Garage opener question

[red90q]

Hi, thank God I found this site. I love just hanging out in my garage. My wife just doesnt get it LOL. I have an 11'8" ceiling with 2 single doors 7' high. I plan on modifying the doors so they go right to the ceiling. I have looked around on the site and found that using a liftmaster 3800 will help me out. Unfortunately I have to do this on a budget. Can I use my exsiting 1/2 HP Sears chain drive openers ? I've tried to search for some pictures but cant seem to find anything that pertains to my problem specifically.
Thankyou very much. I love this sight. Some really great ideas

 

[bluesman2a]

Can you take some pics so we can more accurately see the situation?

Without seeing it, I will take a guess and say no it would not be beneficial to use your existing opener.

With a high-lift setup you normally have two options: 1) you can use a jackshaft opener like the LM3800. 2) you can use a conventional opener with a faked-out panel at the top to appropriately position the arm for the opener.

Either way, you spend money on the opener, or you spend money on a "dummy-panel". I think the LM3800 is a better choice.

Here's a link to a pic of a conventional opener with a fake panel:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=235621&postcount=8

Here's a pic of my 10' door on a 14' wall, with an LM3800.

 

[rsanter]

at a previous house I had mounted a standard Genie direct to the ceiling so I can preserve as much head clearance as I could.
the thing never gave me a problem

bob

 

[red90q]

Thanks alot guys. Heres a pic of my garage. Maybe adding a dummy panel and using my openers will work for me. Later when I install better grade doors I'll look at getting a better opener.

 

[Question]

Here's some pics of my set up. The problem you will have is the length of the chain drive bar. This needs to be longer to handle the extra bar you need to add to get the chain bar traveler down to the door. I offset the drive since with the torsion spring it doesn't matter where the drive is located.

 

[kbs2244]

You will never make 4 feet 8 inches with an extra panel.
You are going to need another way.

 

[logical]

8 foot door with an extra 2 foot section and a 12' 9" ceiling....no problem.

 

[bluesman2a]

I don't think that an extra panel will work for as high as you want to go. Not only will you need to install a jackshaft opener, but you'll probably need to put on heavier springs in order to offset weight/rise of the door properly.

 

[red90q]

As 'logical' posted above I think that is the route I'll go. The springs will have to be beefier.

 

[kbs2244]

I guess I stand corrected.
logical had 4' , 9" minus 2' for the extra panel give 2' 9" above the door.
Red has 4' 8", if he goes with a 2' panel, that gives him 2' 8" above the door.
So if it works for logical it should work for red.
Let us know.
BTW
Was there any trick if figuring the leg angle?
Did you need an extra long chain track?

 

[nova65ss]

You will only need a rail that is made for the height of the door, a longer rail is not needed. The arm should always be on an angle back toward the motor but only a little. Even though the door is taller it is still only traveling the 7' of the opening.

Sometimes the money you spend on an extra panel is worth putting toward the new 3800 and it keeps the door lighter and works much smoother.

 

[red90q]

I dont know about comparing the price of a couple of panels to a 3800. Just checked ebay and they go for about $300. And I need 2 of them.

 

[nova65ss]

If you are looking for new wood/ masonite panels that would work with your door, they will cost you about 200 a piece. That does not include the labor, extra hinges, new top fixtures.


You might be able to find some used ones from a local company that they are throwing out.

 

[red90q]

Why cant I just use plywood? A 4x8 sheet cut up.

 

[nova65ss]

Why cant I just use plywood? A 4x8 sheet cut up.

You know I guess you can, being I have access to the stuff I never think to do something like that. You might just want to build a 2x4 framework 24" tall and 8 or 9 foot wide depending on how wide your doors are. You will want to put a strut or angle across the top to give it some strength and keep the opener arm from buckling the top. You can actually build it taller if you have a 15" radius the higher the better in regards to the opener working smoothly.

 

[red90q]

Thankyou for your input Nova. I'll get pics when all is done.

 

[logical]

I did have to buy an arm extension but that is a standard item available online. While the opener trolley is still only traveling the height of the door (8 ft in my case), the arm length is longer than my standard door so the trolley starts further back. In my case it still opens all the way up but the trolley is a lot closer to the limit than the standard door. Any more reach and I'd have had an issue possibly. Although stopping a few inches short of full open would not have been an issue for me. I think I only paid $200 total as an upcharge to get the extra panel and track but thats at initial instal when they are out there anyhow....not a special trip and reconfiguration after the fact. Pkus, I had bought the openers on sale long before I even finished the house construction. Even with the conventional opener, I have 11', 8" under the bottom of the opener, so I can lift about any car the full height of my imaginary 4 post lift. Ahhhhh...someday, someday.

 

[red90q]

You've got one of those imaginary lifts aswell !? Thats what I tell my wife..someday...someday!

 

[logical]

You've got one of those imaginary lifts aswell !? Thats what I tell my wife..someday...someday!

Mine's RED.

 

[red90q]

Mine's RED.

MINE TOO! To match my car