Repair and replacement · Rolling Shutter Guide
How do I lift a heavy rolling shutter curtain onto the axle?
Don't lift it whole. Either use the shutter's motor as a winch, with mule tape tied from the axle through holes drilled in the top slat, or split the curtain into sections, hang one slat on the T-straps and slide the sections on one at a time, jogging the motor to wrap them. Use at least two people.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield ships a curtain separately from its box once it weighs more than 80 lb, so on bigger shutters the installer hangs the curtain on site. Roll-A-Shield data
- Curtain weight in lb = width in x height in x the slat's sizing weight per sq ft / 144. Roll-A-Shield data
- Use two or more people for a heavy curtain, and keep control of every section at all times. Roll-A-Shield data
- If you screw the mule tape to the axle, pre-drill small holes and keep the screw short: the motor is inside the axle. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Motorized rolling shutters whose curtain hangs from T-straps on the axle, including Roll-A-Shield's insulated and single-wall curtains. Both Roll-A-Shield tutorials use the shutter's own motor.
A rolling-shutter curtain is heavier than it looks, and it has to be hung from T-straps on an axle that sits above head height. Roll-A-Shield ships a curtain separately from its box once it weighs more than 80 lb, so on larger shutters the curtain goes onto the axle on site. The same problem comes up when replacing a slat curtain. Roll-A-Shield's installers use two methods, and neither involves lifting the whole roll by hand.
How heavy is my curtain?
Work it out from the size and the slat: weight_lb = width_in x height_in x psf / 144. The per-square-foot figures are Roll-A-Shield's sizing weights, which include a safety margin, so the result errs on the heavy side; it is not a scale reading.
| Curtain | Sizing weight (lb per sq ft) | 96 x 96 in | 144 x 96 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 mm insulated (mini foam-filled) | 0.92 | about 59 lb | about 88 lb |
| 55 mm insulated (standard foam-filled) | 1.11 | about 71 lb | about 107 lb |
| 63 mm single-wall extruded | 1.14 | about 73 lb | about 109 lb |
For the full weight table and a calculator, see How much does a rolling shutter weigh?
Safety: Large slat sections are heavy and awkward: use two or more people for a heavy curtain and keep control of every section at all times.
Which method should I use?
Both use the shutter's own motor; they differ in how much weight is moving at once.
| Mule-tape method | Section method | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | The motor winches the whole roll up to the axle on mule tape | The roll is split and slid onto a hanging slat a section at a time |
| What you handle | The full roll, on the floor and then on the tape | One section at a time |
| Extra work | Drill holes in the top slat; move the T-straps | Split and rejoin the curtain at the hinges |
| Best for | A roll that arrived separately from the box | The most control over a very heavy or wide curtain |
Both Roll-A-Shield tutorials are filmed on motorized shutters. On a strap, crank or spring shutter there is no motor to help, so call (480) 921-0200 before lifting a heavy curtain onto one.
How does the mule-tape method work?
You tie the curtain to the axle with mule tape and let the motor wind it up.
- Fix the mule tape to the axle at each lifting point. Either tie a loop in one end, drape it over the axle, pass the tail through the loop to cinch it and wrap the tape round the axle a few times so it cannot slip; or pre-drill a small hole and fix the tape with a short screw.
- Drill a hole at the top of the curtain in line with each tape point on the axle.
- Take the T-straps off the axle and slide them onto the top slat of the roll. On a steel axle, mark where each strap was first; an aluminum axle already has pre-drilled holes.
- Pull each tape tail through its hole in the top slat and tie it off.
- Run the motor to lift the roll up to the axle, watching that it rises evenly.
- With the roll aligned to the axle, move the T-straps onto the pre-drilled holes, or your marks on a steel axle, and fix them with rivets or short screws.
- Cut the mule tape and remove the screw that held it to the axle. If the screw is hard to reach, turn the axle with the motor until it is.
- Roll the curtain up, put the bottom slat into the guide rail, then lower and raise the shutter to test it.
Stop: The motor is inside the axle. When you drill the axle for the tape screw or fix the T-straps with screws, drill shallow and use short screws.
How does the section method work?
You hang one slat as an anchor and build the curtain onto it a section at a time.
- Slide a single slat onto the T-straps. It is the hanging point for everything else.
- Split the roll into sections you can handle. On insulated slats, clip the side lock (slat plug) at a hinge with side cutters; on end-retention slats, back out the end-retention bolt and grommet. The splitting steps are on How do I replace one damaged slat?
- Slide the first section off the roll and onto the anchor slat, lining up the hinges until it sits flush.
- After the first few sections, use the remote or switch to bring the shutter slowly up and over the axle, a little at a time. This starts the curtain wrapping round the axle and takes weight off the T-straps.
- Keep adding sections, jogging the motor in small steps and watching the alignment. Refit each end-retention bolt snug, with the grommet still free to roll.
- With the roll complete and the slats still outside the guide rails, raise the shutter slowly, checking the slats wrap evenly.
- Feed the bottom slat into the guide rails and lower slowly, checking that the slats feed evenly down both rails.
Stop: Never run the motor with nothing hanging from the T-straps, or with the curtain out of control. A jam with the curtain disconnected can burn out the motor and damage the entry guides.
What next
If the curtain is beyond a two-person job, or you would rather not hang it yourself, call (480) 921-0200. In metro Phoenix, Roll-A-Shield's service team services rolling shutters of any make.
Watch it done
Service tutorial: installing a heavy slat roll with mule tape
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
What is mule tape?
A flat, strong pulling tape. On a shutter it is tied between the axle and the top of the curtain so the motor can wind the curtain up. Roll-A-Shield's tutorial does not specify a size or rating.
Which method should I use?
Mule tape lifts the whole roll at once with the motor doing the work. The section method keeps every piece light enough to handle and is the more controlled of the two. Both Roll-A-Shield tutorials use the shutter's motor, and both need a helper.
Where do the T-straps go on the axle?
On an aluminum axle, back in the factory-drilled holes: the first 6 in in from each end, then every 12 in. A steel axle is not pre-drilled, so mark the strap positions before you take them off.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.