@@formerfreak4943 yes, general contractor.

A proper spring will make it balanced in any position, not just a center. Actually is better to get slightly over sized spring so with age it still can be adjusted.

I’m going to offset my opener by 2 feet and it will be out of the way of the lifted car. I think his way is cleaner looking. I think I’ll be ok offset by 2 feet

Absolutely! A sprocket with a hub that has set screws could be used as well. There is many ways it could be done. I honestly just wanted to get it together cheap first just to see how it would work. I will definitely do more mods to it now that I know it does work. Thank you!

I own grinders too. 😃

I have generators to use if the power goes out. If it is a real emergency I can use a stick to pop the chain off the sprocket.

​@VPTfab use plastic explosive to blow the chain....

@@christopherleveck6835 sounds like a plan to me!

Explosive bolts ...

Don't have emergencies. Problem solved.

Excellent solution! Thank you for sharing!

Great suggestion!

The spring on the shaft keeps the door at a neutral weight both going up and down. So the opener doesnt really see the doors weight/load in either direction.

Thank you!

Thank you!

That is a good idea. The lift does have a mechanical limit switch on a rod that goes from one post to the other above the vehicle. There is a micro switch on one end that kills the lift motor when triggered. Right now it is up in the ceiling but I do have future plans to open up the ceiling in the area of the lift. I'll probably have a video on that too so keep an eye out for it! 😃

@VPT Fab glad KZfaq recommended your video this morning. This video was very easy to understand and follow along. I look forward to more. Appreciate ya. Subbed. Have a great weekend

Thank you!

I haven't had a single problem with it yet. Because of many many people mentioning the safety features i did do a short follow up video demonstrating all the original safety features still working. Yes a release on the chain drive could be made. I was thinking basically a hub behind the sprocket that that sprocket could be pinned to. Then to release just pull the pin. Thank you! Glad to see people enjoying my videos!

Thank you Doozer!

Sorry, there wasn't actually much to it. The board along the door was at the perfect depth and offset that I was able to just screw the opener to the board using its original mount. Then just used a couple sections of the old angle bar to brace the other side of the opener. Finally I just welded the sprocket to the shaft. I will have a second video later on. I want to do a couple mods to it yet as well as adding a tensioner to the chain.

I do own grinders too! 😃 I didn't fully weld the sprocket on, only 4 spots of weld. I did help the previous owner replace this spring not real long ago so if it lasts another 10 years I should only have to replace it once more. That is if I even keep this door that long. I do want to yank it out and install a 12' wide door some day. I have more projects than time!

Don’t we all lol

Thank you!

Or just slide the spring off the other side. 😉

What you say is true on all accounts but does this problem exists on many of these openers installed normally? I am not sure if they resolved this or not in newer models but my old opener would go up if you got under and pushed up hard enough kicking in the bounce back even if the door was closed all the way. There were a string of robberies in the neighborhood that used this to break in. Since my opener was powered off with the light switch it was secured at night when they tried it at my house at least. I haven't tested the new opener.

I believe the chain pitch was #2. The sprocket size is just the tooth ratio I estimated based on how many turns the motor made vs the jackshaft in its original setup.

Possibly, but how do you swing them open to get the snow blower out after you get 20" of snow?

Thank you! I found the sprocket on eBay. I believe it was a #2 chain size and 28 tooth. Same chain size as older bicycles. In fact the sprocket was listed for a bmx bike.

@@VPTfab love it

Ah, nvm you figured it out at the end

replace your springs with counter weights - Channel: "Don Before Dawn" maybe put these too innovative peoples projects together into your own custom setup

I guess, you could always lengthen the chain and the angle iron, until the power unit is 6 or 8' forward of the center of the lift. Unless you're doing it for a different reason.

I'm not a fan of torsion springs. They break quite often. Unless you have the ability to change out your broken spring you're going to have to pay to have it done. And they don't do it cheap.

@@fauxque5057 I used to install garage doors so it's easy for me. They can be dangerous but it's a better system. I've only had one of my own fail and it was 20 yrs. old.

Thank you! The lift is something like 12'6" over all and has a lift height of 11'4" or close to that. The ceilings right now are at 10'4" if I remember right. I do have plans to raise the ceiling sometime though. I'll definitely do a video on it when/if I do.

I used a section of the original chain from the opener. I believe it is number 2 size chain. The sprocket is a bmx bike sprocket. My opener is adjustable for any size opening so it didn't matter for mine. But some have a limit of how much they can open and close (how many turns their shaft can make). To start with I counted how many rotations the motor shaft made to open the door. Take that number and multiply it by the number of teeth on its sprocket. Then I counted howany rotations the jackshaft made. Then divide the number you got from the motor shaft sprocket by the number of rotations the jackshaft makes and the number you get is how many tooth sprocket you'd look for to mount on the jackshaft.

I don't think it sees force limits in both directions and the auto retract is only in the up direction after getting a force stop or something triggers the eyes.

After doing this I also got to thinking that these openers could be used for much more than just doors. The chain drive could be used to move anything really. Even a sliding door could be set up to one of these.

@@VPTfab My thoughts also.

There was a video I saw awhile back (obviously from overseas) where just that was done. The guy used an ordinary electric motor but any driver would conceivably work. As I recall he used cables. Maybe do a search.

The shaft is plenty strong for this. There actually isn't much load applied to the shaft from the opener. The springs, cables, and door pretty much put the shaft in a neutral state, so the opener only has to apply very little force to open and shut the door. The tracks push the door up again the seal. I was worried about that as well. But the last set of rollers at the top can be adjusted so the door seals up nicely.

Yes, did the math of how many times each shaft turned originally multiplied by amount of teeth on sprocket. Yes it is a bmx bike sprocket.

