Any garage door gurus here?

[MarkT]

Good tips so far - agree with most but don't have much to add on them.

I had to replace the most-used Sears door opener in the south bay once, due to the worm gear breaking.  On it's replacement - another Sears - I took the cover off so I could easily periodically grease the gears.  (There's a grease made just for that)  These units have adjustment for both the height of travel in both directions, and force it uses in both directions.  Meaning it's pretty versatile for moving even an old worn-out segmented door.  I also found it's needed to keep the door rollers well aligned, correctly extended and the track well greased.  Keep the worm gear and the trolley track well greased, the adjustments appropriate for your install, and the chain with correct slack and greased and it will work for decades.  Also watch for nuts coming loose from vibration, particularly on the door and the trolley and it's track.  Loctite 242 would be a good use here.

[MarkT]

I’m a big proponent of NyQuil, but I throw away the little cup that comes on the cap and just turn it up and gulp it down. Not a cure but it lets me get some sleep. When my faucet is running, I haven’t found anything to really shut it off.

If you don't have one of these already - Helps some with a cold but even better if you have allergies getting your sinuses upset.  That is, the Navage nose irrigator.  REALLY nice washing allergens out with it - more convenient than a neti pot or nose syringe and a better solution than taking antihistimins or other drugs.  Might want to get one before the allergy season.  CVS carries them in-store.  https://www.navage.com/

[..]

Well that didn't help. Still had to force close the door at 1.30pm. Rails are firmly secure.

[Jess from VA]

I wish I had a garage... that a door could go bad on.

My two, 20yo, 8 x 10 shed doors are rotting from the bottom (despite best efforts with sealer/caulk and oil paint).  Water damage.

They have those hundred-nail-on-each-side, full-length piano hinges on them (double doors) and are oterwise in good shape.

A carpenter guy said I could rebuild them in place replacing bad lumber with good, in a kind of graft job coming up about 2-3 feet from the bottom.

I suck at carpentry, and am afraid if I try this, I will end up with no doors at all.

Like this (only older).

[..]

6p.m. and the door closed correctly 

[f6john]

Well that didn't help. Still had to force close the door at 1.30pm. Rails are firmly secure.

As a last resort call the 800 service number for the operator you have and walk them through the problem. Be prepared to answer questions and perform tasks as instructed. Usually they can narrow it down and if a defective part they can send it to you. Be sure you research and have model number and serial number available before you call. Many times you can find all this information on the subject unit itself. Happy hunting, I've exhausted all my ideas on the subject.

[..]

Well that didn't help. Still had to force close the door at 1.30pm. Rails are firmly secure.

As a last resort call the 800 service number for the operator you have and walk them through the problem. Be prepared to answer questions and perform tasks as instructed. Usually they can narrow it down and if a defective part they can send it to you. Be sure you research and have model number and serial number available before you call. Many times you can find all this information on the subject unit itself. Happy hunting, I've exhausted all my ideas on the subject.

I'll try that. Thanks.

[Tx Bohemian]

So,
We just had a garage built, will have doors installed (2 - 9X7s) in a couple of weeks and am researching garage door openers when I remembered this thread and read through it.

I'm pretty sure you've checked this already but thought I'd add an experience I had once.
You never know, this might help.

I had a new opener for about 6 months ( after burning up the old one running it up and down looking for an annoying squeak, another story) when one day this thing would stop about 2' from closing and go back up!

Hmmm... what the hey!!! Tried it again, same thing!!

Turns out there was a half empty birdseed bag placed next to the rail (I'll blame the wife for putting it there) and when the door would come down it caught the empty part of the bag and shove it inbetween the sensors, thus causing it to go back up.

As I said with all the suggestions here you've probably looked everything over, but maybe something (old cobweb, something hanging like old peeling paint) near one of the sensors that at times moves/blows in between them?

[..]

So,
We just had a garage built, will have doors installed (2 - 9X7s) in a couple of weeks and am researching garage door openers when I remembered this thread and read through it.

I'm pretty sure you've checked this already but thought I'd add an experience I had once.
You never know, this might help.

I had a new opener for about 6 months ( after burning up the old one running it up and down looking for an annoying squeak, another story) when one day this thing would stop about 2' from closing and go back up!

Hmmm... what the hey!!! Tried it again, same thing!!

Turns out there was a half empty birdseed bag placed next to the rail (I'll blame the wife for putting it there) and when the door would come down it caught the empty part of the bag and shove it inbetween the sensors, thus causing it to go back up.

