Chamberlain Garage Door Openers

Our chain and belt drive garage door openers require approximately 4 inches of space between the ceiling and the highest travel point of your door.  Our screw drive models require approximately six inches of space between the ceiling and the highest travel point of your door.

To find out if you have the amount of clearance required, manually open your door so that the top rollers are in the radius of the track and the top of the door is at its highest point.  Measure the distance from this point up to the ceiling.

Screw drive models are out of the box assembled to a length of 123 inches. Chain drive models with one light cover on front are a length of 124 inches. Chain drive models with two light covers are an overall length of 127 ¼ inches. Belt drives are an overall length of 122 ¾ inches.

If you add an eight-foot extension kit to either a chain, belt or screw drive model, add 12 inches to overall length. For a chain drive or belt drive ten-foot extension kit, add 36 inches to the overall length. (Remember only chain drive and belt drive models have ten-foot kit capability.)

Whether you are installing our opener on a heavy wood door or a lightweight door, such as aluminum, steel, or fiberglass, you must reinforce the inside of the top panel of the garage door both vertically and horizontally.  Reinforcement is imperative to prevent damage to the door, particularly the top panel, which receives the most stress from the open and close cycles.  Vertical reinforcement should cover the height of the top panel, and your horizontal reinforcement should be mounted flush with the top of the door and extend the full width of the door.  Our installation manual illustrates the use of angle iron, which can be purchased at most hardware stores.  Alternatively, if you prefer, you can contact the garage door manufacturer for a pre built reinforcement kit specially tailored to your specific door.

After the door is reinforced both vertically and horizontally, you can attach the door bracket.  For sectional doors, the top edge of the bracket should be mounted 2”-4” inches below the top edge of the door, below the horizontal reinforcement. For one-piece doors, the door bracket should be mounted at the top of the door in the center.  Carriage bolts are provided for mounting, or if you prefer, you can purchase self-tapping screws from your local hardware store.  In certain situations with one-piece doors, you may need to purchase lag screws for this installation step.

The force adjustment screws regulate the amount of power the garage door opener uses to open and close the door. These adjustment screws are located on the rear of the overhead motor unit. Refer to your owner's manual for the exact location on your specific model.

Each adjustment screw attaches to an individual switch, one for up and one for down. The force settings are numbered 1 to 9, with one being the lowest force and nine the highest. If you have a properly-balanced door, the forces required to open and close the door should be minimal.

Following are adjustment procedures on how and when to adjust the force settings on your garage door opener. Please keep in mind that improper adjustment of the travel limits will interfere with the proper operation of the safety reverse system. The door might not reverse properly when required and could seriously injure or kill someone. Please remember to perform the 1" safety reversal test after any force adjustment.

Things to remember during this adjustment phase:

• Do not increase the force beyond the minimum amount required to close the door.
• Do not use the force adjustments to compensate for a sticking, binding, or unbalanced garage door.
• Too much force will interfere with the proper operation of the safety reversal system.
• The force adjustment screws stop moving at settings 1 and 9.  Do not force adjustment screws beyond these settings.
• Always test the safety reverse system after adjusting the opener. We recommend repeating this test monthly.  Place a one inch board (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse on striking the board. If it does not, refer to your owner's manual, speak to one of our technical service representatives by calling the S.O.S. HotLine® at 1-800-528-5880, or call your local Lift-Master Authorized Dealer. Failure to pass the above test could result in serious injury or death.
• Test the DOWN (close) Force

Grasp the bottom of the door when the door is about half way through the DOWN (close) travel.  The door should reverse.  (Please keep in mind that reversal halfway through down travel does not guarantee reversal on a one-inch obstruction.) If the door is hard to hold or doesn't reverse, decrease the DOWN (close) force by turning the down force control counterclockwise. Make ten degree turn adjustments until the door reverses normally.  After each adjustment, run the opener through a complete travel cycle.

Grasp the bottom of the door when the door is about half way through the UP (open) travel. The door should stop. If the door is hard to hold or doesn't stop, decrease the UP (open) force by turning the up force control counterclockwise. Make ten degree turn adjustments until the door stops easily. After each adjustment, run the opener through a complete travel cycle.

Increase the UP (open) force by turning the up force control clockwise.  Make ten degree turn adjustments until the door opens fully. Re-adjust the UP Limit if necessary. After each adjustment, run the opener through a complete travel cycle.

If the door reverses during the down (close) cycle and the opener lights are not flashing

Increase the DOWN (close) force by turning the down force control clockwise.  Make ten degree turn adjustments until the door completes a close cycle. Re-adjust the UP Limit if necessary. After each adjustment, run the opener through a complete travel cycle. DO NOT increases the force beyond the minimum amount required to close a properly adjusted and balanced door.

