We replaced a failed Craftsman unit that lasted 15 years with a Liftmaster unit that has lasted 7. It won't maintain tension on the chain and there is a grinding noise coming from the motor. I've tried re-tensioning the chain and all the other suggested troubleshooting but I just think this opener is on the way out. Any brand suggestions for a standard suburban 16x7 foot door? I would also like to replace the door with an insulated one but the prices are way out there ($2,700 for R6.5).
Any Long Lasting garage door openers?
- Thread starter netbrad
- Start date
D45
Well-known member
Wow!!!!
I had 3 double walled insulated garage doors installed for $3200 12 years ago
Two of the doors are single bay doors and one is a two car width
I really like the added insulation for cold and noise control
My Liftmasters are going string after 12 years.
I think most people use too weak of openers and need the extra hp rating
I had 3 double walled insulated garage doors installed for $3200 12 years ago
Two of the doors are single bay doors and one is a two car width
I really like the added insulation for cold and noise control
My Liftmasters are going string after 12 years.
I think most people use too weak of openers and need the extra hp rating
MooreGarage
Active member
Our garage has two 8' doors, the Genie screw drive openers were installed when the garage was built 22 years ago. One of them finally died about 2 months ago, and I replaced it with a Genie jackshaft opener. Loving the jackshaft opener so far. It was much easier to install than an overhead opener, and it is very quiet and smooth. It is a little bit slower opening than the old one, but I'm okay with that.
I figure the other opener is on its last legs, and when it dies, I'll be getting another Genie jackshaft opener.
I figure the other opener is on its last legs, and when it dies, I'll be getting another Genie jackshaft opener.
M-technik-3
Well-known member
Got rid of a 35 year old chamberlain chain drive and replaced it with a belt driven Riyobi that was on super clearance at HD and got bunch of attachments basically for free.
Will it last as long as Chamberlain I doubt it but it's quiet.
Will it last as long as Chamberlain I doubt it but it's quiet.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
Do it yourself. I installed that foil backed bubble material in two doors in under two hours. I doubt the cost of materials was $200.
Did tis work? There was an almost instant improvement. It was a cold day. The furnace had been running constantly. After I finished one door. the furnace shut off and came back on in 30 minutes. After both doors were insulated, the furnace cycled about once an hour.
Something else you may like to do is, install a ceiling fan. The fan will prevent the warm air from rising and the cooler air hanging around the floor.
If you are into shopping Craigslist, there may be a good deal there. I got two fans for $10 and free.
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Lorydr
Well-known member
I've used a Genie belt drive operator for almost 15 years. 10 years ago it needed a plastic gear changed to a metal gear. Other than that, it has been great for my 16' heavy door.
On the insulation thingy…do it yourself. I have the commercial grade Chamberlains on 5 overhead doors. They have two grades…get the good ones and you should be fine. On the extra weight…welp just follow the instructions for the proper settings.kbuhagiar
Well-known member
I think it needs to be said that door "weight" is relative; if the door springs are sized and adjusted correctly, the door should "weigh" very little to the opener and provide a minimum of resistance, thus requiring less effort to open (and close). A poorly adjusted door will create more of a burden on the opener, thus shortening its life.
This is not to explain away the pathetic lifespan of modern openers (and most other appliances), but as a way to get the longest life from them.
This is not to explain away the pathetic lifespan of modern openers (and most other appliances), but as a way to get the longest life from them.
My Stanleys date back to 1983 and are chugging along. I can even buy repair parts if needed.
I see their facility called "Access Technologies" in the next town but I'm not sure if they still make residential products.
I see their facility called "Access Technologies" in the next town but I'm not sure if they still make residential products.
What is the name of the insulation?
Generic for specific to garage doors?
Right. Without an opener in the picture we open the doors by hand with little effort if the springs and adjustment are correct.
I have a professionally installed insulated metal door that flies open by hand.
Went to Lowe’s and bought 4x8 sheets of 1 1/4” styrofoam insulation boards with foil for the door panels…then I bought rolls of that foil bubble insulation and laid that over the panels (Under hinges) to seal up the little gaps. Works awesome.
CombatNinja
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2013
- Messages
- 1,456
I think that, generally speaking, garage door openers last a long, long time. My Liftmasters in my home are 22 years old and going strong. My Mom's place has a Genie that dates to the Reagan administration for crying out loud. It's like anything else around the home. The amount of time it lasts is directly proportional to the maintenance it receives. No 1/3 hp garage door opener can pull up a door if the spring is out of adjustment or the moving parts have not been lubricated/cleaned in 5 years. OP, it sounds like one of your gears may be chewed up. Parts are probably available, and cheap. Try to diagnose before you go throwing away hundreds on a new opener.
I don't think you can go wrong with a Genie or Liftmaster. I prefer Liftmaster because (at least, taking into account the two homes I've jumped between that had each brand respectively) I feel like they are quieter and slightly faster than the Genie openers. Could just be the particular models we had though or another factor.
visionguru
Well-known member
To open the garage door, the garage door opener actually contributed very little pulling force (one proof is that the gears inside are actually plastic). It's the torsion spring that does most of the heavy lifting. If you have good torsion springs, rollers/door hinges are well lubricated, ANY garage door opener would last a long time.
"grinding noise" means the opener is struggling, suggesting the door is too hard to pull. You probably find grounded plastic powders inside the opener, the gears need to be replaced. It takes 15 minutes $20 parts to replace the plastic gears, but the problem is rarely the opener. Disconnect the door from the opener, if you can't open/close easily by hand, then that's the problem. You might need to adjust/replace the torsion spring and lube everything.
