Garage door opener installation

[Mac25]

I am trying to install a garage door opener on my newly built barn with 10' doors. How do you attach the opener to the door when there are no center hinges? My hinges are to the left and right of center. Anyone have pics?

 

[JimRB]

My opener does not attach to hinges. It has been working that way for 15 years. If the door is well counter-balanced the attachment point does not have a lot of strain on it. If you were wanting to attach to hinges just get a piece of angle iron to span from one hinge to the next.

 

[KennyG]

If I understand your door, it's like mine. Here is the recommended way to attach.

 

[s219]

If I understand your door, it's like mine. Here is the recommended way to attach.

View attachment 404042

If you have a jackshaft and torsion spring arrangement like that, consider a jackshaft opener. It attaches to the end of the jackshaft and mounts to the door header off to the side. Very compact and simple, and no need for overhead tracks, attachment to the door, etc. Liftmaster makes a couple models in the $250 range (street prices).

 

[aczlan]

If you have a jackshaft and torsion spring arrangement like that, consider a jackshaft opener. It attaches to the end of the jackshaft and mounts to the door header off to the side. Very compact and simple, and no need for overhead tracks, attachment to the door, etc. Liftmaster makes a couple models in the $250 range (street prices).

We had one installed where I used to work (low ceiling in a garage that needed to have E250 vans come and go several times a day) and it worked well.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

We had one installed where I used to work (low ceiling in a garage that needed to have E250 vans come and go several times a day) and it worked well.

Aaron Z

Thats what I use in my airplane hanger. Works great and nothing overhead.

Chris

 

[2458n]

Worked for a large garage door manufacturer and all the above answers are correct. If the garage door is sprung properly it only takes 20 lbs of lift to get it to open. Jackshafts use the torsion tube and drums to raise the door so no track underneath the door to reduce height. Hinges have backing plates underneath them so bridging two hinges together with a angle works as well.

 

[yelbike]

Is this what you mean as jack shaft operator?

 

[Scrambler82]

Standard opener, with middle pull point, just need a brace across the top of the door, at least between hinge points.

The brace can be a minimum of a 3" plate across the points or I would consider a piece of angled steel, short one side for the top of the door and long the other for the face of the door.

Just me thinking out loud again !

 

[PAGUY]

I recently replaced my 10 ft wooden garage door with a steel insulated garage door and had the installer use the opener rather than buy another one. He installed it like shown for a chain driven opener and had to adjust it because the lift spring (once loaded) easily raises the door. The weight of the old wooden door (with side springs) needed to pull the door up which took some effort on the part of the opener. Not so much with new door set up.

PAGUY

 

[s219]

View attachment 404083

Is this what you mean as jack shaft operator?

Yes -- that looks like the same model I have, a Liftmaster 8500 (formerly the 3800 model I believe). I had a 3800 at my last house for many years and it was great. Bought a two-pack of the newer 8500 openers for our new home. These are so much simpler and compact than the overhead openers, I am surprised how much of a secret they tend to be.

 

[Xfaxman]

View attachment 404083

Is this what you mean as jack shaft operator?

Yep, Lift Master calls it "Wall Mount". https://www.liftmaster.com/For-Homes/Garage-Door-Openers/Elite-Series/model-8500

 

[yelbike]

Yes -- that looks like the same model I have, a Liftmaster 8500 (formerly the 3800 model I believe). I had a 3800 at my last house for many years and it was great. Bought a two-pack of the newer 8500 openers for our new home. These are so much simpler and compact than the overhead openers, I am surprised how much of a secret they tend to be.

I have normal openers on my other two doors same series though. Battery back up, belt driven with soft start and stop. Awesome really. Good match with the horman doors.

 

[the old grind]

This 8' wood door has been here for >40 yrs, tho the opener could be as young as 20. (Y'can see I run the chain too loose. No defense of that. )
http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-VpfwpR7/0/L/i-VpfwpR7-L.jpg

Motorbike blocks the view of the manual lift handle (one hinge in from the far right side), which can be used with no fuss every time I'm 'down' to re-lube or replace the plastic gear in the opener (Craftsman/Chamberlain, gear lasts 8-10 yrs).

The door must have been installed right since it never occurred to me that lift NRG had to be centered in the door. (not to worry, guys. A lot of life's lessons have somehow slipped by me....)

 

[Oldpath05]

I have a 12x12 insulated over head door with LiftMaster 8500, While the door was down, I was trying to adjust the door by loosening a cable drum so it would set down on the floor level, and get some slack out of the cable, sooo the (Cable Tension Monitor) would let the door down, then all of a sudden, both torsion springs became unwound, yea that was a surprise moment. Now does anyone know how many (full) turns each spring takes, I didn't really want to mess with springs, but Santa just sent me his bill$$$ so I want to save $300.00 by not hiring a door Co. to fix it, but if I have to I have to

 

[aczlan]

It depends on the weight of your door and the strength of the springs. I would wind the cables up all the way, put the door up, hook the cables on, run it down, then repeat until you can lift the door with one hand.

Aaron Z

 

[Xfaxman]

It depends on the weight of your door and the strength of the springs. I would wind the cables up all the way, put the door up, hook the cables on, run it down, then repeat until you can lift the door with one hand.


Aaron Z

I don't think you can put the door up without spring tension.

I ground the ends of two pieces of rebar to make adjusting tools, but I had a 8x16 door, don't know if a 12x12 would be heavier.

Hiring it done might be cheaper than the medical bills if something goes wrong.

 

[Oldpath05]

Just to update one small detail, the door is down and it must weigh 300 lbs. because I cant budge it.

 

[kc5dlo]

Be VERY careful and make sure you understand your system before attempting to tension the springs yourself. I have changed springs before and replaced a storm damaged 12x12 once. It is very dangerous. I would consider finding a pro to not only tension the springs, but also adjust the door to fix the problem you were originally trying to fix.

 

[Bird]

Hiring it done might be cheaper than the medical bills if something goes wrong.

Yep. I've installed 3 garage door openers in my younger days, but the one I have now was installed by a professional that I paid.