers with a hammer to get them to seat right on the track. Last month, a guy from the union hall in Cleveland showed me his trick with a small pry bar and a feeler gauge set to 0.015 inches. He said the hammer method can crack the roller bracket over time. I tried it on a job last week and the door ran way smoother. Anyone else have a better way to set those old rollers without risking damage?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron6773mo ago

Heard a similar thing from an old timer in Cincinnati, said he uses a brass drift punch and a small mallet to avoid shock on the bracket. Honestly, the feeler gauge trick sounds smarter than anything I've done, since it gets the spacing right without just guessing. I'm definitely going to try that pry bar method next time I'm up against those old Otis units. That hammer tap always felt a little too rough, but you just keep doing what you know until someone shows you a better way.

kim_nelson3mo ago

What about using a thin piece of cardboard as a shim? I cut a strip from an old gasket package to about 0.015 thick and slide it between the roller and the track before I tighten the bolts. It gives you that same even gap without needing a feeler gauge set on hand.

brookerobinson1mo ago

Oh yeah, I've done that too! I grabbed a piece of cereal box once in a pinch and it worked just fine to get the gap consistent. Not as precise as a feeler gauge but beats guessing and hoping for the best...