As for insulation, you can easily add insulation with something like the $60 insulation kit from Menards:
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admranger
Well-known member
Jack shaft openers are the way to go If they fit your space and work with your door. I had two in my previous Las Vegas house. Quiet is one benefit. The auto deadbolt lock is a second.
Hooked
Well-known member
Same here. Installed a genie screw in 1980 that's still going strong. Only thing I've done to it is replace the light bulb when it burns out.
I have a Chamberlain. I also have a 8x16 door and when their cheap POS the original owner put up died, I bought close to the top of the line Chamberlain belt drive. I put it in around 2007. The wireless keypad was acting up and it was dated 2007. As for the opener, I haven't touched it, or adjusted anything on it, other than when I replaced the door, or added openers.
WisJim
Well-known member
To the OP, check Menards Ideal door prices. 16x7 insulated (R12.9) doors start at around $1200. Of course, since you don't post your location we don't know what stores you might have nearby.
evildky
Well-known member
I got over 20 years out of my old Genie, bought the updated belt drive when I replaced it a few years ago.
tremiso220
Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2026
- Messages
- 17
We had Garage Door Doctor install a Chamberlain belt-drive opener and a new insulated door, cost about $2,500 total for both, installed. The opener runs quieter than the old chain drive and the door made a noticeable difference in the garage temp. Still going strong after a couple years.
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Get rid of the belt/chain drives and go with a sidewinder. I picked one up at Lowe’s last year and installed it. Very quiet and I recovered the room of the other opener. That space ismy workshop so nice having trhe clear overhead.
matt_i
Well-known member
Once you get an oil-bath gearbox then I don't think you will ever have to buy another. The plastic gears can be replaced but are beyond the scope or capabilities for many people.
The jackshaft openers are OK but the commercial units have an internal chain-drive/sprocket-reduction with 2 or 3 stages which have to be lubricated at intervals.
The jackshaft openers are OK but the commercial units have an internal chain-drive/sprocket-reduction with 2 or 3 stages which have to be lubricated at intervals.
amgent57
Well-known member
They last a lot longer if you use the service door to take out the garbage
instead of opening that big door.
Unless you need to use the big door,
we don't judge here...
instead of opening that big door.
Unless you need to use the big door,
we don't judge here...
atch
Well-known member
I installed a Genie 26 years ago. It wasn't particularly expensive and I bought it at one of the big box stores. It works today just like it did the day I installed it.
toolmiser
Well-known member
Try to get one with a one piece track. You might have to use a garage door specialist. They are a lot quieter, smoother, and they don't move around as much. We have a Chamberlin with a DC drive (used one a 16 x 8' insulated door) and it is much preferred over the big box one it replaced.
Torque&Recoil
Well-known member
I know that most of this is an old thread, but I really like the jackshaft openers. They are quieter, and take up less room than the overhead style. That said... I have rarely ever failed a garage door opener. Like... once, in our very first house, about 40 years ago. Liftmaster and Genie - both just keep running for decades.
lolaetype
Well-known member
The LiftMaster 1280Rs installed in 2000, 26 years ago, have performed flawlessly since day one. They are on 9' high 16' wide doors. Lightning fried the board in one last July, but that's hardly the fault of the opener itself. The detached garage has a LiftMaster commercial door opener, model ATS 2113X that has been in service since 2007.
nadogail
Well-known member
I buy the lowest priced Geni with the Lifetime Warranty from Home Depot.
Jack shaft openers have their problems. They don't push down on the door, so they need a deadbolt. Only the newest models can monitor and adjust the torque to overcome the cable tension slack problem. They are less forgiving of a poor door installation. Also, without the drag link pulling on the top of the door at the beginning of travel, the top of the door might hit something it wouldn't have hit with a chain drive opener. This is because the rollers will not be against the inside edge of the track and will be late to turn around the drums. I went with a follow the Pitch design and it allows there to be more weight on the cables at the beginning of closing. I just installed and I like it. If you do a "follow the Pitch" setup, get DDM on the web to take the weight of your door (you weigh it yourself), height of door, height of wall, height of torsion bar and they will get you new springs, drums and cables you might need. The torsion bar needs to be as high as you can get it or greater than 14 inches up to clear them with the door. This height plus about 4" is the new length of your cables. I struggled to get any advice on this and I made mistakes. Also, one might want to have vertical tracks extended up about six inches so the top rails with the turn won't be so low. You remove some of the radius to turn them up and to get the door closer to the ceiling, I bought ones intended for a taller door to accomplish this. Also turned the top roller brackets upside down to get the door to turn the radius sooner for above reasons. The top rollers are usually a whole 6" from the top of the door. It was hard to find things like track screws until I found out the lumberyard 5 minutes from my house is loaded with garage door stuff in the basement. You usually have to use your old tracks because they are expensive to ship. Going high lift and vertical have the same challenges, though high lift does not leave as much weight on the door when it is at its highest. I think they are easier than follow the Pitch.
Lorydr
Well-known member
!5 years ago I installed a Genie GDO in my garage. Belt drive, quiet. I did have to replace a plastic gear with a metal one. I also rewired the light to work normally and also from a wall switch.
Then a few years later I worked as a garae door tech. My boss couldn't stand Genie. He was all about Liftmaster.
Then a few years later I worked as a garae door tech. My boss couldn't stand Genie. He was all about Liftmaster.
I would definitely get a belt drive if I got a regular opener. They are so quiet.