# Best Garage Door Opener?



## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

We've had a Geni Excelerator since building the house and its the screw type. Our door is a full 8' high door also, which means we had to add the extra length to the rail.

Problem with this thing is, it keep tearing up the plastic cage that runs on the screw or.... it wants to hang up on the joint. I've replaced the cage twice and had Overhead Door out looking it over. Now its wanting to hang up again.

So........... what's a GREAT opener that I can get without adding extra rails and will keep working properly for 10 years???? I keep telling the wife we just need to replace it but, ol' tightwad thinks I like messing with it over and over..........

Oh..... the garage door is also 18' wide and insulated, so its heavy.

Thanks for the help.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

If you are in SE Michigan, shoot a PM to Polarbear. Darrin will hook you up.


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## Padilen (Jun 18, 2013)

I'd go commercial grade, or at least HD chain drive. I have 2-9x12 insulated with Craftsman chain drive openers. I have not had issues with the openers but with door springs.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

I'm thinking about going with this: http://www.liftmaster.com/lmcv2/pro...50-elite-series-dc-battery-backup-belt-drive/

There's a couple places that install them up here....... NEL Alpena area.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Fishndude said:


> If you are in SE Michigan, shoot a PM to Polarbear. Darrin will hook you up.


 Even if your not shoot Darrin a PM, he'll steer you in the right direction. Offer to take him icefishing on that "lake with no fish" and he may even make the trip up there!


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## Padilen (Jun 18, 2013)

I posted about a chain drive because I worked for about 17 years at Stanley Electronics. We made the remote transmitter and main boards for their openers. Mostly chain drives the ,lab started testing screw drives, not sure if they ever sold any . Then they advertised that a Caddy had a timing chain and we had the caddy of openers because chain drive.


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## Sling (Aug 2, 2005)

don't mean to hijack but....what about the best replacement remotes ?


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## Padilen (Jun 18, 2013)

Sling said:


> don't mean to hijack but....what about the best replacement remotes ?


Multi- code.
Is universal.


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## GullLkRltr (Dec 13, 2005)

ENCORE said:


> We've had a Geni Excelerator since building the house and its the screw type. Our door is a full 8' high door also, which means we had to add the extra length to the rail.
> 
> Problem with this thing is, it keep tearing up the plastic cage that runs on the screw or.... it wants to hang up on the joint. I've replaced the cage twice and had Overhead Door out looking it over. Now its wanting to hang up again.
> 
> ...


 
I have the Genie 3/4 hp screw drive openers on both of my rental houses and never had any problems with them that you are experiencing,,, Is your "heavy" door properly balanced (correct springs or tension on springs) ? :idea:


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

GullLkRltr said:


> ...........Is your "heavy" door properly balanced (correct springs or tension on springs) ? :idea:


Yes. I believe its that extra 12" piece that's causing me all the headaches. Its constantly hanging up there and we've had that thing apart I don't know how many times. Overhead Door has been here 3 times.


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## The Nailer (Feb 7, 2000)

Just a thought, but can you reverse the rail so the short section is first while there is less lateral motion and weight?


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

ENCORE said:


> Yes. I believe its that extra 12" piece that's causing me all the headaches. Its constantly hanging up there and we've had that thing apart I don't know how many times. Overhead Door has been here 3 times.


Have you filed good chamfers on the ends so it won't catch? Twenty to thirty degrees is better than 45, in my experience.

I've had a Craftsman chain drive for close to 20 years.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Burksee said:


> Even if your not shoot Darrin a PM, he'll steer you in the right direction. Offer to take him icefishing on that "lake with no fish" and he may even make the trip up there!


When we get enough ice to run the quad and..... I get through with this hopefully last eye surgery, if he comes up we'll go fish'n anyway. 

We've settled on the belt drive Lift Master and battery backup. I've read some info that the Lift Master is a really good outfit. At least its not a screw drive.


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## waterbuffulo (Jul 18, 2009)

My 3/4hp liftmaster on my 9x18 triple wall insulated door is flawless. 
That came recommended from a bud with similar setup just a 16ft


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## twowack (Dec 21, 2010)

I have been using the Wayne Dalton iDRIVE.Its worth a look I looked at all the others out there and I really liked the fact that everything is mounted to the header instead of a track or a screw drive hanging down the center of the rafters. It has been trouble free.Im not saying its better than any thing else.16X7 1/2 insulated Dalton door too.It was my price range too at that time.
Figure what you want to pay and make your choice.


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## skulldugary (Apr 12, 2003)

I have a Craftsman 3/4 hp thats been lifting my 9x16 comercial door for 7 years and no problems...


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

ENCORE said:


> We've had a Geni Excelerator since building the house and its the screw type. Our door is a full 8' high door also, which means we had to add the extra length to the rail.
> 
> Problem with this thing is, it keep tearing up the plastic cage that runs on the screw or.... it wants to hang up on the joint. I've replaced the cage twice and had Overhead Door out looking it over. Now its wanting to hang up again.
> 
> ...


 I had the same problem, solved it by making my "ole tightwad" go out and open and close every time it needed opened or closed....besides messen with her was funner than messen with an ole door:evil:..............in the end she made the calls, got it replaced, been working great going on 8 years now..........................same principle works for hot water hearters too. let her take enough cold showers, ( I started showering at work) she will find a good one on sale.


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