Who makes the best current garage door lift mechanism?

Replacing a 37 year old Sears chain drive, whose shaft spring snapped last night.

Any tricks for one single person to getting the door raised by pry bar or jack?

I have the two 18 inch long special matching bars to adjust spring tension, but no helper at present.

Stu recommended Liftmaster, so when my Genie got too troublesome I got the 8550W. With the power out for almost 24 hours now I appreciate the backup battery feature.

i have 3 of the Liftmaster jackshaft openers on my 3 doors quiet, efficient and battery backup as well per Stu!!

Chamberlain makes most of them. I have had good luck with all mine.

Same here - on Stu's recommendation, I bought a Liftmaster belt drive about 15 years ago. Sears offered an opener with multi-piece beam - made by Liftmaster - I think it is a 1/2 HP. It has been flawless. Basically Stu recommended one brand: Liftmaster. (Stu was in the overhead door business for many years)

RIP Stu.

I think you need a helper to get the door open. One guy pushes the button to get it started and the other guy lifts the door. Maybe you can push the button and run over to the door and start lifting, never tried it that way.

This opener has two separate coil springs around the shaft that has a cable pulley on each end.
The right hand coil spring is broken... must have broken when the door was closed and everything still.
The left hand coil spring is still good.

It is a massive double car width single door.
18 feet wide. 6 foot 10 inch tall.

I cannot lift it with the chain release lever pulled.
I have manually lifted the door easily when both coil springs were providing help.

If I climb on top of the van and sit,
I can use the 18 inch leverage of a solid steel tension adjustment bar to lift the door about 2 inches off the ground,
but the weight is too much for one arm to hold while the other arm would get a 2nd bar in the hub on the shaft to hold against the wall.

I have called the local Liftmaster dealership.
They are “booked solid” for the day
but since the vehicle is trapped inside the the garage they say they will try to have an employee come over if only to get the vehicle outside the garage.

You have a broken torsion spring. There are 2 on 16' and larger doors. Don't try and open it. Dangerous You need to replace both springs. I also have a pair of jack shaft liftmasters. Wonderful no more chain belt.

IMO, bad news, you will never be able to manually lift it by yourself, and it you attempt, it could be dangerous and we get to read about the "idiot" crushed under his garage door in the newspaper.
The good news, the door gets lighter to lift the higher it moves up.
If the other spring gives out suddenly, this will be your last thread.
Be careful.

Two springs replaced: $285 for three hours work by a friendly guy with 21 years experience.

The dead weight of the 18 ft by 6 ft 10 inch door was measured to be 351 lbs.

If I had not witnessed it with my own eyes I would not have believed that those two heavy helical springs could be bent around 360 degrees one at a time like huge pieces of stiff pasta in order to remove them both from only one shaft end with only scant 9 inches of clearance over to the wall.

I thought the top shaft would have to be completely taken down,
set on the floor,
and turned 90 degrees to remove the old springs and install new springs,
then lifted back up and re-mounted.

I've had this same issue (one of the springs breaks) probably 3 times over the years - twice at my old house, & once at our current house. I tried to mess with it the first time myself, & quickly realized there was a real technique to doing these! I realized the danger pretty quickly! Both springs need to be the same length, & same rating. Hey - I know when it's time to let the pros do their thing & swallow your pride!

Glad to know I saved over $200


I did this myself for the very first time last month when one of my springs broke on my 16X7 after twenty years

Menards had the springs and winding bars

Little nervous winding the new springs but honestly after you do it for the first time piece of cake

Gotta Love YouTube

This website was Awesome

https://ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/garage-door-springs.php

Bookmarked.Thanks

Another happy Liftmaster 8550W owner here, thanks to Stu. I didn't even know the guy at all and I sent him a PM on here and he told me exactly what to get and how much to pay. What a good guy. Sorry I never met him in person.

liftmaster here as well. Stu knew his stuff !
he will be missed for a LONG time !

I think we've had a broken spring 3 times now on our garage door in about 34 years. Our opener is a stanley that's as old as the door.

My 37 year old springs had a light coat of rust.

The technician thoroughly sprayed the new springs with a lubricant I did not see the name of. It is one of the stinky-est lubricants I have smelled.

I wonder if every two years or so I should spray the new springs with the best anti-rust spray I have witnessed:

https://www.amazon.com/Eezox-Premium-Synthetic-Gun-Care/dp/B07FCRVTDL

Yes you can oil them and it is a good idea. Old time door installer told me this many years ago. Once a year take an oil satutated rag and rub the springs. He said it extends the life by reducing the friction of coil binding.

Hey, that DOES sound like a good idea! Thanks for passing this on.