Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Gear Replacement Compatibility Chart

Star Door Parts now offers a complete Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Gear Replacement Compatibility Chart that lists most all chain and belt drive GDOs manufactured since 1984. It also lists remote control units and wireless keypads that are compatible with each opener/operator. Simply click on any of the part numbers to take you directly to that part on our website where you can read more about it and add it to your shopping cart for purchase.

Click here to view the Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Gear Replacement Compatibility Chart.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Do you need to replace your Sears Craftsman garage door opener gear?

One of the most common parts to wear out on your garage door opener is the main gear. After years of constant opening and closing your door, the main gear eventually where wear out and one day when you go to open your door, you hear the motor running but the door doesn't move. The main gear is likely your problem.

There are several gear and sprocket kits that can be used to repair your GDO but what if you ONLY need the main gear? No problem! Star Door Parts now offers the option of purchasing and replacing only the main (large) gear. We offer a high-quality, low-cost after-market replacement heavy duty gear that is compatible with all of the models listed here.
Click here for part number 41A2817-CR Liftmaster Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Replacement White Main Gear.

We are currently offering a flat-rate $6.95 USPS Priority Mail shipping on this product.

Please also see our article posted here on how to change out your main GDO gear.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Remote and Keypad Compatibility Chart

We have just updated our Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Remote and Keypad Compatibility Chart to include certain models sold in Canada! To view the Sears Craftsman Compatibility Chart, click here.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

How to Replace the Main Gear in your Liftmaster or Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener

Its 6am and you are leaving for work. You press the garage door opener wall button and hear a subtle hum from your electric motor but the door failed to move. If your garage doors springs are in tact chances are you garage door openers main drive gear has failed. You can easily inspect your drive gears by unplugging your garage door opener and removing the metal cover. The main drive gear is made of a white plastic that typically is the weak link in the opener. Many things can cause this gear to fail. Some causes of wear are:

* Garage door out of balance (Springs broke or in need of adjustment)
* Chain to tight a
* Old age
* Excessive use or high cycle
* Factory defect or lack of grease at time of manufacture

Replacing the large white gear is a low cost, quick and easy do it yourself repair as long as you have a few simple hand tools and follow the safety precautions. These gears can be purchased online in a variety of levels of components.

41A2817-CR Gear and grease only. Works with all chain and belt models from 1984 to present Liftmaster, Sears, Craftsman and Chamberlain openers using a large white gear that is 2 3/4" x 1/2" wide, with a 1/2" bore. If you only need the main (large) gear, this is the part you need. It is a high-quality, low-cost after-market replacement heavy duty gear that is compatible with most all of the Liftmaster, Sears Craftsman garage door opener models manufactured 1984 to present.

41A2817 This gear kit includes the gear and grease as described above and in addition includes worm gears, replacement bushings, pins and lubricant and easy to follow installation instructions. 41A2817 Works with all chain and belt drive models from 1984 to present Liftmaster, Sears, Craftsman and Chamberlain openers using a large white gear that is 2 3/4" x 1/2" wide, with a 1/2" bore. If you only need the main (large) gear, you can use part# 41A2817-CR. It is a high-quality, low-cost after-market replacement heavy duty gear that is compatible with most all of the Liftmaster, Sears Craftsman garage door opener models manufactured 1984 to present. Click here for part number 41A2817-CR Liftmaster Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Replacement White Main Gear.

41C4220A This gear and sprocket kit includes all of the components above in the and includes the drive shaft and sprocket also. I recommend this kit if you do not have the 5/32” punch as mentioned in our tools requires section. It is cheaper to buy this kit than it would be to run out and buy the punch needed to remove the roll pins to replace the gear only. The main drive gears comes already installed on the shaft (very convenient). If you only need the main (large) gear, you can use part# 41A2817-CR. It is a high-quality, low-cost after-market replacement heavy duty gear that is compatible with most all of the Liftmaster, Sears Craftsman garage door opener models manufactured 1984 to present. Click here for part number 41A2817-CR Liftmaster Sears Craftsman Garage Door Opener Replacement White Main Gear. This repair kit is FOR CHAIN DRIVE MODELS ONLY. If you have a belt drive model see part number 41A4885-2 or 41A4885-5 below.

