Replacing A Chain Drive Garage Door Opener With A Belt Drive

The benefits of a belt drive garage door opener.

Replacing a chain drive garage door opener with a belt drive.

I ve put enough into repairs in the past enough for a couple new units that i m done with it. And it s still the most popular type of drive mechanism for garage door openers. Using channel lock pliers carefully squeeze the spring on the spring nut and trolley shaft to create slack in the belt. Remove the idler pulley nut and lock washer.

If you like the chain drive system a newer opener will likely be quieter than the old types. In the case of belt drive openers noise is rarely an issue. It uses a chain running assembly unit attached to tension springs that lift the garage door up and down. Like belt drive openers raynor chain drive opener models are offered with 1 2 hp to 3 4 hp motors providing sufficient power for all of our residential garage doors.

Since my master bedroom is over the garage a belt drive is preferable anyway. Unhook the trolley connector from the front of the trolley and then release the spring tension. They are exactly the same as the belt drive with the belt simply replacing the chain in the drive mechanism. Older model chain driven garage door openers vibrate a lot and create a racket when opening and closing.

The chain drive opener the chain drive garage door opener was the standard for many decades before belt and screw drive mechanisms were introduced. Both are known to be quieter than the chain drive. Download raynor residential garage door opener models specs guide here. My old liftmaster chain drive unit has ceased working.

If a whisper quiet door is on your must have list belt drive could be the best choice. The rail for a chain drive operator is the same height as a belt drive rail so you don t need to change anything except for possibly the mount on the wall that attaches the operator to the wall. There may be nothing more irritating than an insanely loud garage door opener. Install a new belt drive model and enter stealth mode when operating your garage door.

Like a chain drive the belt drive operates by moving the rubber belt. I m looking at the chamberlain whisper drive but i worry about the difficulty of diy installation. Slide the outer trolley away from the inner trolley. Belt drive garage openers use a rubber belt to open the garage door.