Make sure you have received everything listed on
the packing slip. Don’t call your contractor to do the work
until you do this.
Are you installing this system on a hard or a drop
ceiling? We need to know before you order so we can provide the
correct fittings.
HARD CEILING
Take the piece of track you are planning to hang and place it
up against the ceiling, place guide marks on the ceiling with a
pencil in the spots of the track where there are pre-drilled holes.
If the holes are not in an area where you need them it is ok to
drill additional holes. Take your time in the layout so it hangs
straight and is supported correctly.
Will you be mounting the ceiling coupler on a BEAM, STUD or into
SHEET ROCK?
BEAM OR STUD
Take a ceiling coupler and an appropriate screw and mount it
to the stud or beam where you have placed your guide mark.
Repeat step one until all ceiling couplers have been installed
at each of the guide marks you have drawn.
SHEET ROCKRecommendation: Go to a local
hardware store and buy what is called an EZ-Anchor. This simplifies
mounting the track to the ceiling, an EZ-Anchor is a toggle bolt that
does not require you to use a drill because the Anchor itself acts
as a drill bit, all that is needed to mount an EZ-Anchor in your ceiling
is a phillips head screw driver.
If you are using a toggle bolt drill a hole in the ceiling at
the points you marked previously.
Run the bolt through the Griplock ceiling coupler and mount the
toggle bolts anchor on the other side.
Push the anchor into the pilot hole and tighten the bolt down.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all Griplock ceiling couplers have
been attached to your ceiling.
Take one length of the Griplock cable and run the side of the cable
that does not have the stopper through the inside of a Griplock screw
cap until the stopper on the end of the cable is within the screw
cap.
Take the screw cap and tighten it into the ceiling coupler using
a flat head screwdriver. The Griplock cable should hang from your
ceiling.
Take a Griplock cable glider and push the end of the hanging Griplock
cable into the gliders plunger. You should be able to push the cable
through but not pull it out, unless you push the plunger down.
Repeat steps 1 — 3 until all the cables have been hung.
Take a Griplock bolt and star washer along with the piece of track
you wish to hang, line up the Griplock glider with one of the existing
holes in your track, take your Griplock bolt and star washer, then
mount the glider to the track with a flat head screw driver.
Repeat step 5 until all track has been hung.
Raise all the track to the desired height and cut off or tie up
the excess cable
DROP CEILING
Take the piece of track you wish to suspend and hold it up to the
ceiling. Mark the track at spots at which you can connect to the
drop ceiling. The pre-existing holes in the track almost never line
up when it comes to a drop ceiling, so you will need to drill your
own holes into the center of the track.
Take a T-Bar clip and place it on your drop ceiling at the points
that your track will be crossing.
Take the Griplock hanging cable and run it through a Griplock T-bar
coupler.
Tighten the Griplock T-bar coupler to the T-bar clip on your ceiling
by twisting it into place. Your Griplock cable should now hang freely.
Take a Griplock cable glider and push the end of the hanging Griplock
cable into the gliders plunger. You should be able to push the cable
through but not pull it out, unless you push the plunger down.
Repeat steps 2 — 5 until all hangers are in place.
Take a Griplock bolt and star washer along with the piece of track
you wish to hang, line up the Griplock glider with one of the existing
holes in your track, take your Griplock bolt and star washer and
mount the glider to the track with a flat head screw driver.
Repeat step 7 until all track has been hung.
Raise all the track to the desired height and cut off or tie up
the excess cable
Notes: Power track must be supported properly. A 2’ and
a 4’ section will have two hanging points. The 6’ and 8’ section
will have three hanging points. Do not use less as the aluminum track
is not made to be structural and the connectors between tracks are
not made to support a track section.
The 8’ power track often comes with 4 pre-drilled holes
in it. We recommend that you consider drilling your own holes
when using grip lock. The track comes with a pre-drilled hole
at one end at 2-1/2” (from the end). This is a good end
to start the power from. The other end of the track usually has
a larger hole further from the end (5-1/2” from the end)
You can use this hole, or make your own to keep the installation
even. Using a hole that is 5-1/2” from the end at the start
of the system will not look good and not match up well at the
canopy and straight cord end. In addition we recommend that you
drill a third hold in the center of the track when using the
6’ and 8’ track. The track is made of aluminum and
the longer sections should have three supports. The track must
be supported properly or the power feeds, mini joiners and other
connectors will not make proper contact.
We have found that when you install grip lock you should carefully
look at the direction the track is running electrically. There
are three copper buss bars in the track. Two on one side (ground
and neutral) and one on the other side (Hot). Make sure your
end power feed and other connectors will match up. In many cases
the connectors have a double ground and you will have to remove
one. Click here
to see more information on a double ground.
When you wire up your power feeds make sure the power is OFF
to avoid electrical shock. Always have a qualified electrical
contractor do all power connections. We found that it is MUCH
easier to wire the connector to the straight cord on the ground
and prepare the straight cord and the canopy cover before you
attach it to power overhead. When attaching the wires to the
overhead source, make sure you have the proper wire nuts and
that they are firmly tightened and secure.
During our last installation we went nuts because we had power
at the ceiling, at the end power feed but not the track. We replaced
the track, but still no power at the fixture. We checked the
fixture on another track and it worked fine. What we found is
that the end power feed contact point was slightly off center.
We gently bent it, maybe 2mm, and put it in the track. It made
proper contact with the buss bar in the track and everything
was
fine.
One more important point. When you cut the excess cable it is
best to use a “cable cutter” like the one pictured
here and eye protection. We purchased this one at Sears. If you
want to use ours you are welcome to. We will charge you for it,
and when you return it give you a refund. Let us know when you
place your order, or order it on the Griplock page. Any un-used
GripLock parts can be returned for a refund unless they have
been cut.
Cable Cutter
Tools
Needed
Drill
Used to drill extra holes
in the track for Grip Lock
Razor
Used to cut the Straight Cord
plastic casing
Screwdriver
Required to fasten all Grip
Lock parts and wire screws
Wire Stipper
Required to strip the wires
for electircal wiring
Cable Cutter
Used to cut the Grip Lock
cable (a must)
Power Feed, Straight Cord and Plate
fully assembled before installation
Extra
notes on GripLock installation: 
