Let's talk more about garage door openers.

[YY1]

So we have 2 rental houses, across the street from each other in the same neighborhood, built approximately at the same time 1999/2000.

Two tenants ago, the ditz backed into the garage door.
We had a new door and opener installed. Lift Master brand.
That was around 2019.

Yesterday the new tenant complained the garage door didn't operate properly and hasn't for months.
They have only been there since November, and were were there working before that and in and out multiple times a day through that door.

The chain is loose, the beam from motor to door bends and bucks at the travel extremes, and the door tries to go farther than the ground.
It is difficult to get it to stay down.

Garage door pro was just out today.
Says it's wore out and needs replaced.
For the record quoted $900, but also advised we could buy the opener at Lowes for $200 and they would match Lowes install price of $180.

The one across the street is a Genie screw drive that is now 24 years old and works fine.
Is it that much better than the other brand, or is it a screw vs chain thing?
I don't want another chain drive if we're only gonna get 5 years out of it.

I see screw drives aren't really being made any more.
That sucks. "unreliable in climate extremes" is the reason I'm seeing.
That doesn't really apply to FL.

I'm a little leery of a belt for the same reason as a chain.

Is this just a "new stuff really sucks vs 24 year old stuff" issue?

Anyone had a belt drive unit longer than 5 years?
What brand?

 

[ruffcut]

I can only add that I have 2 genie screw drives and are both 30 years old! Still working fine. (probably will have problems now!).
I don't see why the limits on yours can't be adjusted.
And, for the record, yes, new stuff is junk!
If things lasted longer, the manufacturers wouldn't sell as much, putting people out of work.
As usual, just my opinion.
Ruffcut

 

[Ron H]

I have a Sears Acme thread drive 1/2 HP I installed in '97 when we built our house, this same unit was in my first house for 9 years, and before that it was in my folks house for some 10-years...still doing what it's supposed to do. Two-years ago built a 2nd garage and had a firm install the openers, they came highly recommended - Lift-Master chain drive 1/2HP two of them cost $1,100 parts and labor. So far work perfectly and have it set to operate from our phones, that doesn't matter a whole lot to me. But that old Sears is the workhorse every day being in the main garage.

 

[tonysrt]

I have 3 Chamberlain openers from 06 -10 purchased and have been flawless. When I first moved in 40 years ago I bought a Stanley opener, and once in a while door would open during the night. They sent me new receiver and still same problem. I changed codes but nothing seemed to help. I don't see them anymore. I replaced it with Chamberlain and never had that problem any more. I replaced 1 because it was such a good deal I couldn't pass it up. That 1 was about 20 years old when I replaced it.

 

[YY1]

I looked closely at the chain and adjustment.
It looked so stretched that even if the adjuster was run all the way out, it would still be loose.
I had considered removing a couple links, but generally (on bicycles, anyway) that is a temporary fix, for a fair amount of labor.

I did just find that you can still get screw drive at Lowes/HD, but they are in the upper end feature-wise as well.
I don't really care to give them alexa or phone app access.
...but for about $300, (vs the $200 chain or belt) I think I will get another screw drive.

They show 3 screws of 24 different models.

 

[Sixpactogo]

So we have 2 rental houses, across the street from each other in the same neighborhood, built approximately at the same time 1999/2000.

Two tenants ago, the ditz backed into the garage door.
We had a new door and opener installed. Lift Master brand.
That was around 2019.

Yesterday the new tenant complained the garage door didn't operate properly and hasn't for months.
They have only been there since November, and were were there working before that and in and out multiple times a day through that door.

The chain is loose, the beam from motor to door bends and bucks at the travel extremes, and the door tries to go farther than the ground.
It is difficult to get it to stay down.

Garage door pro was just out today.
Says it's wore out and needs replaced.
For the record quoted $900, but also advised we could buy the opener at Lowes for $200 and they would match Lowes install price of $180.

The one across the street is a Genie screw drive that is now 24 years old and works fine.
Is it that much better than the other brand, or is it a screw vs chain thing?
I don't want another chain drive if we're only gonna get 5 years out of it.

I see screw drives aren't really being made any more.
That sucks. "unreliable in climate extremes" is the reason I'm seeing.
That doesn't really apply to FL.

I'm a little leery of a belt for the same reason as a chain.

Is this just a "new stuff really sucks vs 24 year old stuff" issue?

Anyone had a belt drive unit longer than 5 years?
What brand?

Sounds like you need a different Garage door pro.....My Sears chain driven opener bar bows a little when it get to the bottom also due to the down pressure on the floor. There are adjustment screws for the up and down stops located in the opener housing. I bet all you need is a screw driver to fix it. Do you have the owners manual? I just took a couple pics of mine. The chain has about an inch of sag in the middle of the bar. I doubt if your chain has stretched. Maybe the cable stretched or is in need of some adjustment.

 

[Lefty71]

Im liking the Chamberlain Jackshaft operator i bought a few years ago. Its a whole lot less linkage and contraptions since its bolted right onto the door pully shaft. Super quiet too.

