Garage Door Opener Questions

[Krystonia5]

My garage door is acting strange, and it's about 14 years old, so I plan to replace it. Can someone help with the following questions?

1. What brands do you recommend?
2. Where's the best place to buy (Cosco, Home Depot, Sears, etc)?
3. How many horsepower do I need?

I have a 2-car garage, with a door that rolls up, sheet metal, no insulation.

In case anybody recommends fixing a 14 year old garage door rather than replacing, here's the symptoms (it's a Stanley brand opener with chain drive):

A couple of days ago, the door started not shutting all the way. The first day it left a 1" gap, then the 2nd day about 2". On the 3rd day, when I was closing it, it only closed half way and then opened again, and it opened beyond the stop and the door actually hit the drive mechanism but I stopped it before it damaged the door. Can this type of problem be a simple re-calibration problem? I doubt it, and i'm afraid i'll damage the door or cause an unsafe situation if i just try to mess with it until it "seems" to work.

thanks! Paul

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, over the 14 years, have you done anything? Limit switches, chain streches over time, lubrication, etc. Also check the sprockets, and springs. Tony

[G. Morgan]

On 21 Oct 2004 01:12:38 GMT "Krystonia5" used 22 lines of text to write in newsgroup: alt.home.repair

Those Stanley operators are junk. The tube rail was a bad idea then, and still is. The best opener is made by Chamberlain (lift-Master, Craftsman). The Lift-Master is preferable because it has a one piece rail.

It sounds like the limit mechanism in your Stanley is toast.

-Graham

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[Wumpus]

Sure - I had the exact same problem until yesterday (I just had my old opener replaced).

Liftmaster.

None of the above. Get it from a reputable garage door company (the same people that install the doors generally sell and install the openers) and get them to install it for you. The cost of installation is fairly low (it cost me $90CDN) and it's one less pain in the butt do do yourself.

It depends on how big the door is - check with a garage door company and they'll be able to tell you. For most 2-car garages, a 1/2 horsepower opener is plenty.

Don't fix it - it's not worth the effort.

The limiting mechanism (the gizmo that determines how far down the door will go) is shot. It's not something worth repairing (it's the exact same problem I had with our old opener).

[frank roarty]

[e-mail] > I reccomend Sears unless you have a lift master dealer nearby, both made by chamberlain but the dealer models are 1 pc rails and upgraded noise suppression and heavier angle iron make it an even smoother operator.a 1/2 hp is normally used for a doublewide door

- the "steel belted" drive systems are really quiet.

left a 1" gap, then the 2nd day about 2". On the 3rd day, when I was

1st guess: the inconsistent closed door position is normally the mounting system above the door is pulling free. typical scenario is 2x4 above door for opener mounting bracket is nailed in with too few or too small nails and it starts pulling free (i use 5/16 x 3.5" lag bolts) - dont be surprised to find opener only held in place by ceiling mounts and free to move forward or backward opposite motion of your door -this will shorten or lengthen the usable portion of rail and change both endpoints. 2nd guess. open cover -look at proportional sensors - the open close position dials set a stationary elec contact for each and a worm gear taps off main drive with a moving contactor that rides back and forth between the stationary contacts -look to see if some of the white grease from gears has gotten on the contacts and clean off - test while open should see door stop in current direction when the moving contact touches the stationary.

I have opener problem faq here

[Danny]

Chalk up another one for Chamberlain and those that it sells under other names, listed here. This is what my door man said to me when I asked him the same thing. He gave me a thumbs down on extra horsepower openers (I guess provided you have a fairly normal sized door) if your opener and door were set up correctly. He gave a thumbs up to belt drive units and a thumbs down to Genie screw drive (it is a screw drive that they offer, correct?) He didn't like Genie in particular in all models, especially the screw drive models, citing noise developing on these as they aged.

Hope this helps,

Danny

"G. Morgan" wrote:

[Tony Hwang]

Hmmm, My screw drive opener is 11 years old and still going strong. Never needed repair. Just spraying liquid wrench on the drive screw twice a year. Tony

[Michael Baugh]

Some people put them in and forget them. The noise they make as their lubrication fails reminds them that routine lube is a good thing. Might also apply to their sex life too.

[twfsa]

But doesn't the liquid wrench sling onto the exterior of the door,I'll bet it does leave a grease trail on the door.

Tom

[nospambob]

[Michael Baugh]

He said he puts the Liquid Wrench on the screw drive. Nowhere close to the door. I use lithium grease in exactly the same fashion, and I give a squirt into the outside locks at the same time.

[Bob_M]

Faced with the same situation a few years ago I opted to go with OverHead Door's "Phantom" units (perhaps owned/made by Alliance). These units are the belt drive units and I can honestly say they are the quietes door openers I've ever heard. Our doors are located directly under the master bedroom and I can actually sneak out in the early AM without waking my spouse.

[Oscar_Lives]

You ain't heard nothing yet until you have heard a Marantec "MacLift" opener. My new house has one and it is silent. DC motor with programmable acceleration/deceleration rates, LED troubleshooting, etc.

This is one damn nice opener!

[twfsa]

Yeh, but as the door raises, it comes with in 20 inches of the screw drive when the door is up or fully opened.

Tom

[RT]

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