@VPT Fab cool. Thanks for the info.. I really like this mod. With the opener out of the way, I can redirect the door up tight against the ceiling, right? ..or am I governed by the torsion rod/ jack shaft? I'm having issues with my liftmaster not opening the door all the way anymore. I was just going to adjust the lifting rate of the opener but wanted to see what the KZfaq experts had to say first. I'm glad I did. I must say, you are the expert as far as I could tell. I never knew they were making the wall mounted ones before. I thought I was going to be putting one on my wish list until I saw your video. Thanks for showing me the way. What's your next move? Jackhammer and dig an inspection pit? With that lift, you'd only need to dig about a foot or so.. 🤔 ..is that an 8 foot ceiling?

@@jdog4534 I would think you could. It all depends on how your setup is. I am not a garage door professional.

I actually prefer working in rolling office chairs when I can. Standing and working over your head sucks, at least for me. My back isn't in the greatest shape any more.

@@VPTfab same here, must easier on the back, my son did it first and I thought he was lazy, then I tried it. Also nut having that hook that pulls the door itself, I damaged by very new paint on my Volkswagen Bus with that, I was NOT happy.

@@waynenocton I really like the chairs! You do better work as well if you are comfortable while working.

That would depend on your drum size. But say your drums are 4" that would be very close to 1' of door travel per revolution of the jackshaft/drum.

I haven't noticed any. There is a drum and cable on each side that pulls on the door from both ends so as far as that goes the door is being pulled up evenly.

I have generators if need be to power the unit. One generator powers the entire house and shop. Lengthen the chain?

@@VPTfab the chain (or belt) that connects the motor to the door. I had to buy an extension kit for mine several years ago . it extended the distance by 10 feet but could have been shortened to 3,5 and 8 foot.

@@VPTfab Yours is a cool modification,

For mine it was a #2 chain and a 28 tooth sprocket. But the ratio will be different for different height doors.

That was a pig rich turbo car that I think soaked the exhaust in oil after blowing a turbo. We didn't die.

My ceilings are only 10'4". However I eventually want to raise the ceiling over the lift a foot and a half at some point. The height is fine now for cars but is a bit low for working on trucks. It is ok, but I like a little more clearance for trucks.

Get a base plate lift. They only need 9' in most cases.

I have generators around. But yes in an emergency situation the chain could be slipped off the side fairly easily.

Garage door opener companies may not like people to know. Side lift openers are three times the cost!

Thank you so much for the information! For the door veing heavy comment: yes, the spring is adjusted so the door is neutral weight. What I meant with the door being heavy is with the opener now holding the jackshaft with spring in the closed position if someone tries to lift the door open they would have to lift the entire weight of the door as the spring and cables would not be helping because the opener has it locked. Sorry for my ignorance, what sneaky top fixtures are you mentioning? Instead of pusher springs I had planned on making up a "return cable" using a third drum on the jackshaft with a cable down around a pulley and back up to the door. This third cable would put downward tension on the door and when the opener goes to close the door the third cable would actively pull down on the door. Basically the same setup as the standard drums and cables to keep the door at a neutral weight, but doing the opposite.

@@VPTfab 1. Garage door springs are always "hot" they are fully wound in the closed position always helping the door lift, unless the down limit is too far on the op and it is backwinding the springs Causing them to slack. Then you have the full door weight. This is not ideal, if this is the case adjust the down limit. If the cables happen to come off the drum and you or someone else attempts to run the op its going to be a mess. 2. On your top section the brackets holding those rollers are called super sneaky. The are a low cost solution to avoid low headroom track. You should be able to put in normal ones since there is no operator rail to clear. 3. I am very confused by a third drum and pulley system. Is this for locking the door in place? It sounds like it could easily cause it to backwind. setting up locking system for a homemade jackshaft is not something I would recommend. This and having a cable tension monitor is what makes the actual residential jackshaft operators expensive. 4.The safety in the operator is key. It is a lot cheaper to pay for the correct solution then to have the door fall on a project car or person. 5. A normal slide lock (you will have to remember to disengage every time you run the door.) or an auto locking slide lock is your best bet. Liftmaster does sell an automatic one but the opener needs to be compatible for it. 6. I would not recommend setting this up to be honest. There is a lot of risk, if you don't know what you are doing and have not had training and or understating of why this is a dangerous installation it can end in a catastrophic failure.

@@paulyskywalker the spring acts on the jackshaft, the jackshaft acts on the drums which pull on the door to take the weight off. The opener controls the jackshaft. If you try to lift the door the opener will not allow the drums or springs to turn. So then you are trying to lift the full weight of the door. As for the third drum, it is hard to explain. When I get to it I will make another video to show what I am after. It is quite possible it won't work yes. Don't know till I try. The only danger right now is the door hanging in the up position and then falling if the cables unwind. That will hopefully be taken care of with the third drum. Again will have to wait for the next video to see how that works.

​@@paulyskywalker You are making this way more complicated then it needs to be lol. The guys set up works fine the way it is.

Yes I am well aware and mentioned that in the video. I am accepting donations to buy one threw PayPal sarcasticdick1@gmail.com thank you

Use a generator I the power goes out. If it is a real emergency I can just pop the chain off the side of the sprocket with a stick.

Use one of my three generators. The 10k that runs the house should be enough.

I have multiple generators around my place.

How? Did you watch my follow up video?

I have plenty of generators around here to power it if the power is out. I actually power my whole house off a miller bobcat if the power is out for longer than a few hours. If the unit fails I can fairly easily pull the couple screws out and take the chain off and still manually lift the door. I do agree there should be some sort of quick release.

I've already answered this a bunch of times. When the motor turns the jackshaft you are essentially taking the springs preload off the door. That is what makes the door "heavy" and causes gravity to pull it down since the opener is no longer acting on the door directly.