Replacing my garage door opener soon. Any tips?

[ThirdgenTa]

Horsepower does not really matter on a regular size door. 1/2 horsepower is just fine. Make sure you get the proper angle iron if there is not already some there. I don't like the dinky ones that come with the opener. Make sure you have a T-25 stapler or else you can spend about an hour pounding those little staples that come with the opener into the wall. Just make sure you don't break the photo eye wires. Make sure you mount the photo eyes about 6 inches from the ground.
A tip about hanging the opener if you are by yourself, is once you have the front bracket mounted on the header, push the door open pretty high and put a vice grip below the bottom roller to hold it up. Then slide the opener over the top of the door. Reach up through the space at the front and put the pin in.
It's not rocket science to install an opener, but might take a little bit if you have never done it before.

 

[ThirdgenTa]

Who wants to come and adjust my spring, because I'm terrified of doing it myself

How heavy is the door? When you lift it, does it want to slam down? Some springs might need a slight 1/2 turn or so but a lot of times when I go to peoples houses to do that, turns out the last person put the wrong spring on.

 

[Primalzer]

How heavy is the door? When you lift it, does it want to slam down? Some springs might need a slight 1/2 turn or so but a lot of times when I go to peoples houses to do that, turns out the last person put the wrong spring on.

It's pretty heavy, it would definitely want to slam down

When I got the house inspected, the inspector mentioned that it might need another few cranks judging by how heavy it was

 

[Primalzer]

Call Dan - 630-217-9839
[MENTION=11661]garage door guy[/MENTION] Dan is awesome. Took care of our door, and Scott's. Highly recommended.

Was going to give him a call...but figured it might be as easy as someone average, with the know-how coming and doing it for a bit cheaper than the pros coming out for a full service call

 

[EmersonHart13]

Lots of people find garage springs terrifying. I just don't want to pay to replace it so I don't fuck with mine. Door seems balanced so I lube it up periodically (everything likes lube right?) and leave it alone.

A tip about hanging the opener if you are by yourself, is once you have the front bracket mounted on the header, push the door open pretty high and put a vice grip below the bottom roller to hold it up. Then slide the opener over the top of the door. Reach up through the space at the front and put the pin in.
It's not rocket science to install an opener, but might take a little bit if you have never done it before.

That is a good idea. I used two step ladders as my extra hands.

I second the upgraded angle iron. That dinky shit is silly....

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

switch to jack shaft to remove the hardware track clutter

 

[SinisterSHO]

Fwiw, Chamberlain, craftsman and lift master all are made by the same people.

Also, a belt on one of those is pretty much never going to break.

 

[EmersonHart13]

PS: Chamberlain also manufactures Craftsman-branded garage door openers sold at Sears stores as well as openers for the Raynor Garage Door Company. Craftsman and LiftMaster garage door openers are essentially Chamberlain models with casing suited to the different brands.

Fwiw, Chamberlain, craftsman and lift master all are made by the same people.

Side/shaft mount is out due to cost and fitment issues (bummer).

switch to jack shaft to remove the hardware track clutter

tldr?

 

[ThirdgenTa]

Lots of people find garage springs terrifying. I just don't want to pay to replace it so I don't fuck with mine. Door seems balanced so I lube it up periodically (everything likes lube right?) and leave it alone.

Garage doors are really not that complex. If you understand exactly how they operate, you will probably be safe. One of my old co-workers went to a house where a guy decided to take the center mount off that the springs mount to. Well it was still under load and it spun around 7 full turns in about 1 second. Not enough time to pull his hand away before it cut down to the bone.
Or people that use screwdrivers to wind the springs and then they break

Fwiw, Chamberlain, craftsman and lift master all are made by the same people.

Also, a belt on one of those is pretty much never going to break.

I think they have a lifetime warranty on the belt if I remember right

 

[Primalzer]

Garage doors are really not that complex. If you understand exactly how they operate, you will probably be safe. One of my old co-workers went to a house where a guy decided to take the center mount off that the springs mount to. Well it was still under load and it spun around 7 full turns in about 1 second. Not enough time to pull his hand away before it cut down to the bone.
Or people that use screwdrivers to wind the springs and then they break

Come and do mine, because your stories aren't helping my fear

 

[garage door guy]

Call me anytime 630 217 9839 and btw just because the same company make it for another doesn't mean they are all the same a liftmaster branded professional opener is much different than what you purchase at your big box stores. I would suggest a liftmaster 8550w or a 8355

 

[ktraver97ss]

I just call [MENTION=1317]ThirdgenTa[/MENTION]

 

[EmersonHart13]

LiftMaster 8355 Premium Series 1/2 HP AC Belt Drive MyQ Security+ 2.0 Replaces 3280 NO RAIL ASSEMBLY

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ELIKNPE/?tag=tcg21-20

8550w appears to be over budget

 

[garage door guy]

The only way the belt can break is if it was installed incorrect or the door is out of balance. My grandfather was a engineer for chamberlain and had a lot to do with the first generation belts. Its basically built like a radial tire. It has 7 steel bands inside

 

[garage door guy]

Dont purchase them from online you will need the rail assembly call me and buy directly

 

[EmersonHart13]

For less than 250?

 

[ThirdgenTa]

Come and do mine, because your stories aren't helping my fear

Where do you live

 

[Primalzer]

Where do you live

Wheeling just saw you live in Aurora...

 

[garage door guy]

Pm me what you want and I'll get you a price

 

[Primalzer]

Pm me what you want and I'll get you a price

PM'd

 

[garage door guy]

Sorry I was talking to Emerson hart about a opener price

 

[Primalzer]

Sorry I was talking to Emerson hart about a opener price

No worries, re-replied!

 

[torquelover]

Lift Master is virtually the same as Chamberlain. Flip through a parts manual and you'll see the same part numbers on the components. Same motors, same boards, same trolley, etc. Difference is the track, it's one piece versus the Chamberlain retail knock down track.

I've had 4 Chamberlain belt drives, 2 with battery backup, all worked flawlessly.

Your door needs to be counterbalanced. Open it half way and let go - it should stay right there or slowly move up or down when adjusted right.

 

[garage door guy]

The trolley not the same the professional one is all steel the big box stores has plastic guides and the rail is stamped square tube that clips together. The one piece iron rail and the case design makes the Liftmaster unit last a lot longer run smother and slightly more quiet. When installed with heavy duty one inch angle iron and the solid rail the head of the unit has less flex when being used and the parts inside will just last longer . Yes you will pay more buying from a door company but that goes along with anything..

 

[garage door guy]

And just because the door sits halfway doesn't mean its balanced proper. The door should be 10-20 lbs sitting on the floor and as every section rolls up into the Radius You should be able to let the door go and it will stay in place. It should also hold its self open. Their are some cases where this isnt possible but that would be a perfect balanced door.