Need help with Wayne Dalton I-drive opener

[87GN]

I know these are not a favorite here, and I can see why, but 2 Liftmaster 8500's are not in the budget right now. Here what is happening. The door opens properly. When closing, it would go all the way down, then go up. I adjusted the detent pin. It work for a day then do this again. I played with the pin adjustment softer, softer, softer, then harder, harder. Now, when I try to close the door, it goes down, maybe a foot then reverses. I'm sure I got something way out of wack adjustment wise. My last option is to get my last spare nos i-drive (I have a collection of 4 units with differing issues) out of the attic and install it, but would like to correct this one. Of course W-D no longer sells these and all the troubleshooting charts I read are right out of the i-drive manual. Or is there somebody that rebuilds these? Thanks.
Mark

 

[NUTTSGT]

Got to have parts to rebuild them. I've been opening closing my door manually for the last 15 months when the gears stripped out on my I-drive.

Have you oiled the garage door rollers so they turn easily and aren't binding ?

A change in weather can throw off the opener needing some adjustment.

Are the cables wrapped correctly ?

Have you done a reset, I forget the correct order off hand, but it's something like releasing the opener with the handle and hitting the small reset button through the hole on the wall unit. I'd have to look at the book.

I have some spare parts myself but I need a gear to fix mine. . . . if I could find one. Keep searching Ebay for parts.

 

[87GN]

Thanks for the reply. I forgot about the learn routine. I'll try it this weekend if it is reasonably warm. When I dis engage the the door from the opener, I can easily raise and lower it manually. No binds, and stays where ever I stop moving it, telling me the door is balanced.
What gear do you need?

 

[NUTTSGT]

The gear that is notorious for stripping out. Not the one on the motor, but the one inside the motor gear runs on. I think they are a brass gear and just wear the teeth off them.

 

[87GN]

I'll see if any of mine are good and I'll send it off to you.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'll see if any of mine are good and I'll send it off to you.

Thanks, I appreciate that.

 

[Red 17]

Seems like I had to do a "limits" re-learn on mine.

I think the whole install and trouble shooting video(s) are on line.

 

[signcrafter]

Not to hijack but who just bought a house with one of these. It seems jerky and like its struggling a bit more then it should. Is there anything I should do to try and make it last as long as possible? Thanks.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

Disconnect opener from door, cycle door by hand and be sure it cycles smoothly and that the door is balanced. Open it half way and it should stay there. First address any of those issues, lubricate all moving parts to include rollers, hinges bearings, whatever moves lubricate. Hook it back up to the opener and test again. The I drive systems are not popular partly because the spring(s) is/are contained inside the tube. You may have a broken spring and not know it. Replacing those is not simple. Most of the time I would replace the entire assembly with a conventional torsion tube, drums and springs. Or replace the door. Some of. Their doors were known to be rather light.

 

[87GN]

There were 2 styles of I-drives. One uses the conventional door spring on the axle and W-D's torquemaster for use with a W-D door. Signcrafter, In addition to what Hot Rod sais, pull the motor off. That is the foot shaped piece that pivots down. it is held in with 2 allen screws. Check the teeth for metal filings and replace the motor if there are any. If it looks good, clean off whatever grease is on the gear and as best as possible inside the unit itself and regrease. I use Mobil 1 synthetic wheel bearing grease.

 

[87GN]

I tried the "install standard upper limit routine" in the manual and it is now working. For how long? Who knows. I'd like to know why this I-drive needed this, but the I-drive next to it on the other door does not.

 

[87GN]

Nuttsgt, what gear do you need in the picture?

 

[AndyL]

Only issue with the idrive is the doors they are put on.

As someone who spent too many years doing mostly service calls on idrives while they were sold - 97.8% of the time it was a door issue not the opener. The 8000/9100/9600 doors are super light construction, it only takes a minor alignment issue to throw them out. The rest of the issues were more related to the first gen IR boards and the IR communication itself.

