Garage door ?

sixpack577

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Bought a house a few weeks ago.
It has new garage doors, but they only have a sliding bar inside to lock each of them.
No external handles or lock cylinders, or automatic openers.
I have no experience at all with automatic openers.
I would like something low profile or wall mount(have 2 doors), and with a key pad outside.
Any advice on what to buy, what to avoid, or installation tips would be greatly appreciated.
I plan on adding them in a couple months as I have time.
Thanks
 
Honestly, I would check with an overhead door company to see what kind of prices you can get. May just be me but those things can be a *****.
 
First pair of door openers I had were Sears Crafstman. Didnt last more than a few years. Second pair I bought from Lowe's. Going on 8yrs with no issues. Installation is simple,can be done with a basic tool kit and basic mechanical knowledge. Takes better part of 4hrs to do both. Just make sure whichever opener you buy has a rolling-code so other garage door openers cannot open your doors.
 
Belt or Screw drive over chain. At least 3/4 hp and if you have a 16' wide extra heavy door you might consider 1hp.


The new Chamberlain "My Q" technology is pretty neat. I'd recommend it over a keypad outside. It connects to your wifi and you can open the door from your smart phone, from anywhere. But the best thing is you can create notifications. I have mine set to notify my if the door is open 5 minutes. And again if it is open 30 minutes. If I drive off and wonder if I left the door open, I can look at the app for status instead of turning back around to check it.

Mine is a retrofit version that works with most anything. I have it connected to a 16 year old Genie and a Garage Master (likely a Chamberlain product). Less than a $100 for the master unit and you can add a second door for under $30.
 
I can tell u this much don't leave your new grill in way then hit shut button:unhappy:
I tried dash over pull it out way prob should hit button again no real damage at least hit the grill fairly hard
went back up and went beep beep beep 2 signal did not cycle correct. Seems be ok now and my beloved new grill just got mark on it
 
I don't have a lot of experience with them, but I can tell you that our Genie screw drive opener has been installed for 15 years and still runs like a champ. We've lived here for 6.5 years and have never had any trouble with it. Considering that we generally use the garage door in place of the front door of the house, it gets a lot of use and never complains. An exterior keypad would be a nice addition though.
 
I have bought an after market keypad for my door and one for my parents. It is great as I don't have to run inside when I want it open.

I have a chain drive right now but you have to stay on top of the chain lash adjustment ( just like your bike) other wise it will keep thinking it hit something and the safety override will bring the door up again.

Last place I lived had a screw type they are quieter and you do need to lube the screw from time to time. Only issue I had with it was the piece that connected the carrier to the drive was plastic and cracked after years of use. Not expensive or hard to fix but I would have one extra in the tool box just in case.

I am toying with the idea of the bet drive next time I need to replace it.
 
Craftsman belt drive has worked well for ten years. I have an add-on universal battery powered keypad mounted outside made by chamberlain. It supports code rolling and the other security schemes. I think it cost 29 bucks but it's been a while. Been in place for 5 years without a problem.
 
i suggest craftman professional at least 3/4 hp but bigger if you can. They are easy to instal if you can read simple instructions. I did 4 of them here at my house little over 4 years ago and have had zero problems with them. I have external keypads as well. I like the lock feature on them as well. About once a year i take and put a little lube on everything and call it good. Havent had to change the batts yet even though i think it may be coming up soon:)
 
BTW, DuPont Chain Saver is an excellent lubricant for the rollers, roller shafts, tracks and anything else that pivots and rolls. Just hold a rag under whatever you are spraying and then wipe off the excess. If you spray the roller shafts that slide in and out of the roller carriers it will really quiet the door operation and lessen the load on the drive motor. Also spray the bar that the door shuttle rides on.
 
What ever one you get this can be had off eBay for $5. I keep it clipped on the inside of a jacket pocket and don't have to get off or stop the bike to get into my garage.

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i have the chamberlain belt, i have also had screw drives before. Both are better than chain just for the quietness. Current one has myq on it and comes with timers in them that you can set to what ever you want that way if you forget the door automatically closes.
 
Belt or Screw drive over chain. At least 3/4 hp and if you have a 16' wide extra heavy door you might consider 1hp.


The new Chamberlain "My Q" technology is pretty neat. I'd recommend it over a keypad outside. It connects to your wifi and you can open the door from your smart phone, from anywhere. But the best thing is you can create notifications. I have mine set to notify my if the door is open 5 minutes. And again if it is open 30 minutes. If I drive off and wonder if I left the door open, I can look at the app for status instead of turning back around to check it.

