Why is My Garage Door Opener Chain Loose?

Welcome to the latest episode of the Check Pro Radio Show! Today, we address a common question: "Why is my garage door opener chain loose?" Our guest expert, Adam Greer from EZ Lift Garage Doors and More, joins us to provide insights and solutions.

Adam explains the traditional use of chains in garage door openers and discusses newer alternatives like belt drives. He delves into reasons for chain looseness, including bearing wear and over-tightening issues, and provides practical advice on whether to repair or replace parts based on the age and condition of the opener.

We also explore the pros and cons of belt vs. chain drives and their appropriate applications, such as noise considerations for attached vs. detached garages. Adam emphasizes the importance of maintaining the entire garage door system, including rollers and bearings, to ensure optimal performance.

Tune in for expert tips and recommendations to keep your garage door opener running smoothly!

 

For more information about EZ Lift Garage Doors & More in Katy, Texas log on to www.ezohd.com or check them out at www.checkapro.com.

 

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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Is your chain loose i'm talking about
your garage door opener chain a
question has come into the Check Pro Radio Show studios
why is my garage door opener chain loose
so I've asked my good friend and
super technician in the garage door business to
join me Adam Greer from EZ Lift Garage Doors and More hello

(00:23):
Adam hello how are you doing I am living the
dream thank you so much so a lot
of garage door openers use a chain traditionally
that was pretty much what drove that machine
up and down today there are some other options um so
the chain can get loose like on a

(00:44):
bicycle right it's probably not supposed to do that um
and why would it be loose and and
belt drives can get loose as well so uh if
you see drooping whether it be the belt
drooping or the chain drooping that's a problem what
is the problem a couple things one if you get
the the box floor version opener

(01:06):
uh they don't do it anymore but used to be.
50 cable and 50 chain the
cable stretches over time leave it about
um and so that's one thing you just got to tighten those
up now everything's 100 chain so newer ones aren't
the same but there's a shaft in
the opener motor has a sprocket on it

(01:28):
that the chain's riding and as that bearing
set wears out it begins to pull the
shaft forward that's almost always why you have a a loose chain bearing sentence
fail and that's simply going to be look on top of the motor where that gear
is and you'll see all the black metal dust that's all up there that's that's

(01:50):
almost always the issue or.
It has flat out sheared off a sprocket that happens too and so the chain just
really droop of bed it's not you hear the motor working the chain's not moving,
it's leaning forward the chain will move even with a busted bearing but when
it's not moving and the things because it busted off that sheared the gear right off the top of the axle,

(02:18):
so if it's pitching forward forward.
You have to replace the entire garage door opener or can replace that part?
We can replace the gear and sprocket. Okay.
And that becomes an issue of age.
So some things that cause that to pitch forward, that tension.

(02:39):
If somebody, the original saw, over-tightened that chain over the years,
and it's just tight, there's no gift.
It's just pulling on that thing and it's just driving.
There's a right tension that you're supposed to set those at. for
operation so that could be uh you know
two three years in it's broken already that's what happened there but

(02:59):
if it's 10 years old 11 12 you know it's it's old okay the bearings it served
its life when I put a gear and sprocket in a 10-year-old opener i wouldn't recommend
it I know sometimes budget dictates that but I would highly recommend you consider
doing if you're inside five years.

(03:20):
Six years I mean sure it makes you have plenty of life left on that opener in
theory but like I said if you're over that 10-year mark you have an opener only
last usually 15 years anyway,
i don't think i would spend the you know the couple hundred bucks to,
part labor on that um but uh so just the situation dictates if we fix it or

(03:41):
replace uh and the belt like I said we can do the same thing uh it's not usually the the gear
problem though the bearing set because that belt
has there's like a little shock absorber when you little
spring when you set it so it has some give to it but what
happens is that belt uh it starts to stretch

(04:02):
it a little bit and the teeth start to wear or break it off
and it's just it's the chain the belts drag it and
so usually it's a new belt scenario uh very seldom we have to change of gear
out of that or somebody didn't set that that spring right in the first place
you know there is a way when you set all this but that's a that's really uncommon

(04:23):
on a build that it can't have chain drives is a choice,
So, which do you prefer, a belt or chain? What do you recommend?
It's 100% based on the situation. Why would you need a belt drive?
It's always the question.
If you've got a detached garage like you have, I wouldn't waste another belt.

(04:46):
Honestly, you don't need whisper quiet. Because function, they're both going
to last about the same life expectancy.
That chain drive is your workforce. And that's all you need for a garage.
If you've got a baby living upstairs above the garage, then a bell drive makes
sense because you want that whisper.
You don't want the baby to wake up every time somebody uses the door.

(05:06):
So really, it's application. What is going on in your house?
Some people, detached garage, doesn't matter. They want it just to be silent.
Okay, well, we'll certainly come put it in for you, but it's not necessary.
It's overkill for a detached garage. much because they
really the workhorse honestly in my opinion is

(05:28):
always going to be a changer it's it's just it's there's
no give to a change right the belt has a little stretchy stretchy
you know but it's either
one is good they just have the right application
would it be fair to say regardless of
how quiet the belt drive is if
the garage door and rollers are noisy it

(05:51):
doesn't matter it doesn't matter yeah yeah and
that's where rollers come in maybe bearings on the
springs the spring you know spring bearings there's yeah you
could spend all kinds of money on an opener that's whisper quiet you'll
address the door you've wasted money there too so
it's like having a five thousand dollar tube amplifier that's great but you've

(06:13):
got lousy speakers filmmakers yeah well it's you have everything's got to be
just right to get the value out of it Adam as always thank you so much for being
the expert here on Check A Pro Radio,
it's always a pleasure thanks for having me.