Reprofiling is a standard issue it's needed, learn the routine, likely to be done seasonally. First diagnosis step is always disconnect the opener, one finger run door open to close, shouldn't ever require more than one finger... Feel listen and watch for binding, creaking, rubbing, dragging. Lube with a good garage door lube (***not wd40***), then reprofile

 

[87GN]

I do check the door the way you mention and it is ok. This is what I use to lube. Acceptable or something you would recommend? Why would a learn routine need to be done annually? Does this apply to other brands or just the I-drive?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Not to hijack but who just bought a house with one of these. It seems jerky and like its struggling a bit more then it should. Is there anything I should do to try and make it last as long as possible? Thanks.

My honest opinion after having them for about 15 years and there's basically no parts available for them, save you cash to replace it when it goes out. You'll be replacing the opener.

If you go with a standard opener with a track you'll need an outlet in the ceiling unless there is a light fixture there already. If you want something like a Liftmaster wall mount, you'll probably be replacing the WD torsion spring with a different one.

 

[NUTTSGT]

There are I-Drives and there are Door Masters, similar but different units. Sometimes you can find NIB units, units for parts or broken ones on Ebay or CL.

I was hoping AndyL would chime in, he's gave good advice on these before.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Nuttsgt, what gear do you need in the picture?

I need the brass gear inside here, which is probably stripped.

 

[87GN]

Ok. It is inside the motor housing? I'm not at home now. I'll take it apart tomorrow and see what it looks like.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Ok. It is inside the motor housing? I'm not at home now. I'll take it apart tomorrow and see what it looks like.

Yep, inside that housing, no need to take aprt, just shine a flashlight inside the hole where the motor meshes with it. More than likely, they will be rounded off. You should be able to spin it over by hand to check all the gear. Mine has a good spot but the rest of it is wore off.

 

[87GN]

will do. If it looks ok to me, I'll let you know and if you want it. I'll send it out to you.

 

[NUTTSGT]

will do. If it looks ok to me, I'll let you know and if you want it. I'll send it out to you.

If it's good, let me know what I owe you.

 

[AndyL]

I do check the door the way you mention and it is ok. This is what I use to lube. Acceptable or something you would recommend? Why would a learn routine need to be done annually? Does this apply to other brands or just the I-drive?

Quick and dirty answer - seasonal building shifting. Your house moves with the seasons - thus the relief cuts in your driveway and garage, expansion joints etc. Humidity alone can move the door frame itself a solid 1/2" out of square.

Problem doors for me - I'd mark my laser level and assess on each call back - the last one that truly stumped me actually moved more than 2" only when there was a 8"+ snow load in the valley between the bonus room and the front right corner of the garage. Only piled up there when we got a rare East wind.

Why it needs a reprofile - well where are your photoeyes? There aren't any and there aren't any for a reason. Only opener since the 80s that got it's UL csa and all those other certificates without. It got that by load sensing, pinch resistant panels and the super fine load sensing. So as temperatures change and the spring increases or decreases torque due to ambient temps, the previously mentioned house shifting... Sometimes you just get that minor bump of a roller rubbing the clip on brackets just right - and that's all it takes to trip it. Thinks it hit something (like kid/car) and reverses.

Over time they added some learning and fuzzy logic(?) Lookup tables etc - and the profile started to accommodate the minor seasonal variations better.

The last revision of the boards we got were awesome - I know one that's what 10yrs old now, 10-12 torque tube replacements, never been touched. But genie bought Wayne Dalton and that was that... Product was gone next day.

 

[Red 17]

I did get a new motor assembly here several years ago, under the "life time" warranty. So I suppose any service is now history?

 

[87GN]

Thanks for your insight and knowledge, AndyL.

 

[87GN]

Nutts, I took a couple of them apart and this is the best one. It does show some wear on the teeth. If you want it, pm me your address and I'll ups it tomorrow.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Nutts, I took a couple of them apart and this is the best one. It does show some wear on the teeth. If you want it, pm me your address and I'll ups it tomorrow.

Thanks, I'll pass. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you took. Once they start wearing like that, I think they are done. They slip and will start taking the rest of the teeth off.

My plan was to replace the torsion spring and just buy a new wall mounted LiftMaster. It just got cold and then I started on a serious plan to pay off the house by August. Otherwise, I'd already have a new opener up.