41A4885-2 use this kit if you wish to replace the complete drive shaft and belt pulley assembly on belt drive garage door openers used between 1984 and 2001. For newer models from 2002 to present see part number 41A4885-5 below

41A4885-5 use this kit if you wish to replace the complete drive shaft and belt pulley assembly on belt drive garage door openers used between 2002 to present.

In the attempt to educate homeowners on the procedure we have produced this article to guide you through the process step by step. After reading this article you cam make an educated decision on whether or not to attempt this procedure yourself.

Before you get started it is important for you to have a list of the few simple tools needed to accomplish this project:

* Hammer
* ½” wrench or adjustable wrench or pliers
* 3/8” Socket or Nut Driver
* 1/4” Socket or Nut Driver
* 5/16” Socket or Nut Driver
* Flat Standard Screwdriver
* 5/32” Punch or similar

~WARNING ~
To prevent possible SERIOUS INJURY or even DEATH from electrocution,
ALWAYS Disconnect the power cord from your garage door from the
outlet before proceeding with any inspection or repair.

Step #1
Make sure your garage door opener is unplugged. This step insures that no one unintentionally attempts to open or close the garage door while you are working on it or you do not accidentally activate the door while servicing it.

Step #2
Disconnect the door from the outer trolley by manually pulling the red disconnect rope and manually close the garage door.

Disconnect the door from the outer trolley by manually pulling the red disconnect rope and manually close the garage door.

~CAUTION~
The Garage door MUST be in the fully closed position
during all repairs and inspection.

Assuring that your garage door is closed will reassure that your door will not fall or make any movement that would cause injury or startle you. We recommend that once the door is closed that you clamp the door down using a vise grip or clamp above one of the rollers to prevent the door from being opened from the outside. See photo example below.

We recommend that once the door is closed that you clamp the door down using a vise grip or clamp above one of the rollers to prevent the door from being opened from the outside

Step #3
Slacken the chain or belts tension by loosing the tension nut on the garage door opener trolley. Typically this is nut and can be adjusted with a ½” wrench

Slacken the chain or belts tension by loosing the tension nut on the garage door opener trolley. Typically this is nut and can be adjusted with a ½” wrench

Step #4
Remove the sprocket or belt pulley retainer cap. Usually this has a clip on the back if you press in it will release.

Remove the sprocket or belt pulley retainer cap. Usually this has a clip on the back if you press in it will release.

Step #5
I always recommend marking the position of the chain or belt to the sprocket prior to removing. This can easily be done with white out, tape or any other means. This step helps assure that your chain or belt gets reinstalled in the correct position and makes for quick and easy reference if needed later. Remove the chain or belt from the sprocket and then slide the inner trolley to the closed position until it engages the outer trolley. Place loose chain/belt on the end of the rail closest to the sprocket. I typically duct tape the chain to prevent it from falling to the floor and getting all twisted and dirty.

Marking the position of the chain or belt to the sprocket prior to removing. This can easily be done with white out, tape or any other means.
Remove the chain or belt from the sprocket and then slide the inner trolley to the closed position until it engages the outer trolley. Place loose chain/belt on the end of the rail closest to the sprocket. I typically duct tape the chain to prevent it from falling to the floor and getting all twisted and dirty.

Step #6
It is now time to remove both end covers and the main housing. The end cover are each attached by three or four ¼” head screws that can be removed with a ¼” nut driver or socket. Be sure to unplug the wire to the circuit board.

Remove both end covers and the main housing. The end cover are each attached by three or four ¼” head screws that can be removed with a ¼” nut driver or socket. Be sure to unplug the wire to the circuit board.