Mine is a retrofit version that works with most anything. I have it connected to a 16 year old Genie and a Garage Master (likely a Chamberlain product). Less than a $100 for the master unit and you can add a second door for under $30.


Yep - belt and screw drive is a lot quieter than chain. The same DuPont lubricant for your Busa chain works great to lubricate the moving door parts and also those of the opener.
I have the same retro-fit MyQ unit on my 16' door and love it! I also have an outside keypad because 1) the kids don't have access to the app and 2) I don't always have my phone on me when I'm outside and want to get in. I believe Chamberlain makes some (if not all) of the Sears/Craftsman openers. For me, I've had Sears and Genie and they've all worked out well!
 
I bought a Genie 3/4 hp belt drive(try out on one door before doing the other).
My problem now is a low ceiling, and rafters that run perpendicular to the garage door tracks.
The doors(7') have 2 tension springs each, one on each outer side of the door tracks.
I'm also about 99% sure that there isn't enough overhead clearance to add a round wound spring(the kind that sits directly above the door and spans its width, connecting to each side of the tracks.
My question is this; don't the tension springs do the same thing as the roundwound spring? And a standard ceiling mount opener will work with either spring set up? I think it will, but as said in my first post, I have no experience with garage doors or openers.
I am going to call Genie later today, but have no idea if they will be of any help.
I always like to ask those who have done it, not someone on the phone reading the same instructions I have...which don't answer or even address my issue.
Thanks for any help.
 
I bought a Genie 3/4 hp belt drive(try out on one door before doing the other).
My problem now is a low ceiling, and rafters that run perpendicular to the garage door tracks.
The doors(7') have 2 tension springs each, one on each outer side of the door tracks.
I'm also about 99% sure that there isn't enough overhead clearance to add a round wound spring(the kind that sits directly above the door and spans its width, connecting to each side of the tracks.
My question is this; don't the tension springs do the same thing as the roundwound spring? And a standard ceiling mount opener will work with either spring set up? I think it will, but as said in my first post, I have no experience with garage doors or openers.
I am going to call Genie later today, but have no idea if they will be of any help.
I always like to ask those who have done it, not someone on the phone reading the same instructions I have...which don't answer or even address my issue.
Thanks for any help.

OK a couple of things.

IMO the first thing to check with the new opener is when you push the button (starts) and then push it again to stop it and then push it again DOES IT REVERSE?
If so OK - IF NOT RETURN IT. I have 2 garage door openers of different brands one reverses and one carrys on in the same direction - I hate that feature. Ask my why later.

The tension springs that run along the tracks are old technology and if the break - which they do - anything in the area will suffer damage.
But Yes the opener should work with either setup.

I looked and my doors have the tension spring on a rod which is located about 4" above the tracks that the door rides on going up or down.
It is about 10-12" above the top of the door but BELOW the drive screw that holds the arm that pulls the door up. It might have been able to have
been mounted lower but I had plenty of room so there was no problem.

Are you saying you don't have 4" above the rails that the roller wheels ride in? That would be 4" above the rails AT the door opening.
Because that is about all you would need room wise to change over to the tension spring.

It's actually a bar that runs across the length of the door with the spring near the middle and rollers for cable on the ends which attach to the door.

I can take pictures if you want - or maybe you could take pictures of what you have and we could give better advice if that's what you want. :laugh:
 
Bought a house a few weeks ago.
It has new garage doors, but they only have a sliding bar inside to lock each of them.
No external handles or lock cylinders, or automatic openers.
I have no experience at all with automatic openers.
I would like something low profile or wall mount(have 2 doors), and with a key pad outside.
Any advice on what to buy, what to avoid, or installation tips would be greatly appreciated.
I plan on adding them in a couple months as I have time.
Thanks
I like my Liftmaster garage doors with the center ceiling mount, belt drive for my main garage doors. I push a Chamberland jack shaft wall mount (made by liftmaster) especially for my side storage just for our bikes. This door has the shaft spring over the door. I couldn’t use the standard center mount on that door. It was a little pricey (about $550 and $40 for the key fob) but so convenient.
 
I like my Liftmaster garage doors with the center ceiling mount, belt drive for my main garage doors. I push a Chamberland jack shaft wall mount (made by liftmaster) especially for my side storage just for our bikes. This door has the shaft spring over the door. I couldn’t use the standard center mount on that door. It was a little pricey (about $550 and $40 for the key fob) but so convenient.
Thanks, but I sold that house over a year ago, lol
 
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