I came home to a door about 75% shut. When I try to open or close the door, my very old opener shudders and grinds. I'll take it down and look at it, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the market for a new unit.
What's good out there?
genie
Go to Sears and pick up a belt drive unit.
On Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:01:21 -0500, against all advice, something compelled snipped-for-privacy@mucks.net, to say:
It looks like the belt drive is sold to those with noise issues.
Noise isn't an issue for me. I live alone, so when the door is moving I'm usually in the car. And if I'm not in the car, I'm in the garage, not the bed.
Is there some other advantage to the belt drive besides how much noise it makes when it's running?
I've hand great service from Genie screw drive openers. I especially like the Genie Accelerator, it opens at twice normal speed. I've got one that's at least 30 years old on a one piece double door.
Sounds like two problems- jamming door and burned out motor or stripped gear in the opener. Make sure the door opens and closes smoothly when operated manually, before installing a different opener.
-- aem sends...
Release the door from the opener arm & see it the door works easily by hand.
But if yours is making nasty noises it might be more than a door balancing issue.
I have good luck with Genie, Liftmaster & Sears.
The Genie & the LIftmasters were screw drive; Sears were chain drives.
I like the screw drives but I'm really not sure the realtive benefits of each type.
cheers Bob
I assembled and installed a HeathKit screw drive opener for my 16' wooden door in 1972. In 1997, the phase-shift capacitor failed. I was gonna call Heath and complain ... they disappeared. I put in a new cap. The opener continues to work just fine. On a couple of occasions, I found that one of the torque springs had broken some time earlier and my opener never even noticed! Screw drive openers rock.
I bought a Sears screw drive a few years ago. Once a year, almost like clockwork, the trolley rack (the piece that engages the screw drive) strips, and I have to replace it. The first time Sears sent me a replacement part under their warranty, but the second time they wanted to send a repairman out, who I would have to pay $60+, to confirm I needed the part. So, I resigned myself to replacing it (for about $15) once a year...
I won't buy or recommend one of these to anyone, nor would I recommend anyone rely on Sears' warranty any more.
What are people's reliability experiences with Sears belt vs screw drive, and Genie vs Sears screw drive?
Low cost, easy to repair, and inexpensive to repair.
Chamberlain from Costco.
Fix the door so it opens and closes by hand, then change the drive guts in the opener unit. Google by make and model.
Anything with a worm drive, I stay away from chain drive.
On Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:30:06 -0800 (PST), against all advice, something compelled BobK207 , to say:
The door is fine. I can open and close it by hand with little effort.
The house was built in the early seventies, and I'm sure that the opener is original. It's time has come.
I bought a Genie HyperVelocity (sp?) screw drive, and I'll install it this weekend. Thank you all for your input.
Of the many Genie's I've had I've only worn out one of those trolley racks. I think it took 20 years of daily use.
My Genie has been working on my two-car garage door since 1992, no problems at all with the Genie. I did have to replace the springs, but that's not part of Genie. I buy from Sears less and less.
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