Step #7
Remove the retaining clip and the drive gear for the limits. Also at this time remove the limit switch assembly by squeezing the sides just below the bracket by the drive gears. There is no need to disconnect the wires as it is ok to leave this limit assembly hang by the wires. Do not make any adjustments to the limit assembly screws, this will insure that there is minimal adjustment needed to the limits after you complete your repair and run your garage door opener.

Remove the retaining clip and the drive gear for the limits. Remove the limit switch assembly by squeezing the sides just below the bracket by the drive gears

Step #8
Now its time to remove the RPM sensor this can be easily done by unplugging the wire harness and remove the RPM sensor from the securing tabs.

Remove the RPM sensor this can be easily done by unplugging the wire harness and remove the RPM sensor from the securing tabs.

Step #9
Disconnect the red, blue and white wires from the motor. It is important that you note where these wires go. The same color wires go to the same terminals on the capacitor red/red and blue/blue. See photo examples below. These photos are a good reference if you happen to forget.

Disconnect the red, blue and white wires from the motor. The same color wires go to the same terminals on the capacitor red/red and blue/blue.

Step #10
Remove the four 5/16” hex head screw’s that hold the motor assembly to the frame of the garage door opener. Be sure to put your hand under the motor before removing the last screw to prevent the motor from falling. Slide the motor assembly off the drive shaft and place in a safe place. (Not on top of the ladder for obvious reasons) See photo’s below.

Remove the four 5/16” hex head screw’s that hold the motor assembly to the frame of the garage door opener. Be sure to put your hand under the motor before removing the last screw to prevent the motor from falling. Slide the motor assembly off the drive shaft and place in a safe place.

Step #11
Remove the three hex head screws holding the sprocket assembly to the main chassis using a 5/16” nut driver or socket. Now it is time to decide if you want to replace the main gear only all units 1984 to present chain and belt drive use part number 41A2817-CR or the main gear and worm gear part number 41A2817 or the entire sprocket 41C4220A for all chain drive models 1984 to present. For belt drive models if you wish to change the pulley shaft use part number 41A4885-2 from 1984 to present and if your belt drive unit was made from 2002 to present use part number 41A4885-5 all these parts are very affordable and can be purchased online at www.stardoorparts.com. See photo below to locate these screws.

Remove the three hex head screws holding the sprocket assembly to the main chassis using a 5/16” nut driver or socket.

Step #12
Skip this step if you are replacing the entire gear and sprocket or pulley assembly 41C4220A, 41A4885-2, 41A4885-5. If you are going to replace the drive gear support the driveshaft on a block of wood and drive the lower roll pin/Tension pin out with a 5/32” punch. See photo example below.


If you are going to replace the drive gear support the driveshaft on a block of wood and drive the lower roll pin/Tension pin out with a 5/32” punch.

Step #13
Remove and replace the worm gear. In most cases it is not necessary to replace the worm gear unless it shows signs of wear. If you wish to replace this gear remove the shaft collar with a 1/8” hex wrench. Please be sure to note the location of each of these components as you disassemble so you can re-install in proper order. When you receive you kit part number 41A2817 or 41C4220A you will find there are parts not used in your model this is because these kits are universal and work with many models of Sears, Craftsman, Wayne Dalton, Master Mechanic, Liftmaster, True Value and other brands of garage doors openers. Only replace the parts that are used on your garage door opener. Remove the 3 nuts that hold the motor to the frame and then remove the worm gear. Install the new worm gear making sure the roll pin is properly seated in the new gear. Re-install other components in reverse order. After you complete this assembly I recommend you lube the worm gear so you do not forget.

Remove and replace the worm gear

Step #14

Begin reassembly in reverse order. Be sure to thoroughly lube the main drive gear and that grease is on each and every tooth. Attach the gear and sprocket or pulley assembly to the main chassis with the three 5/16” head screws. Install the assembled motor frame to the chassis with the four 5/16” head screws and reattach the red, blue and white wires; now install the limit assembly and the limit drive gear making sure they mesh properly. You can now install the RPM sensor and reconnect wires. Install the metal cover and end panels, be sure to plug in the circuit board and reconnect photo eye and push button wires.

