Support for tracks and opener

[MDJAK]

Hi. I’ve decided to make my new garage fancy. In process of installing a knotty cedar ceiling.

Are there options to hang opener other than the usual silver erector set metal hangers with multiple holes? Same question for door tracks.

Thank you.
Mark

 

[astroracer]

Most anything you can think of will work. The erector set straps are quick, easy and cheap. They do the job well for no cost to the contractor. You can replace them with wood, aluminum tubing or whatever you like. Just make sure it is stiff enough and triangulated to carry the load.
The track hangers don't really see any load other then the weight of the door. The lift motor sees some axial load when raising or lowering the door but there really isn't a lot of force to counter act as long as the lift springs are doing their job.
Mark

 

[MDJAK]

Thank you for your reply. Do you know if this has come up before? I’m guessing it has, that it’s tough to come up with new question. Reason I ask is if it has, are there any examples with pics of what others have used? Or am I just being ****? Also, out of curiosity, my ceiling is only 8 feet. Can opener track be shortened so it’s right next to door?

 

[astroracer]

Don't know what others have used but we used 1 x 2 and 1 x 4 lumber to hang an opener on my Folks' OH door. Still doing the job 30 years later.
If you replicate what is there now with lumber I see no reason it shouldn't work. Like I said there isn't that much weight or load on the hangers.
I don't understand your "shortening the opener track" question. Need more info and pics.
Mark

 

[MDJAK]

Ty. I mean instead of opener being 8 or so feet away from door with track that belt rides on can it be say a foot away? This way it won’t be almost in middle of garage ceiling. I’ve seen commercial openers that are right above door.

 

[dfiler2]

These openers don't go on the ceiling at all, they are very popular right now.

As far as the door rails go, do something that goes well with your ceiling.

 

[MDJAK]

These openers don't go on the ceiling at all, they are very popular right now.

As far as the door rails go, do something that goes well with your ceiling.

Wow. Never saw that before. Just emailed garage door company telling them that’s what I want. Thank you.

 

[gnpenning]

Wow. Never saw that before. Just emailed garage door company telling them that’s what I want. Thank you.

You may want to do a search on here about the track. Use Google garage journal door track or a variation. Should be so pictures and other feedback, as it has been discussed. As mentioned your imagination is your limiting factor.

As to the 8500, I'd suggest you do a search here on that as well. There have been 2 different threads in the past couple of days of issues with that model, along with other older threads. Know what you are getting in to. Much of their popularity is not very good.

 

[MDJAK]

Is there a similar opener that has greater reliability?

 

[bwringer]

I'm picturing an ordinary garage door opener contained in an ornate, beautifully finished hanging box with elaborate baroque carvings, scrollwork, inlays, parquetry with exotic woods depicting Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" with hidden embedded fiber laser *******, the works...

Yep, go nuts. There's not a lot of load on these things.

 

[firebirdparts]

Is there a similar opener that has greater reliability?

Not that I've heard of.

 

[gnpenning]

Is there a similar opener that has greater reliability?

Discussed in recent threads back and forth.

 

[MDJAK]

I just did a Google search for problems with the 8500 and saw a few threads here. Complaints involved a sagging top panel of door, random opening.

Hundreds of reviews on Amazon give it 4.5 stars.

But I do always appreciate a head's up.

 

[firebirdparts]

The layout of the Liftmaster 8500 with a clock spring type door, shaft across the top, is "nice" but it doesn't push the door closed, or hold it closed. Some of the reliability problems might be from people not understanding how to deal with its peculiarities, arising from the things it can't do. To me it seems extremely not worth it except in the case where you have a lift inside that door.

 

[MDJAK]

what do you mean by "lift inside that door"? Please.

My main reason for wanting it is the ceiling is only 8 feet, it's a 21 x 11 garage and I think the opener would loom large sitting on the ceiling in what would almost be in the middle of the room.

That's why I wondered at first if it's possible to cut the track of the opener where the belt winds in half or even more so.

 

[astroracer]

what do you mean by "lift inside that door"? Please.

My main reason for wanting it is the ceiling is only 8 feet, it's a 21 x 11 garage and I think the opener would loom large sitting on the ceiling in what would almost be in the middle of the room.

That's why I wondered at first if it's possible to cut the track of the opener where the belt winds in half or even more so.

You need to realize this is, after all, a garage. A garage will have "garage type stuff" in it. Do like bwringer said and put a nice box around the motor and let it go, or simply paint it to match your curtains. If you go that way make the box easy to remove so you can work on the motor if the need arises...
Mark

 

[MDJAK]

Garage door comes tomorrow. Electrician coming to place outlet for 8500. Sheetrock and taped today.

In process of designing floor of RaceDeck tiles.

Exciting.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I used some 1" square tubing to hang my track. The one end has a plate with holes and is welded to the tubing. The plate gets lagged to the bottom chord of the trusses. The track is then bolted to the tubing.

 

[matt_i]

I think the track could easily be hung from some 3/8" rod, welded, like an antenna tower based on the length. It could probably be 1/4" rod for that matter, just more cross braces and gussets. I think the precision measurement and fabrication aren't in the typical wheelhouse of a garage door installer, unless you want to pay a higher rate.

 

[rattle_snake]

Uni strut. Lots of brackets, adapters and things to hang or secure most anything.

 

[Lynden]

I used some 1" square tubing to hang my track. The one end has a plate with holes and is welded to the tubing. The plate gets lagged to the bottom chord of the trusses. The track is then bolted to the tubing.

Chamberlain used to make a nice looking opener support bracket. Kmart apparently still has them or you could make something similar out of steel tubing as suggested above.

http://www.kmart.com/chamberlain-universal-premium-installation-kit/p-00937638000P

 

[kbs2244]

MY opener motor is screwed to my ceiling.
No drop down at all.
The tracks are the lowest things.
They are adjusted to keep the door just clear of rubbing the ceiling.

You have to understand how to adjust the "J" bar.

 

[MDJAK]

I thank all for your help. Door was installed yesterday, along with the 8500. I love it.

Floor yet to be done. Not yet painted. Here's a few pics. This was created from what was an overhang off the side of my 2 car garage.

Yes, in spite of my builder (who is my best friend, even though I'm not his )thinking me totally nuts, I wanted a knotty cedar ceiling.
Floor yet to be done. Will probably do a RaceDeck. Still designing it.

Here's the motor that this great forum led me to. It works great and I love it.

This is the outside of the door.

 

[MDJAK]

Picked this up few hours ago.

 

[rcktpwrd]

great looking garage door and ceiling! Nice truck too!

Whats the planned use of the space?

 

[MDJAK]

Thank you. The space is for this.

 

[GregL2015]

Man, that ceiling looks nice! Easier than taping and mudding.

 

[rcktpwrd]

Thank you. The space is for this.

VERY nice!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Couple of nice looking rides but that ceiling is awesome.

 

[MDJAK]

Thank you. Flooring arrives this week and pics to follow once laid.

 

[MDJAK]

The layout of the Liftmaster 8500 with a clock spring type door, shaft across the top, is "nice" but it doesn't push the door closed, or hold it closed. Some of the reliability problems might be from people not understanding how to deal with its peculiarities, arising from the things it can't do. To me it seems extremely not worth it except in the case where you have a lift inside that door.

Just wanted to mention that while the opener may not keep th4 door closed, it has an automatic deadbolt lock along the track. When it closes, the deadbolt automatically slides into the track and secures the door. When opening, the bolt automatically retracts and then the opener raises the door.
In post 23 on the right side you can see a black rectangular box halfway up track. That is the auto locking mechanism.
I put the opener in both garages and so far so good.