Off Center Door Opener Mount?

[Matt M PA]

Hi guys...here I am again torturing you all with another garage door opener issue.

I did a search and found a member here (Question) installed standard type openers at the far edge of the doors.

I want to put openers on two of the 3 bays of my detached and would prefer to do this as inexpensivly as possible. If they matched, it would be a bonus for my OCD. In one of these bays I'd like to keep as much clearance as possible for the mid-rise.

EDIT...my doors are 7.5h x 9h.

I can't fit 3800s, so they're out. I did find one made by Sommer that allows mounting on one the door's tracks. It would be something like $300 for the kit and the opener.

Or....if I can mount two lesser expensive Chamberlains, one centered....the other on an end...I'd be gold. (EDIT..accoding to one of the Chamberlain on-lin manuals, only 4 feet from center is allowed)

Can anyone shed any light on this project? Especially Question...who's done it? What openers?

 

[daveroy]

Dalton also makes a jack shaft opener. -Sorry all I got-

 

[rlitman]

It depends on the width of your door.
I have an 8' wide door, with the opener about 2' off center. I probably could have gone quite a bit further, but that offset suited my needs just fine. It is very important to have your springs in good shape and correctly balanced if you're going to do this, and to have your wheels and pulleys well lubed. If you can lift and lower the door with one finger, from one side, then you're sure to be good to go. This is all in the spring and cable adjustment.

On an 8' wide door, 4' from center is all the way to the side.

With a 16' door, it's much less advisable to try this.

 

[petee_c]

can u manually lift it from one corner without any problems. I am contemplating doing the same with a 9'wide x 7' tall insulated aluminum door.

$750 was the ballpark estimate I got to convert it to a high rise door.

 

[nova65ss]

That new Sommer setup looks pretty slick but really isn't any different than a traditional opener mounted to the side. As long as the door has torsion springs and is balanced properly it should not be a problem to offset the motor 3" or 3'. Like someone else said stand on a ladder and pull the door up and down from approximately where you want to mount the opener if it works without effort hook it up and go!

 

[Matt M PA]

Thanks for all the tips guys....much appreciated. I agree that if my doors lift fine from one side...it should be good to do this way. Problem is, since most GDO makers give a distance from center that they allow...if there's an issue..I'm sunk.

I've decided to go with a pair of these Sommer operators for these doors.,...and here's why.

I can mount one in the standard way, over the door. For the bay with the mid-rise, Sommer offers an option of mounting the track directly above one of the garage door tracks....so I'll lose no ceiling clearance over the lift.

If I had room for a LM3800, I would consider it.

Finally, Lowe's has the best price on-line for this opener at $159. If I pick up at the store, there's no shipping either. When you add in the lifetime guarantee on these lifts...I don't see any better option.

I'm getting excited about this project...I kust need to go to Lowes and place the order. I'll keep you guys (and ladies) in the loop.