Step #15

Reconnect the power cord to the opener and cycle the opener until the sprocket completes a complete clockwise cycle. The trolley must be in the fully down position before installing the chain. Now you can remove the tape from the rail and reinstall the chain. The chain and sprocket reference mark should be close to lining up. Tighten the chain so that the chain is ½” above the base of the rail at midpoint for “T” style rails and ¼” for square tube rails. Secure the chain tightening lock nut.

The trolley must be in the fully down position before installing the chain.

WARNING
Note when adjusting and testing your garage door motor it is important
to make sure no one is in the path of the moving door.

CAUTION
It is important to know when testing your garage door opener it is possible to over cycle the motor
and have the motor temporarily overheat and stop operating.
To prevent this try and not operate the door opener more than 10 cycles
without giving it 5-10 minutes to cool off

Step #16
Now run the opener and test to see if the door opens to the correct position and closes to the correct position. If you need to make adjustments use the travel adjustments screws to make fine adjustments. I recommend only making slight adjustments ¼ turn or less at a time. For reference one full turn of the screw equals approx 2” of travel on ½ and ¼ HP models and 3” on ¾ HP models.

Now run the opener and test to see if the door opens to the correct position and closes to the correct position. If you need to make adjustments use the travel adjustments screws to make fine adjustments.

Step #17
Once you have your doors travel adjustment correct it is time to adjust the force. This is the pressure that it takes to assure your door opener will operate safely. The first step in this process is to check the down force. With the door open simply activate the garage door opener and when the door reaches the half way point grasp the door from the bottom and try and stop it. If the door is hard to stop or does not stop decrease the down force adjustment in small increments until it reverse upon reasonable force. If the door does not close and the light begins to blink increase the down force adjustment in small increments until you can check the reversal at half way. Adjusting the force does not guarantee that your operator will reverse on 1-1/2” object at the floor. For more information on adjusting the reversal at the floor see your owner’s manual or call the manufacture.

With the door open simply activate the garage door opener and when the door reaches the half way point grasp the door from the bottom and try and stop it.

Some of the models this article covers are listed below and many models are left out. Please e-mail us if your model was not shown but this article helped you out contact us and let us know so we can add your make and model number to the list to help out more people.

Chamberlain 1100, 1200, 2100, 2200, 4100, 4200, 4893OD, 5100, 6200, 710WHC, 711WHC, 7200, 7220, 7320, 7420, 7520D, 8100, 8100M, 8200, 9200, CG40, CG40D, CG42D, CSO, HD200D, HD600, PD100, PD200, PD210, PD210D, PD212, PD212D, PD600, PD610, PD610D, PD612K, PD612KLD, PD752, PD752D, PD758D, PD758S, WD822K, WD822KD, WD822KS, WD912K, WD912KS, WD922K Raynor 2245RGD, 2595RGD, 2585RGD, 2280RGD, 2265RGD, Pilot, Aviator, Edeavor, Navigator. Fits these Liftmaster Models: 985, 1240, 1240R, 1245, 1245R, 1245LK, 1246, 1246R, 1250, 1255, 1255R, 1256, 1256R, 1260, 1260LK, 1265, 1270, 1280, 1280R, 1345, 1346, 1356, 215WD, 220WD, 2245, 2255, 2265, 2565, 2280, 2575, 2580, 2585, 2595, 315WD, 320WD, 3245, 3255, 3265, 3280, 3575, 3585, 3595, ATS211, ATS211R, ATS211X, ATS2113X All Sears Craftsman chain and belt drive models 139.53990, 139.53992, 139.53914, 139.53985, 139.53930, 139.53635, 139.53964, 139.53660, 139.53920, 139.53939, 139.184050, 139.18803, 139.18805, 139.18814, 139.18830, 139.18850, 139.18851 and all chain and belt operators from 1984 to present.


www.stardoorparts.com

Garage Door Springs

There are many types and brands of residential and commercial garage doors on the market using a variety of styles counterbalance systems. All the different spring systems are designed to assist with balancing the doors weight allowing the average person to easily lift even the heaviest of garage door manually. In the event you have a garage door opener it takes some of the burden off the motor and drive system. Electric garage door openers are only designed to guide the door up and down not to actually lift the doors weight.

