Installing garage door operator on the torsion bar

[f6john]

Started Saturday on my first ever install of said operator. I looked over everything and read the instruction manual and was confident going in this would be a slam dunk. It was not to be. Several extra features slowed down the process. Attaching the operator to the torsion tube was quick and easy. Then came the cable tension monitor. I guess due to the design it’s necessary so it went on next and seemed all was good. The operator (Chamberlin/Liftmaster) also came with an electric lock mechanism that mounts to the track and automatically locks and unlocks with the remotes or wall control when the door is activated. Still a straight forward installation. Mounting the wall control to poured concrete walls and running the cable took a little longer than usual trying to be neat. The opener came with a ceiling mounted led light that is preprogrammed to the opener and is activated by a motion sensor, the safety sensors, and when the opener is operating. Not difficult but still another step.

The problems started when I attempted to set the up and down travel limits. It came with detailed instructions how to do this which I followed carefully. After setting the limits, I attempted to run the door through a cycle. The door goes up smoothly and is very quiet compared to the old chain drive unit. I hit the remote again and the door starts down and within inches of movement it comes to a jerking stop. After multiple attempts it ultimately goes down. After an hour or so of trying to figure out the problem, I back away and wait for Monday.

So, Monday arrives. The troubleshooting guide says to check this and that and if still a problem to disconnect the opener and check the door for obstructions, jambs, and balance. At this point I had already reset the spring tension twice and operated the door by hand to confirm no binding and acceptable balance. So I start the whole setup procedure over again after taking all the tension off the spring and resetting it for the third time. Once again it goes up but won’t come down. After a break, I take another look at the whole setup, I see what I think may be causing the problem. The door was being put in a bind by the new operator because the door track itself had been installed so poorly in the first place. Luckily I was able to remove and or loosen the track mounting bolts on the side creating the problem and with the help of my hammer was able to achieve the clearance I needed.

After two days of work, I finally have the opener working as it should. Hopefully the second one will go much smoother.

[Jersey mike]

Sounds like you’re on your way to a new career. Post an ad in the classified section and away you go.

I tried once to adjust our door openers made a mess out of the first one and took quite a few hours for what I thought was a simple adjustment. The second door went a bit smoother.

[Rams]

Wait, I thought you were the "Operator"...................   

Rams 

[Moonshot_1]

The problem was you read the directions first. According to the Chamberlin website that step is on day 4 of the 12 day process. For me the Call a professional step is on day 10 of the process and on day 12 the professional does everything in 2 mins. for 1500 bucks.

Hope this helps.

[Jess from VA]

on day 12 the professional does everything in 2 mins. for 1500 bucks.

This sounds suspiciously like the union rules for my local plumbers. 

I wish I had a garage. 

When I got out of service in '92, I could only afford a house OR a garage (in No VA), and the wife insisted on a house.

But not to feel left out, the doors on both my sheds are rotting off on the bottoms and I just installed rubber floor mats across the door bottoms.  They don't rot like the wood does.  And they look so professional too.    

[f6john]

Sounds like you’re on your way to a new career. Post an ad in the classified section and away you go.

I tried once to adjust our door openers made a mess out of the first one and took quite a few hours for what I thought was a simple adjustment. The second door went a bit smoother.

I’ve installed hundreds of doors and operators just not this style. My biggest mistake was taking for granted that the garage door was put up properly in the first place. But like most things in my new digs, the material was fine the execution of installing said material not so much.

Wait, I thought you were the "Operator"...................   

Rams 

The key is the opener has to operate for me to be the operator.  It took two days to go from jackleg to operator!

on day 12 the professional does everything in 2 mins. for 1500 bucks.

This sounds suspiciously like the union rules for my local plumbers. 

I wish I had a garage. 

When I got out of service in '92, I could only afford a house OR a garage (in No VA), and the wife insisted on a house.

But not to feel left out, the doors on both my sheds are rotting off on the bottoms and I just installed rubber floor mats across the door bottoms.  They don't rot like the wood does.  And they look so professional too.    

There is a lot to be said for the minimalist approach too!

[cookiedough]

I have installed 2 garage door openers in my day past 30 years, taking an entire day for the most part.  First one in 1993 was a Stanley 1/2 hp chain drive supposedly LIFETIME warranty on motor but that motor gave out about 8 years ago and Stanley no longer makes garage door openers so the LIFETIME warranty was null and void, got a quieter belt drive Chamberlain also LIFETIME warranty and hopefully Chamberlain stays in business longer than Stanley did.    I also have called a trained technician for 2 upper torsion springs that snapped the past 30 years are under pressure and if not whine it up tight and it slips, you are in big trouble I heard if unwhines.  I also hired a pro to install a new 2 car garage door that OEM was lightweight OEM in 1993 vinyl due to age cracked on me.   

[0leman]

In the last 3 homes I have lived in, I have installed garage door openers.  Have used the ones sold by Sears.  Not a real big problem with install, but took better part of the day to do so.   Just lucky who ever installed the garage door did a great job.

Have owned 5 homes with garages, only had to call a professional once to replace one of the springs what broke.  Smart enough to know dealing with a tightly coiled spring is dangerous. 

[Rio Wil]

Often if it will go up but not down, it is the sensors at the bottom of the door frame that are not aimed well......

[Dave Ritsema]

I installed three of those suckers in our new house. By the third one it was pretty easy. 
The dead bolt feature is nice and they also work well with the app if you want to open the door remotely which I have done several times for trades people coming back to re-do some of their fine workmanship. LOL

[f6john]

Often if it will go up but not down, it is the sensors at the bottom of the door frame that are not aimed well......

That’s pretty easy to eliminate, either the eyes will not be lit or they will flicker, also if the primary sensor is exposed to direct sunlight they will not perform correctly. None of those were issues for me. Usually the first thing I check when I have a problem.

I installed three of those suckers in our new house. By the third one it was pretty easy. 
The dead bolt feature is nice and they also work well with the app if you want to open the door remotely which I have done several times for trades people coming back to re-do some of their fine workmanship. LOL

I like the deadbolt feature too. I may have to call you on the remote opening feature, I haven’t tackled that yet!

[Dave Ritsema]

Often if it will go up but not down, it is the sensors at the bottom of the door frame that are not aimed well......

That’s pretty easy to eliminate, either the eyes will not be lit or they will flicker, also if the primary sensor is exposed to direct sunlight they will not perform correctly. None of those were issues for me. Usually the first thing I check when I have a problem.

I installed three of those suckers in our new house. By the third one it was pretty easy. 
The dead bolt feature is nice and they also work well with the app if you want to open the door remotely which I have done several times for trades people coming back to re-do some of their fine workmanship. LOL

I like the deadbolt feature too. I may have to call you on the remote opening feature, I haven’t tackled that yet!

https://www.myq.com/app

Mine came with hanging cards on the manual opening rope that had the web address to download the app. I find that I use it more than I expected to.