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Garage door openers....

Epistuff

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
5
My 1/2HP Craftsmen chain drive bit the dust today. Gear drive blew apart and the gear landed on top of my classic Chevy in the garage:mad:
I want to get something wall mounted. Looked at the Wayne Dalton iDrive, but saw a lot of bad reviews online about it. Someone else mentioned the Liftmaster 3800 unit. Is this a good product? I have a 16' x 7' door with 2 torsion springs on it. 1" torsion bar, sticks out about 4" on each side of the door. Any recommendations or opinions to share?
Thanks in advance,
Jim
 
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Junkman

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
6,627
Location
Northeastern CT
Buy the Liftmaster 3800 and that ends the discussion. Good product, works well, many happy users on this site. If you want a good price, then buy one from our member in VA......... I forgot his name, but at my age, I sometimes don't even remember my name... :thumbup:
 
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Epistuff

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
5
Wow, thanks for the quick reply. I heard from a few other people saying that the LM3800 was a good unit. So, one of the members here sells them? Maybe somebody can post his name and I can PM him/her.
Looking for the unit, 2 -3 remotes and possibly an outside keypad if that is an available option.
Thanks,,
Jim
 

ket-tek

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
1,289
I have 3 doors with highlift tracks and for looks reasons I wanted a torsion opener of some type and only found two options the Idrive and the Liftmaster.

The company that sold/installed the doors for me was a liftmaster dealer and was trying to push that model to me obviously, and said that the idrive was junk and they would even void all warranties on my doors if I installed an idrive on them..

The liftmaster as great as it may be was actually not even an option once the installers came out and put the doors in. Because of there is not enough room between the door track/torsion bar and massive prelaminated beams that split the three bays and support the second story. (can see in pic below)

I read ALOT of bad reviews on the idrive, but I also read quite a few good ones. The main things I saw over and over again in the reviews that "seemed" to be the root of the problems were:

1) The door was too heavy such as solid wood doors, or was old/worn.

2) The door was improperly balanced.

3) If it was on a 16ft wide door the opener was mounted to far to one side which causes the one side to lift slighty before the other from the twisting of a bar that long and causes a jam (though WD states it can go anywhere on the bar)

4)There are to many fine details and adjustment for an everyday handy-husband type to install.

I figured I have wasted $250 on worse **** in my life, so with it being one of my only options I ordered 1 for now.

The install took a couple hours and it is definatly not a quick install. I see why installers hate them, because you have to adjust the side tracks, install nylon spacers on the guide wheels, cable slack retainer springs, opener disconnect cable/handle, do the calibration procedure and do the denton adjustments.

Luckily my doors were perfectly balanced (it would stay in any position with no lift or drop what so ever.)

I have had 1 of these installed for almost 1 year now and have not had a single problem. It gets cycled about 2-3 times everyday. Everyone comments on how it looks, how quiet it is, and how fast it is.

I'm 'almost' ready to buy the other 2 but am waiting a couple more months.

"IF" it works for many years you can't beat the package price, it included 2 car alarm type keyfobs, 1 wireless light, 1 outdoor number keypad opener, and the standard indoor wall controller.

The Liftmaster is probally a more dependible unit in the long run, but I didn't have the room for it.

3234321779_846e30405a.jpg
 
Last edited:

ghlkal

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
251
Location
Fredonia, WI
Ket-tek, thanks for taking the time to post this. Very interesting ... Unfortunately, I _do_ have 16' garage doors, but this is food for thought.
 
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nova65ss

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Messages
1,556
Location
Raleigh, NC
I have 3 doors with highlift tracks and for looks reasons I wanted a torsion opener of some type and only found two options the Idrive and the Liftmaster.

The company that sold/installed the doors for me was a liftmaster dealer and was trying to push that model to me obviously, and said that the idrive was junk and they would even void all warranties on my doors if I installed an idrive on them..

The liftmaster as great as it may be was actually not even an option once the installers came out and put the doors in. Because of there is not enough room between the door track/torsion bar and massive prelaminated beams that split the three bays and support the second story. (can see in pic below)

I read ALOT of bad reviews on the idrive, but I also read quite a few good ones. The main things I saw over and over again in the reviews that "seemed" to be the root of the problems were:

1) The door was too heavy such as solid wood doors, or was old/worn.

2) The door was improperly balanced.

3) If it was on a 16ft wide door the opener was mounted to far to one side which causes the one side to lift slighty before the other from the twisting of a bar that long and causes a jam (though WD states it can go anywhere on the bar)

4)There are to many fine details and adjustment for an everyday handy-husband type to install.

I figured I have wasted $250 on worse **** in my life, so with it being one of my only options I ordered 1 for now.

The install took a couple hours and it is definatly not a quick install. I see why installers hate them, because you have to adjust the side tracks, install nylon spacers on the guide wheels, cable slack retainer springs, opener disconnect cable/handle, do the calibration procedure and do the denton adjustments.

Luckily my doors were perfectly balanced (it would stay in any position with no lift or drop what so ever.)

I have had 1 of these installed for almost 1 year now and have not had a single problem. It gets cycled about 2-3 times everyday. Everyone comments on how it looks, how quiet it is, and how fast it is.

I'm 'almost' ready to buy the other 2 but am waiting a couple more months.

"IF" it works for many years you can't beat the package price, it included 2 car alarm type keyfobs, 1 wireless light, 1 outdoor number keypad opener, and the standard indoor wall controller.

The Liftmaster is probally a more dependible unit in the long run, but I didn't have the room for it.

Have you checked to see if you can open the door from the outside with this opener? Reason I ask is the lock flips down and blocks the top section but with your high lift it is not doing anything as far as the lock goes.

Just wondering and thought I would throw it out there. Hate to see an unwanted visitor with access to your stuff!
 
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fireman

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Joined
Dec 7, 2005
Messages
129
How much is Nova65ss charging for them. I found a dealer on E-Bay selling them for $315 with free delivery.

Jim
 

ket-tek

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
1,289
Have you checked to see if you can open the door from the outside with this opener? Reason I ask is the lock flips down and blocks the top section but with your high lift it is not doing anything as far as the lock goes.

Just wondering and thought I would throw it out there. Hate to see an unwanted visitor with access to your stuff!

Yes the drop down lock does not function in a high lift install. But I have tried my hardest to lift this door and the motor does not even begin to budge. it also pushes down on the ground so hard it makes it hard to get any leverage item under it. It's as good or even better than a chain drive motor in that respect. Most chain drives I've been around have a bit of slop and I can pry up some 1" or 2" with miminal bare hand attempt.

If no one was going to be home, or we're on vacation the slide locks on the doors would be in the tracks anyway.

If someone pries on it otherwise the motion alarm with go off as well it will be on the surviellance dvr which would call my cell and the cops when the motion triggers.
 
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Epistuff

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
5
Thanks for the input guys. I am going to get the LM3800 from board member nova65ss.
I'll let you all know how it works out. Hopefully it will be....:thumbup:
 
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Epistuff

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
5
Got the LM3800 installed today. Being a noob, it did take me about 5 hours to remove the old Craftsmen unit and fully install the new LM3800. Works great! Smooth, quite, nice features. Got a good price from nova65ss on this forum. Super fast shipment also.
Thanks guys!
 
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