Garage door opener installation

[RedNeckRacin]

If you get some bar stock the size of the holes on the 4 sided clamp its not that big of deal. Get them about 18" long and you should have no problem winding the spring up. (Granted I am 6'2" and 220lbs and have pretty good upper body strength!) When you get close, let the bar rest against the door or the header and you dont have to worry about the spring. I have a small 8'x'8 access door in the barn and the cables came off twice in one day due to some ice on the cable pulleys. Not a fun day, but def not worth a service call to a garage door repairman. Take your time and realize the stored energy that your dealing with. Make sure the bars are seated full as well.

 

[KennyG]

Winding torsion springs isn't that big a deal IF you understand the process. As long as you stay out of the path of the winding bars, you should be safe. However, this should be considered a two man job for amateurs. When you accidentally drop one of the winding bars or the wrench you tighten the set screws with, you need a helper. Don't ask how I know that.

 

[s219]

I agree, the springs are a doable job, but they are one of the few jobs I am *mega* careful about (another being working in a breaker panel close to live main lugs). It's a very low tech job, but could become extremely dangerous. I use two cut off pieces of rod stock (1/2" I think, 18" long) with the ends chamfered lightly, and keep two 1/4" wrenches handy for the set screws (if I only had one I'd lose it somehow). Stand on a 4' ladder and go slow and careful.

One thing I have found helpful is to paint horizontal stripes on the springs before adjusting them, so that later on you have a reference to work with when re-tensioning everything. Makes it easy to get back to where you started. Springs usually have some sort of factory striping but it's hard to see after some years and it's not always helpful for an already tensioned spring. Also make sure the door doesn't stick for any reason (paint, friction, etc) as that can really trick your tensioning work. I remember doing one door for a neighbor that was sticky the first 1-2 feet and then launched itself with too much force (actually shot back and up and rammed into the stops on the end of the track). We backed off the spring a little, but then had to fix his door gaskets to make it easy enough to raise without sticking.

 

[Bird]

All the garage door springs I'd seen in the past were black, but when I had one break and had them replaced on December 2, 2011, the guy asked if I wanted the galvanized springs, so I paid more but have them. I think he said the other springs had a 10 year warranty and the galvanized a lifetime warranty.

 

[murphy1244]

Yep, Lift Master calls it "Wall Mount". https://www.liftmaster.com/For-Homes/Garage-Door-Openers/Elite-Series/model-8500

View attachment 404106

Any one know the cost of his?

 

[aczlan]

Any one know the cost of his?

Amazon says $325 for a 8500 kit Liftmaster 8500 Wall Mount Garage Door Opener - - Amazon.com or $275 for just the 3900 opener: Amazon.com: LiftMaster 3900 Light Duty Commercial Jackshaft Operator: Home Improvement

Aaron Z

 

[s219]

Look on eBay -- they are cheaper there. I bought a "two-pack" of new 8500 openers from a dealer for $540 last summer, so $270 each. Shipping was free.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have normal openers on my other two doors same series though. Battery back up, belt driven with soft start and stop. Awesome really. Good match with the horman doors.

I put in Hormann Doors in Austria... well made and insulated with pinch point protection and quality ball bearing rollers.

Also put in Horman branded openers.

Did not know Hormann was available in North America.

 

[yelbike]

I put in Hormann Doors in Austria... well made and insulated with pinch point protection and quality ball bearing rollers.

Also put in Horman branded openers.

Did not know Hormann was available in North America.

I didn't go with hormann openers only because the install was from friend and didn't recommend them, can't really remember why. The doors have been great. I really love like my liftmaster openers with battery back. Soft start/stop belt and drive makes for a really quiet operation.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Looks interesting , so does it rely on the door weight to actually close the door?