As I said with all the suggestions here you've probably looked everything over, but maybe something (old cobweb, something hanging like old peeling paint) near one of the sensors that at times moves/blows in between them?

Thanks. The sensors are clean enough to eat off.

Had a few days of perfect operation BUT today it's back to working fine in the morning and evening but refusing to close without being forced in the middle of the day.

I'm calling Liftmaster tomorrow.

[cookiedough]

has been discussed, but are the days in the middle of the day not working been sunny out?  Maybe too much light is hitting the sensors on either side not allowing the beam to read left to right/right to left across?  morning and nights will work more so if the lighting outside is dimmer, just a thought??

basically,  have mid-day when not working been any cloudy overcast days when the opener has not worked?  cannot hurt a thing if you adjust the sensor on each side  just a smidge either way you think will line up tad bit better, maybe it is tad bit fussy in that one position certain times of the day? 

[..]

has been discussed, but are the days in the middle of the day not working been sunny out?  Maybe too much light is hitting the sensors on either side not allowing the beam to read left to right/right to left across?  morning and nights will work more so if the lighting outside is dimmer, just a thought??

basically,  have mid-day when not working been any cloudy overcast days when the opener has not worked?  cannot hurt a thing if you adjust the sensor on each side  just a smidge either way you think will line up tad bit better, maybe it is tad bit fussy in that one position certain times of the day? 

No sun on garage door until after about 3.30pm at this time of the year.

I've tried moving the sensors just a smidgin.

[indybobm]

Have you looked at the ceiling unit for any adjustments that would need a small screwdriver? should be a couple on the side of the unit. Older units sometimes require more current to operate than when they were new. Turning up the current limit pot (adjustment) can correct that.

[Kidd]

I have always wanted my garage door to go up and down at twice the speed , double the current , more powerful  motor , what ever it takes  , make it go faster 

[..]

Have you looked at the ceiling unit for any adjustments that would need a small screwdriver? should be a couple on the side of the unit. Older units sometimes require more current to operate than when they were new. Turning up the current limit pot (adjustment) can correct that.

Already suggested and tried. Thanks.

[..]

Had a fun conversation with Rita at Liftmaster last week.

I now know if the opener unit light flashes 1, 2 or 4 times there is a wiring problem.
If it flashes 10 times as does mine it's a sensor problem.

My green sensor is bright enough to make a Grinch envious.

The orange sensor is as bright as the flesh inside a newly harvested carrot.

I've been moving the sensors for the past 3 days trying to find a sweet spot.

Hasn't worked yet the darn thing is still stubborn in the middle of the day.

[f6john]

Had a fun conversation with Rita at Liftmaster last week.

I now know if the opener unit light flashes 1, 2 or 4 times there is a wiring problem.
If it flashes 10 times as does mine it's a sensor problem.

My green sensor is bright enough to make a Grinch envious.

The orange sensor is as bright as the flesh inside a newly harvested carrot.

I've been moving the sensors for the past 3 days trying to find a sweet spot.

Hasn't worked yet the darn thing is still stubborn in the middle of the day.

I did not know about the meaning of the number of flashes and I’ve been installing openers off and on for 20 years. If I were having your problem, I would just take the two sensors loose from the tracks and use the slack in the wires to make them meet somewhere in the middle and tape they together eye to eye so to speak. I’ve done this numerous times for various reasons with no issues. Of course not a recommended procedure for safety but sometimes you do what you have to do.

[..]

Had a fun conversation with Rita at Liftmaster last week.

I now know if the opener unit light flashes 1, 2 or 4 times there is a wiring problem.
If it flashes 10 times as does mine it's a sensor problem.

My green sensor is bright enough to make a Grinch envious.

The orange sensor is as bright as the flesh inside a newly harvested carrot.

I've been moving the sensors for the past 3 days trying to find a sweet spot.

Hasn't worked yet the darn thing is still stubborn in the middle of the day.

 If I were having your problem, I would just take the two sensors loose from the tracks and use the slack in the wires to make them meet somewhere in the middle and tape they together eye to eye so to speak. I’ve done this numerous times for various reasons with no issues. Of course not a recommended procedure for safety but sometimes you do what you have to do.

Hmmm I'll ponder on that for a while.

[cookiedough]

could be just bad wiring, but like you said works ALL the time morning or night just not mid-day/early afternoon off and on is very, very odd.    Maybe like said put the sensors together real close if have enough wiring so you know they see eye to eye to outrule sensor lighting issues..

Unless have little kids or pets around,  the safety factor, at least to me, is no big deal.