We have a Liftmaster garage door opener that keeps stripping the nylon gears. I happened to notice that the opener was installed off-center about two feet. There are two doors side-by-side, and the installer did this to both sides toward the center to conveniently only have to wire electricity to one common point. I am convinced that this off-center mounting of the drive motors causes a natural binding in the tracks as the doors start rising. Hence the stripped gears.
In my opinion, openers should only be installed to “pull” up on the center of the door.
Thoughts? Am I right?
Replies
Try disconnecting the door and opeing it by hand and look for resistance.
Run the opener without the door and listen to it and see if it is bindying anywhere.
You might try contacting Liftmaster tech support, http://www.liftmaster.com/cw/contact_us/
But I doubt that this is causing your problem.
What drive does yours have, screw, chain, or belt?
Now I could see where it might bind if the track is not parrallel to the door track. That would cause the arm to move sideways and twist the opener track. And that might bind, specially on a screw drive.
It is cahin drive, and it is a 10 footer not an eight.
whats a cahin drive? Is that something like a CHAIN drive?
There's one in every forum. Glad you were smart enough to figure it out.
Sounds like the door is too heavy or the lift is too small. What kind of door? 40 year old wood door soaked with rain? Probably weighs half a ton.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Or springs not adjusted correctly.
I have 25 yo wood door driven by a 1/3 hp liftmaster that does not complain. It did when one spring broke and it would only open it 1/2 the time. Just ran it 3 or 4 times before I realized what happened.
But mine does have plastic cam for the limit control, but not in the main drive line.
Good point on the springs.
Note to michael ... important ... if one or more of the springs are broken or need adjustment, go ahead and pay the garage door service guy to do it. Working on coil garage springs is very dangerous. I have done it once, cuz I didn't believe what people told me. Not any more. It's worth the service call at any price.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Metal door, un-insulated, and brand new (less than two years)
That's a pretty light door to be having problems. Here's a quickie way to check the spring tension ... pull the emergency release so the door moves without the opener ... lower the door until the bottom edge is about 3 ft to 3 ft 6 in off the floor .. let go and the door should stay in place. If it falls (closes), then the spring tension is too light. If it opens, then the springs are too strong and it could be straining the opener when it tries to close the door.Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Yes, that is light, VERY LIGHT.
I forget to add that mine was an 18 ft wood door. IT IS HEAVY.
Do what I suggested run the door with the opener disconnected and feel for an catching or restrictions.
Run the opener disconnected from the door and listen for any sound that there is binding. And watch the track and see if it flexes.
Then repeat with the door connected. You might want to get a ladder and get behind the opener so that you can watch the track for the full range of motion.
Then try Liftmaster support if you don't find anything at that point.