With the door fully open, place a one-inch board (or a 2x4 laid flat) on the floor, centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse on striking the obstruction. If the door stops on the obstruction, it is not traveling far enough in the down direction. Increase the DOWN limit (located on the side of the overhead motor unit) by turning the DOWN limit adjustment screw counterclockwise (opposite of arrow) 1/4 turn. Repeat test. On a sectional door, make sure limit adjustments do not force the door arm beyond a straight up and down position. When the door reverses on the one-inch board (or a 2x4 laid flat), remove the obstruction and run the opener through 3 or 4 complete travel cycles to test adjustment. If the door will not reverse after repeated adjustment attempts, call for professional garage door service. Repeat this test once a month and adjust as needed.

Depending on your mechanical skills, readiness of garage, and whether one or more people are involved, anywhere from two to six hours.

In certain situations, the wall above your garage door, also known as the “header,” may require some modification before you can mount the header bracket.  This is a critical step in the installation, therefore you must have a sturdy support to attach the header bracket.  Following are tips to help you with this step of the installation.

Never attach the header bracket to drywall unless there is a stud underneath to secure it to. If you must add a structural support, use at least a 2 x 4.  However, a 2 x 6 or 2 x 8 is preferred. Always bridge a minimum of two studs using screws or lag bolts for attachment.  Do not use nails as they will eventually work themselves loose.

In situations where headroom is minimal, mounting the header bracket to the ceiling may be required.  The same tips apply.  See your Owner’s Manual or speak with a Technical Service Representative for more information on this installation procedure.

The safety sensors must be installed 4 to 6 inches above the garage floor. The safety sensors appear to be identical, but they are different. You should have a sending sensor and a receiving sensor. The sending sensor LED should always be illuminated (if it has power), the receiving sensor LED will glow steadily only when in alignment with the sending sensor and has a good power source. Each sensor is labeled where the wire enters or is connected to the sensor.

The safety sensors must be installed and functioning properly in order for the garage door opener to close the door. If the safety sensors are not installed, misaligned, miswired, or you have shorted a wire at a staple point, the door will not close by the remote control or momentary contact at the wall push-button. The door will attempt to close but will reverse, and the light bulb on the opener will flash 10 times. You can however, apply constant pressure to the wall push-button until the door is fully closed.

Note: There is also an LED light on rear or right side of the motor itself that has a pause/blink pattern to aid in diagnosis of a sensor related problem. You might have to remove a light cover or open a control center door to see it.

If you have one blink, then pause pattern repeating itself, it’s an indicator that you have an open wire on a sensor or totally misaligned sensor eyes. (Open wire meaning not connected.)

If you have a two blink, then a pause pattern repeating itself, you have a sensor wire shorted or your black and white wire reversed. Remember that both white only wires to white terminal, both white with black stripe to black terminal.

If you have a four blink, then pause pattern repeating itself, your receiving sensor eye is slightly misaligned and will be flashing or dim in color.

Our chain and belt drive garage door openers require two inches above the header bracket location of your door. Our screw drive models require three inches above the header bracket location of door. Header bracket location is determined by measurements based on the highest point of travel of your door.

To measure where the highest point of travel is on your door, lift door until top panel is at its highest travel point in track. Draw a straight line from top peak of door travel to header spot on the wall above the door. Measure up two inches from this mark on wall above door (three inches above mark if a screw drive). If you have the two or three inches required for your unit above the second mark on the wall then our garage door opener will work in your garage.

Generally, you need four inches above highest travel of door for a chain or belt drive. Six inches above highest point of travel for a screw drive.

There is a product usually referred to as Quick Turn brackets that can be added to your existing curved section of door track that can provide for one to three inches of ceiling clearance in applications where you don’t have enough room to install system. These products are available through professional garage door companies everywhere.

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Chamberlain garage door openers are strong, durable, and made by the world's largest manufacturer of garage door openers. With more than 40 years of experience, Chamberlain has revolutionized the industry and has played a vital role in taking the garage door opener froma nice-to-have "extra" to a home convenience necessity.

Each model offers the ultimate in safety and security features, and is available with innovative accessories designed to make home access even more convenient. Installation of Chamberlain models is also fast and easy because each is equipped with our quick-install rail system and easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Chamberlain offers several super-quiet models, including a 3/4 HPS belt drive with EverCharge Standby Power System that will continue to work even when the power is out.

And to accommodate 8-foot and 10-foot high garage doors, Chamberlain offers rail extension kits designed to work with our belt drive, chain drive, and screw drive garage door openers.