Garage Door Openers

[mtnbkr]

I need a new opener, my nearly 15yo Craftsman broke the main drive gear last night.  After doing a bit of research, it looks like the beltdrive models are the quietest, which is important because our den sits right over the garage.  Quieter is better...

What benefits, if any, are there to the screwdrive models?  They seem slower and noiser than the beltdrive ones according to online writeups.  Are they more durable?  Given our contractor grade Craftsman lasted for nearly 15 years, I'm not sure how much more durability I'll need.

Any suggestions?  Lowes has the Genie QuickLift for $168.  That meets my needs, but this being my first garage (and garage door opener), I'm very ignorant of what I should be looking for in an opener.

FWIW, this is a single width door.  It's not particularly heavy or difficult to open by hand.  The old opener was a 1/3hp, everything I've looked at has been 1/2hp.

I'm going to install it myself.  

Chris

[erik the bold]

I have one of each (belt / screw).  I can't tell  the difference in the noise level, except that the noise is, umm, different.  

Screw drive is Genie, now three yrs old, which replaced old Craftsman.  Works like a charm and was very easy to assemble and install.  Belt drive is also Genie, but was a bit of a pain to assemble the chain, etc.  

The belt unit is at my cabin and only purchased because it was inexpensive.  

I'd lean towards the screw drive units.  

For convenience, look for the kits that contain two remotes and an outside keypad included.  If purchased separately, those items get pretty expensive...

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

"Open the pod bay doors, HAL..."

I've got an old Genie screw drive unit. Noisy as the hammers of Hell in a barrel until I realigned the door and silicone-sprayed the rollers. The door was making all the noise, not the actuator. I put a little moly grease on the screw in a couple of places along the pathway and it was a lot less noticeable.

Since I come and go through the garage it's a lot nicer to have the opener working correctly, especially on nights like tonight when I'm coming in with a suitcase in a frog-strangler.

It also helps with dog control when the Fox Terror decides she's going to scoot past me out the back door. She's yet to be able to head-butt her way through that tin-plate armor in the 'airlock'.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[Perd Hapley]

frog-strangler?

[mtnbkr]

Does anyone know if there are space related installation requirements for screwdrive units?  One set of instructions for Genie's "Excellerator" model mentions needing 10ft from the door to the spot where you'd mount the motor.  Instructions for their other screwdrive units do not mention this, nor do their beltdrive install guides.  I only have 8ft due to a beam running through the garage.  Mounting on the other side of this beam, but low enough to clear isn't an option because that would put the track too low for the door AND too low for our SUV.  Yes, it's a poorly designed, small garage...

Chris

[HankB]

Note that garage door openers purchased from large chains often have cheaper components; at least one brand with a screw thread  (might have been Genie) substituted a plastic threaded rider for the normal brass one in the units they sold through large chains.

Screw thread machines are good, but they're VERY sensitive to the type of lubricant used. Lubriplate AERO was recommended - ordinary Lubriplate would not work well, particularly in winter if you lived in a cold clime. An extra, occasional  shot of LPS1 helped, too.

[mtnbkr]

Where do you suggest buying one then?  Or does "large chain" mean Wal-Mart and not Lowes/Home Depot?

BTW, what makes a screwdrive "good"?  I can see the benefits of screw or belt over chain, but I can't quite see why a screw is better than a belt (or vice versa for that matter).

Chris

[roo_ster]

frog-strangler?

I will translate from Tex Slang to Midwestern Barnyard:
"Raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock."

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

frog-strangler?

I will translate from Tex Slang to Midwestern Barnyard:
"Raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock."

...see also...
'turd floater'.

regards,
Rabbit.

[mtnbkr]

frog-strangler?

I will translate from Tex Slang to Midwestern Barnyard:
"Raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock."

Now translate Midwestern Barnyard into Southern Redneck or Yankee Cityboy without losing the original meaning as expressed in Tex Slang.

Chris

[Perd Hapley]

In the rural and suburban region surrounding Saint Louis, Missouri, we usually use the colorful term "hard rain."  This has the advantage of actually being understood gobally.

[cordex]

In the rural and suburban region surrounding Saint Louis, Missouri, we usually use the colorful term "hard rain."  This has the advantage of actually being understood gobally.

"Hard Rain"?  Is that anything like hail?

[HankB]

Where do you suggest buying one then?  Or does "large chain" mean Wal-Mart and not Lowes/Home Depot?

Good question . . . I'd look at the manufacturer's website and try to buy one with the exact model number they list . . . if they have a "XYZ123" at their website, I'd want to know what's different from the "XYZ124" at Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, or whatever. This might take some shopping around.

BTW, what makes a screwdrive "good"?

Well, I had one in my last home, and it was AFAIK original to the home . . . once I discovered the proper lube, I had no problems with it. That's a relatively trouble-free life spanning over 20 years.

[Brad Johnson]

Chris,

I have an Overhead Door unit. I opted to spend the extra couple bucks and upgrade to one of their more upscale units - 3/4 HP, all metal drive components, etc. Glad I did, too.

Screw drive units are okay unless you live in an area that gets a lot of dust. The dust builds up in the screw track and threads, causing accelerated wear and other maladies. They also need to be carefully aligned during install to make sure they operate properly.

I see a lot of garage door openers in my line of work. The only real constant in terms of problematic openers is
"cheap". I've rarely seen a mid- to top-of-the-line opener from any mfg fail from anything other than old age or horrible abuse. Cheaps ones from virtually every mfg let go all the time just for spite (usually the day before closing or in the middle of a severe thunderstorm).

Brad

[Hutch]

It's new to me, but my Chamberlain LiftMaster has done well.  I had to call their help desk about a failed part, and they walked me thru the disassembly process, identified the broken part, shipped it free, and then walked me thru the installation and adjustment.  I'd do business with them.

[mtnbkr]

Well folks, I ended up getting the Genie QuietLift from Lowes.  It was cheap and available.  It's a no-frills beltdrive unit, but after talking to the Genie rep, it sounded like the best option due to my installation requirements (only 8' of distance from door to mounting point) and noise requirements (directly under living space).  I had to cut the rail and belt to make it fit, but with some tweaking, I actually got the door to open an extra 3-4".  Previously, the door would only open to 6', which made getting an SUV inside a bit tight.  Installation went without a hitch and only took me 4-5hrs working solo, with breaks (that includes cutting/measuring the rail and belt).

I also replaced the door's rollers with nylon ones. 

From the den, you can barely hear the door open/close when the TV is on.  It's a low, quiet hum rather than the loud rattling and banging of the old system. 

Chris