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Garage Door Opener Question
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:32 pm
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:32 pm
Trying to figure out if I have a spring problem or worn out motor problem. Motor is pretty old, probably 15 years or so if I had to guess. Door goes up about a foot then motor sounds strained and cuts off. I can get it open if I turn on motor and push up on the door by hand at the same time. Do the electric openers "wear out" over time or do they just stop working altogether and not even come on? I'll tackle the motor, not so sure I'll try the spring myself. What y'all think? Motor, spring, or the obvious, garage door AIDS? TIA!
9
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:34 pm to Slim Chance
How up to date are you on your track, rollers, chain and chain guide lubrication?
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:35 pm to Slim Chance
Maybe a capacitor issue? It's like a big fuse. Cheap and easy fix if so.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:38 pm to Slim Chance
when you pull the release, will the door move freely when you push manually?
If so, then I'm guessing you have some worn out gears.
Usually those gears are made of plastic and will wear causing the motor not to lift.
Replacement parts shouldn't be too expensive.
If so, then I'm guessing you have some worn out gears.
Usually those gears are made of plastic and will wear causing the motor not to lift.
Replacement parts shouldn't be too expensive.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:40 pm to Slim Chance
Disconnect the drive system with the emergency handle and verify if the door can go up and down easily by hand first. The opener is designed to be an assist to the springs and the door must be in balance to begin with. IE it should raise and lower pretty easily by hand.
If the door goes up and down easily by hand then the opener has problems. It is fairly typical for bronze bushings and plastic gears to wear/strip out in openers. Sometimes all that is needed is an adjustment of the opener force settings.
If you're handy you can rebuild the opener or just buy a new drive unit. Chamberlain are good for the money.
If the door goes up and down easily by hand then the opener has problems. It is fairly typical for bronze bushings and plastic gears to wear/strip out in openers. Sometimes all that is needed is an adjustment of the opener force settings.
If you're handy you can rebuild the opener or just buy a new drive unit. Chamberlain are good for the money.
This post was edited on 6/16/17 at 5:41 pm
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:41 pm to Slim Chance
I'm absolutely stunned there are semi legit replies
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:50 pm to TheWalrus
I'm stunned at the responses too, lol. It's actually my mother in law's door, so I'm not in front of it right now, but I do remember I had to put forth quite a bit of effort to manually raise it. So it sounds like a good chance there's a track/ roller issue. I know for a fact the door hasn't seen any lubricating for at least the 6 years or so that she's owned the house. Thanks for the advice. I'm going to go over there tomorrow and go over it more thoroughly.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 5:54 pm to Slim Chance
I had this same issue, it would open about a foot and then I would have to help it to go the rest of the way. My spring was shot, although I knew it was the spring because it was in 2 pieces.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 6:44 pm to Slim Chance
Just changed mine out last weekend.... motherboard fried from all the storms....would open a little then close again check the spring to see if it's broken.....if it is call someone to fix it don't try and install new spring your self..... if not unplug motor open it up an look at capacitor if it's leaking its bad and can be replaced..if not then inspect the motherboard for any discoloration if you find any it's not worth changing just go to one of the big boxes and get a new GDO... run you about $190.00 ......installed mine in two hours
This post was edited on 6/16/17 at 7:27 pm
Posted on 6/16/17 at 6:59 pm to TheWalrus
If you have a kid around the house, put a ladder up to the door spring and let them untension it so you can lube the interior of the spring.
It's binding and kids smaller hands are wonderful for the disassembly process.
It's binding and kids smaller hands are wonderful for the disassembly process.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 7:00 pm to Slim Chance
Don't do it yourself. That spring retains lots of potential energy. Enough to kill a human.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 7:07 pm to cascade
quote:
My spring was shot, although I knew it was the spring because it was in 2 pieces.
Yep, that's a pretty good indicator the spring is bad.
Posted on 6/16/17 at 7:27 pm to Slim Chance
quote:
the door hasn't seen any lubricating for at least the 6 years or so
Get a spray oil like marine fogging oil. It has a higher oil content than WD40. Spray it in the bearings on each roller (on the sides)and on the chain.
The chain attaches to a small plate that runs along a track that should be shaped like a T. Put some grease on the track where the small plate slides along the T. (Bottom and top)
It sounds like friction is making your motor overwork. While friction is a bad thing for garage doors, I fully get it that without friction, none of us would be here.
Pics of mother-in-law and her daughter?
Posted on 6/16/17 at 7:29 pm to Slim Chance
quote:
openers "wear out"
of course, just like everything else, sounds like you might need either , a spring adjustment, or maybe new springs, but 15 years is pretty good ROI, maybe just get a new opener
Posted on 6/16/17 at 9:16 pm to 777Tiger
Mine took a crap ,spring broke same issue about a foot then nothing . Lubed it up and added two bungee cords works like a champ . Going to get new springs and rollers this summer since the wife is home all day.
Posted on 6/25/17 at 6:21 pm to Slim Chance
So I made it back to mil's house to check out the garage door. Sure enough, the spring is broken into 2 pieces. It snapped about a foot from one end. I told her she'd need to call someone out to fix that.
Anything I should keep an eye on that would've caused that, or is it just a case of shite happens over time?
Anything I should keep an eye on that would've caused that, or is it just a case of shite happens over time?
Posted on 6/25/17 at 6:28 pm to Slim Chance
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