 

[copper67sat]

I have a Chamberlain belt drive - 1/2 hp I think - on a 9' double door with hurricane reinforcement so it's a heavy door. Lifts it without any problems. I had to replace the belt after about 10 yrs - it started skipping because it was eating the teeth off the belt. Not bad for south FL heat. It lasted about 14-15 years before something in the electronics went bad after a thunderstorm. I tried replacing one of the circuit boards, but the one recommended by customer service didn't fix it so I ended up just replacing it with a newer version of the same unit.

IIRC you set the up/down door stops electronically on install and I've never had to adjust them after initial set. The bar does bow up slightly on full close when the door drives into the ground. It also bows down under load lifting the door, but I haven't had any issues with that. I am still using the original bar (extended version for the 9' door) as I only replaced the motor unit.

this is the only opener I've ever had so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I've been happy with it. Certainly beats raising/lowering the door manually.

 

[j-c-c-62]

Im liking the Chamberlain Jackshaft operator i bought a few years ago. Its a whole lot less linkage and contraptions since its bolted right onto the door pully shaft. Super quiet too.

This is the cat's meow.
Installed one at my daughters house a few years back, city inspector said he had never seen one.
Everyone loves it.

 

[YY1]

Chain is about 3 inches "loose".
Adjuster would take up about 1.5"
Bar bows what looks like 5 inches...violently.

If it was an adjustment, you would think the service person, who works for the company that did the initial install, would make it and make a sale.

Instead, they quoted $900 for a new unit installed (seems like what a sales/service tech might be supposed to do), but then-
Waived the service call fee, and suggested we buy a $200 unit from Lowes and use their $179 install service.

Why would they do that?
Especially if a simple adjustment would make it right.

BTW, Lowes does NOT carry screw drives.
HD does.
HD's installer service is years behind Lowes, though.

 

[toolmanmike]

I've got a Chain drive Stanley that has been working daily for probably 25 years. I had a new Overhead Door installed last year and the installer said it will probably last another 25. Spray a little lube on the tube and adjust the chain when needed.

 

[YY1]

At first we thought surely the tenants damaged it.
Maybe put something on their car while in the garage and backed into it.
It's that bad.

I'm one of those people that if you move something on my desk, it's the first thing I see when I come back in.
I surely would have noticed if it was behaving anywhere near that way back in October.
It was a easy turnover- basically a weekend, but we used that door probably a dozen times.

...but the installing dealer's tech said it's just "wore out".

...and again, if he could have adjusted it and made a $100 plus service call, why wouldn't he?

 

[slepr1]

I think its the luck of the draw quality wise. I have 3 cheap Chamberlain chain units that are around 19 years old and they work fine. It almost looks like the initial intall was incorrect or someone sabotaged the units by turning the adjustment screws to max. The fact that they lasted 3-4 years and have that many issues is odd. I'd replace them with a regular 1/2hp chain opener, around $200 (here), and have it installed by a different company. Before they leave make sure the door adjustments on the unit are all dialed in correctly. Have him walk you through the process of the adjustments so you know he did them. Some lazy installers will leave it on the default settings and walk away.

 

[Sixpactogo]

Chain is about 3 inches "loose".
Adjuster would take up about 1.5"
Bar bows what looks like 5 inches...violently.

If it was an adjustment, you would think the service person, who works for the company that did the initial install, would make it and make a sale.

Instead, they quoted $900 for a new unit installed (seems like what a sales/service tech might be supposed to do), but then-
Waived the service call fee, and suggested we buy a $200 unit from Lowes and use their $179 install service.

Why would they do that?
Especially if a simple adjustment would make it right.

BTW, Lowes does NOT carry screw drives.
HD does.
HD's installer service is years behind Lowes, though.

Wow! a 5" bow.........That is nasty. Must be a thinwall metal tube and not a steel angle bar like mine. I think you are right in replacing it.

 

[YY1]

It's a "T" shape, but not entirely sure of construction.

We were only there for about 20 minutes, but after I determined the chain could not be brought tight using the adjustment, we decided to call a pro.

 

[ckessel]

I have the Chamberlin/Liftmaster direct drive/jackshaft units too. Great unit and it frees up all of the space you loose from the usual center hung units. If you get the MyQ app from them, you can open with your phone which is a plus. Until you have issues and you get crickets from the company as their customer service is well known to be non existent.

 

[MCODECUDA]

I have the Chamberlin/Liftmaster direct drive/jackshaft units too. Great unit and it frees up all of the space you loose from the usual center hung units. If you get the MyQ app from them, you can open with your phone which is a plus. Until you have issues and you get crickets from the company as their customer service is well known to be non existent.

They are the only ones that I’ll use. I’ve had three of them and all have worked flawlessly for over 10 years.

 

[MCODECUDA]

Im liking the Chamberlain Jackshaft operator i bought a few years ago. Its a whole lot less linkage and contraptions since its bolted right onto the door pully shaft. Super quiet too.

They are the only ones that I’ll use. I’ve had three of them and all have worked flawlessly for over 10 years.

 

[ckessel]

The MyQ issue is on our list of tech problems to go over when our local tech guy comes by. When it worked, it was awesome. No need to have a remote in the vehicle to get stolen on a break in.