I've learned you can't pitch the tracks up slightly. On a 7-8' tall door, I want to be 2-3" higher in the back. On a 12', that's gonna be 4-6" higher in the back. Yes, you can use them on standard lift, but not without concessions. Like you said, pusher springs are an option, but on top of the 8500 not wanting to push against them, those also get noisy if they're not kept lubricated. Which, let's be blunt, unless the homeowner is an old timer, or a competent DIY'er, we know those doors never get lubricated unless we're doing it. I've had decent luck so far with the new Genie/OHD jackshaft motors, but I'm still watching to see how they do in the long run. I've not had the cable dump issue so far with them. But time will tell. Recently the Italian company Nice got in with HySecurity, and has started bringing their ops to the US. They also have a resi jackshaft called the Soon. I'm watching to see how those play out. So at least there are now other options than just the 8500.

I own three installed myself. Never had a problem and absolutely love them.

Ok...first thing. Make the door just a little heavy. Still able to hold itself when open, but a bit heavy. Secondly...the tension monitor is upside down. The body of it is supposed to be pointed up. Look in the instructions. They come from factory set up for left side installation. If you install on the right side there is a "e" clip that you pop off and take the roller assembly out and turn it around and put the clip back on. Just my 2 cents seeing as i install doors and openers for a living. And i have an 8500w in my garage.

You can shorten the pusher springs to accommodate the track length most of the time. The pusher spring tube has a belled mouth on the opposite end of the rubber bumper. Cut the belled mouth off, shorten it and the spring to the length you need to make up for the cable slack for the first several inches of travel. Use a large ball peen hammer to remake the belled mouth and mount them to the track. This way, if your horizontal track is a little too short, you wont need the operator to overcome the entire spring compression stroke.

pitch the tracks and everything will be fine. never had any trouble with these except when it is a substandard install.

Cable tensioner installed upside down. Read the installation manual

The problem is that Liftmaster tried to develop a sidemount product for a (home owner) standard radius door, when a side mount has no business being on a standard radius door. Liftmaster should have ditched the cable tension monitor and replaced it with a pair of spring pushers. There is very limited gravitational bias on a garage door with standard radius track, to favor the downward motion. If you have a standard radius door, just get a darn trolley style door opener. It will save you money in the long term, I promise.

I've got 1 of these mounted on the garage and the shop and have had zero issues. There is one on my main double garage insulated door and another on my double car insulated shop door. The garage door company mounted them new when the house was built 8 years ago and going strong.

This video is 5 years old, but I couldn't agree more. I just had a Liftmaster 8500W installed for my 16x7 garage door. