Retail versus Professinal Garage Door Openers

[litigator201]

I need to replace an existing garage door opener. I have narrowed choices to the Chamberlain 248754 at Lowes or the LiftMaster Pro 3585. Both belt drives with battery backup. Main issue - should I get a single rail system or a multi-part rail system? The retail (multi part) comes with all of the accessories while the Pro (single) comes with only a single remote and control panel? Will I do better paying extra and going with the single part rail? Thanks

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Found this on the web. FWIW:

Retail vs. Professional ...
The main difference between retail openers and professionlly installed garage door openers are in the rail. Retail openers come equipped with multi-piece rail assemblies, where as pro model openers are installed with one piece rails only. Multi-piece rails make it possible for the retail consumer to fit a retail opener in the trunk of thier vehicle. It's pretty ingenious how these multi-piece openers are designed and packaged. However the problem with a multi-piece designed rail is the lack of strength and rigidity, in most cases they are downright flimsy. The pro model rails are far superior in strength and rigidity. With some makes and models there is not much difference between retail vs. professional other then the rail itself. Then there are the some professional models far superior in quality to retail openers. For the do-it-yourself customer, buying a retail opener can offer some savings if installed properly. Customers buying retail and then paying for installation may save very little. In some cases it actually ends up costing more then a professionally installed opener. Openers that are installed by a garage door contractor or professional can cost anywhere from a little less to a little more than a retail installed garage opener. Basically for about the same retail vs. pro price, a professionally installed garage door opener will be a superior product with an overall better value. Also the garage door itself should be balanced, safe and operate properly. The best garage door opener will not last as long and will not be safe, on a garage door that is not operating properly.

 

[78fj40]

I bought the 'store' multi rail system when I installed the door in the garage attached to the house. The garage door installers wanted $300+ to install a inferior model with a SINGLE remote. The only thing better was the single rail system.

I bought one at a fraction of the cost, two remotes, a remote keypad, and all the trimmings at HD or Lowe's (I don't remember). The drive is a screw drive multi part, but I have had issues whatsoever.

Unless someone can tell me a reason that the single rail system is better I would do it again in a heartbeat.

BTW, I wonder if you can contact the company direct and ask if you can buy the single rail for the store bought system??//

 

[nova65ss]

Hoosier pretty much summed it up. I can actually buy a Craftsman from Sears for cheaper than I can buy one direct from Liftmaster. It's all about how many you buy and obviously Sears sells a bunch of openers.

One thing to keep in mind is that almost 1/2 of the craftsman openers I see are installed incorrectly w/o the proper bracing and that leads to the safety reverse not working properly which in turn either damages the door or the car or both. Also keep in mind if something doesn't go correctly with the install and you break something then it costs you more than it would of for someone to do it and you wasted a Saturday. Most times the door needs to be balanced / serviced which is why you need a new opener anyway and that is something we do on every install.


Also the 3585 does not come with or work with the battery backup system, the 3850 does.

 

[icnsltmfg]

I installed my first unit (from Sears) a few years ago with little difficulty, and has worked well, however due to the new lift, I am having to convert the doors to high lifts, with torsion springs, and use Liftmaster's new 3800 residential Jack Shaft units. This looked to be a bit too much for me, esp the Torsion springs. These units are not cheap ($450/pc), but are the only residential jack shaft openers you can get. The springs, high lift kits, channels, and install for another $950, which I think is pretty fair....BTW I am using my commercial installer.
Adam

 

[kbs2244]

The only problem I have had with the multi part one has been the shaft of the screw type ones breaking at the joint. The join them with a male/female keyway type joint and it cannot take the torque. The rail itself doesn't take much in the way of stress, so the multi part ones are ok.
I wouwld go chain instead of belt. But that is just because tthat is what I am used to and know how to repair it if I ever have to.
Remember that a coat of pait can add a lot of weight to a door. You need to re-adjust the springs if you paint.
But if you keep your springs adjusted and lube everything once a year, nothing should break.

 

[Mike F]

One person's experience:
Last year I replaced my garage door opener with a Craftsman 3/4 HP model. The previous one had been installed by a professional and was also a Craftsman, though it was 1/2 HP. That unit had lasted 10 years. My garage door is old- a 16' solid wood door, probably the original from the late 1940's, with a cedar skin on top of it to boot. This thing is heavy!! It is not well balanced at all and as a matter of fact there is no way I can lift this thing up myself with the opener disengaged. I have had professionals come out to try to fix/balance it, but they say to just scrap it and buy new. I have neither the desire or the $$$ to do that. The new unit works just fine to operate the door. Is this the right thing to do? Who knows.
I feel that if I can get anywhere close to 10 years out of this unit I am doing just fine. I say go with the store bought if you can save the money on it. I would attempt to balance the door first, as Nova65ss suggested, though, especially if there are small children around.

 

[nova65ss]

If you can't lift the door by yourself then you have a problem. That opener will never last 10 years you will be lucky to get 5. A decent garage door guy should be able to balance your door doesn't matter if it is made of a concrete.

 

[kbs2244]

Amen on Nov's comment.
If it is from the 40's and has the long strech type springs instead of the wind up torsion springs common nowdays, you just might need to find an oldtimer that remembers how they work.
If by "solid" you mean it isn't a sectional door but one large flat panel, then you have the old sissors type linkage, and for sure you need an oldtimer.

 

[LiftMaster3265]

Go with a Liftmaster, they are the best in quality and they will last you but to tell you the truth Liftmaster and chamberlain are the same thing but the rail on chamberlain units are verry strong and stury I just like liftmaster so that is what i sugjest and if you really want those things that the retail opener comes with go to LiftMaster.com and they will have everything but my opinion go with the liftmaster.

 

[litigator201]

Thanks for the advice and comments. I am changing my current Overhead Door Model for 2 reasons - it doesn't work well with Homelink and you have to point the remote just right ot make the remotes work every time. It is amazingly a very quiet chain drive and I wouldn't change it except for the problems with reote and I want an outside keypad and the better rolling code security of modern day openers. In addition, I am getting a belt drive because 2 bedrooms sit atop the garage. My remaining question is, Is the single rail of a LiftMaster going to make a real difference than a multi-rail Chamberlain? It is hard to find a local seller of the Pro version and I can do what the local Lowe's installer will do.