Garage Door Torsion Springs are by far and away the most popular style spring used by about 90% of all manufacturers in one form or another. These springs are mounted on a 1” shaft directly above the door in a single or double spring configuration. On most doors the spring will be centered in the middle of the door but on rare occasions they are mounted directly to the cable drums or located near the back of the door tracks for cases where your garage door has a low clearance situation. The torsion spring system provides a very calculate lift amount measured by inch pounds per turn (IPPT) based on the weight of the door, door height, door track configuration, cable drum size and cycle life. Cycle life is the number of times you can open and close your door before you would expect your spring to break. Torsion springs can be bought with a variety of different exterior coatings from your standard oil tempered, galvanized, stainless steel or the most popular which is a rust inhibiting black coating. Garage door torsion springs can be very dangerous and should be handled with extreme care. If you are looking to repair your garage door torsion spring yourself they can be tricky to locate and typically will require you to purchase them online. You can expect to pay $20-$50 per spring based on its lifting capacity and cycle life. Most online places that you can buy garage door springs from also provide a good online source that will guide you through the process on how to simply measure your garage door spring. Don’t forget to order your garage door spring winding bars when you order your springs. There is no substitute for having the right tools.

The next most popular spring system is probably the garage door extension spring. The stretch spring lifting system has been around for a very long time. These springs are generally located just above the horizontal door tracks. The spring gets its lifting capacity from being pulled or stretched as the garage door closes. Most garage doors use a single spring system utilizing one spring on each side of the garage door track. The springs will have a cable pulley secured at one end of the spring and the other end will be anchored where the door tracks are supported. A cable will run from the garage doors bottom bracket up to a cable located just above the door around the pulley that is secured to the spring and back to the front track area. Garage door stretch springs are rated by there lifting capacity usually using a weight. If you need to purchase springs for a door weighing 160 lbs you would order 160lb springs. The pair together would be capable of lifting the 160lb door. If you are unsure of the doors weight simply get the assistant of a strong neighbor lift the door slightly and slide a bathroom scale under it. Typically this style spring or spring components can be replaced relatively easily with the door secured in the open position. You can buy garage door extensions springs online and also on occasion find a small selection at a hardware store. You will pay somewhere between $15-$29 per spring for most extension springs depending on its lift capacity.

Lastly we cannot leave you without mentioning the newest latest and greatest system to hit the market. The Wayne Dalton Torquemaster Spring is extremely safe and easy to install and repair with basic hand tools. The spring is actually located inside the tube and tension added to the spring with a standard power drill or wrench. The torquemaster spring system uses all the same calculations and engineering that goes into a torsion spring but is neatly slide inside a teardrop shaped tube out of the elements. Generally these springs last approximately 10,000 cycles or so and provide a very smooth quite operation. Unfortunately Wayne Dalton is the only garage door that comes with this system. If you are looking for a DIY door to install it’s the door I would recommend for the safety reasons alone. If you are looking to buy a replacement Torquemaster garage door spring they are a little hard to come by and can only be bought through a Wayne Dalton garage door dealer or a online retailer. You can expect to pay between $50-$75 for one spring or $90-$120 for a pair of springs.

Hopefully you gained some basic knowledge and understanding of garage door counterbalance systems and can identify your lifting system. Remember garage door repairs are dangerous and you always need to wear safety glasses gloves and use the proper tools when working on your garage door. If you do not feel comfortable performing the repair or are of unsure of the procedures always call your local garage door technician.

Star Door Parts

www.stardoorparts.com