Garage door opener install question

[schnutzy]

Hi everybody, long time lurker, first time poster.

My father and I are installing a garage door opener in the one car my wife and I are renting. During the install, we discovered that instead of wood studs in the ceiling, there are metal studs. We are not sure the best way to proceed hanging the opener from the ceiling. One thought is to use toggle bolts, a friend who is a GC suggested several fine threaded dry wall screws with fender washers, and pilot holes along the studs.

I would like to hear from the collective about ideas, things that have worked, etc. We are t trying to avoid cutting a large hole in the dry wall

Any insight is apriciated

sent from random bits of metal, glass and plastic found on the side of the road

 

[DeliveryGuy]

Some toggle bolts thru the steel studs should more than hold. I would get some punched angle to make a hanging bracket, and span a larger area than you would usually require, and use several toggles. If your top piece directly attached to the ceiling was a few feet long, and caught several studs, that would be more than enough to hold.

 

[Slednut]

I would use number 14 (1/4 inch) or 20 (5/16 inch) self drilling sheet metal screws.

 

[PassnThru]

Understand that the opener is not holding up the door.
In fact - the main pressure on the opener is against the wall where the door is.
The connection in question is only supporting the weight of the opener itself and a portion of the track.

 

[kbs2244]

PassnThru has the idea.
I have seen openers punch thru drywall above the door when a solid bridge between studs was not installed.
The only weight you need to worry about is the motor end of the track.