How easy is it to replace an old Sears garage door opener? (Update- DONE!)

[JEDI]

so it looks like my 20yr old Craftsman garage door opener bit the dust.

This is a similar model:

The round thing on top has stopped spinning so the chain no longer moves.
it still makes sounds like normal when it's opening/closing the garage door.
Maybe stripped gear?

But since it's 20yrs old, I think it's time for a replacement.

My garage door is of the springs on the side model:

Is it as simple as replacing the unit + chain while keeping everything else the same?


Update:
Done! took an hr.
I only replaced the opener, not the rail/chain.
I reused the existing eye sensors and the manual wired open/close button located in the garage.

would have taken 15min but the new model had a chain spreader.
had to make adjustments to the chain else I would have just slipped the chain onto the new model and just mounted it.
all the holes lined up. yeah for craftsman for keeping it the same all these years.

and the new model is a lot quieter too.

 

[Lean L]

Yes.

Pick a new one up and replace the rail and opener. You can even reuse the sensors and reuse the line for the controller.

 

[MustISO]

It's pretty easy to do. Making sure everything is level and straight is the most difficult part. If you can use the old wiring that will save time.

 

[pete6032]

Home improvement forum?

 

[JEDI]

Yes.

Pick a new one up and replace the rail and opener. You can even reuse the sensors and reuse the line for the controller.

thx!

cheapest one at sears right now is on sale for $140:
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-1-2-h...sellerId=SEARS

good price?

 

[dud]

OP, you can A) Check the worm (drive) gear (I can almost guaranty that it is stripped) and replace for about $20 or B) You can buy a new unit for about $150. I've done both and they both work. If you decide to replace the worm gear go to Sears ... they sell it with a pack of lithium grease.

 

[Lean L]

Keep in mind that it can be any brand so you can shop around for garage doors that are remote app enabled (MyQ) or have battery backup if you plan on an upgrade.

A standard garage door opener can be had on clearance sometimes for $100 so visit a few stores to see if they carry them.

 

[Ken g6]

Pretty easy. Pull the plastic cord and lift the garage door yourself.

Oh, you mean with another automatic garage door opener? Then I don't know.

 

[master_shake_]

very simple.

just remove everything from the old one.

then mount the hanger above the door.

openm the door halfway let the opener sit on the door

use the same measurement from the ceiling to the hanger for the ceiling to the top of the opener.

mount the opener and infared eye, attach it to the door and set the limits.

 

[richardycc]

doesn't look like you know what you are doing, why not pay someone else to do the work. Lowes/Home Depot charges around $120 for basic install.

 

[shabby]

doesn't look like you know what you are doing, why not pay someone else to do the work. Lowes/Home Depot charges around $120 for basic install.

He can change his own spark plugs, that's gotta count for something right?
Dud is right, the stupid plastic gear is worn, cheap and simple fix.

 

[JEDI]

He can change his own spark plugs, that's gotta count for something right?
Dud is right, the stupid plastic gear is worn, cheap and simple fix.

hm.. universal garage door gear $6 shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-G...8?pt=Garage_Doors_Openers&hash=item1c305adc5c

would this work?

 

[dullard]

It is pretty easy to replace those with the springs on the side. It took me maybe 3 hours. The hardest part was getting everything up without an assistant. I just attached a rail to just above the garage door and pivoted the opener up into place to attach it to the ceiling. With an assistant, it would have been very easy.

About $150 will get you more horsepower, temperature gauge, keypad outside, motion sensing lights, and a battery backup so you can get in/out in a power outage. Sure you can fix your old one, but a decent upgrade give you an awful lot of useful items for not that much money.

 

[RossMAN]

Home improvement forum?

Bingo, wrong forum mofo!

http://forums.anandtech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=67

 

[fralexandr]

if you want your garage door to be quieter (i.e. bedroom above garage, etc)
then you might want to go with a kevlar/belt driven version.
Those are usually a bit more expensive though
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-190-...p-00954918000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It isn't that expensive to pay to have someone install it. That's the route I take for something like this. I have more money than time and most importantly, PATIENCE. :awe:

 

[Scarpozzi]

If you have an option, get a belt drive. They're much quieter. I've got a pair of the Craftsman Belt Drives from a year or so ago. They're made by Chamberlain....very quiet, fast, good. They even have ones that come with battery backup. It's good if you live out of town and lose power from time to time....or if you just want piece of mind.

The installation takes about an hour and is easier if you have 2 step ladders.

 

[cbrunny]

easy. i bought one from sears and installed it myself. Took a few hours, but it has worked flawlessly since. Especially if the hanging apparatus doesn't need to change this will be a snap job.

 

[ControlD]

I just went through this exact same thing a few years ago. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

As others have said, the only pieces you actually have to replace are the drive mechanism and the opener itself. None of the side pieces need to be replaced.

If your current opener is old (mine was from 1980) you will also need to install the safety beams because the old ones didn't have those. That will require getting in the attic and dropping some wires, but that was the worst part.

Make sure you have a friend around to help lift the drive mechanism in place.

 

[dud]

hm.. universal garage door gear $6 shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-G...8?pt=Garage_Doors_Openers&hash=item1c305adc5c

would this work?

The unit you have was prob manufactured for Sears by Chamberlin. Unplug the unit and remove the small screws holding the outer case to the frame. Once removed you will be able to see what has gone wrong. The reason I mentioned that the gear(s) might have gone bad is that you stated that the unit still turns on and the motor turns when you use the remote. This prob means that the mechanical force from the motor (via the worm gear to the large white plastic gear) is not happening and that one or both need replacement (very easy to do). Here is an example of the entire kit for $20 shipped:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garage-Door...1?pt=Garage_Doors_Openers&hash=item339a6edf85

Until you take the outer case off you are guessing. IMHO if you can get a new unit for $100 just buy it and replace the old one. After replacing the gears on my old Chamberlin twice over 25 years I just went ahead and purchased a Craftsman (Chamberlin) replacement for $100 at a BF sale two years ago.

 

[bockie]

I just had something similar happen on mine. If I unhooked the door the opener worked normally. As soon as there was a load it was basically skipping. I disassembled the gear housing and the big circular gear that worm gear from the motor attached to had almost cracked in half.

Took the cracked gear to a Garage Door place and got a replacement for $12.

This was my problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqrM0_8wnJc

 

[JEDI]

thx!

cheapest one at sears right now is on sale for $140:
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-1-2-h...sellerId=SEARS

good price?

thx all.
will probably buy this instead of trying to fix the old one.

for the past few yrs, the old one has problems lifting the door when the temp drops below 30F for some reason.

 

[Scarpozzi]

thx all.
will probably buy this instead of trying to fix the old one.

for the past few yrs, the old one has problems lifting the door when the temp drops below 30F for some reason.

Seriously check the belt drives. This is what I've got.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHzle4GD0wc

 

[richardycc]

did anyone read the part that his broken garage door opener is 20yrs old?? I doubt that his opener has any of the safety and convenient features a new opener has. For safety's sake, new garage door opener is one of the cheapest home improvements one can make. you can get it done for under $400 installed!

 

[Zorba]

I replaced my brother's worm gear a few years ago, very simple. But the motor died a couple years after, didn't see any point in spending $80 bucks on a new motor for a 17 year old opener.

Why no love for screw drives? I had one at my last house, holy crap that thing was fast and quiet. I could hit the button at the front of the garage and the door would be fully up before I could quickly walk to it. My was a Genie.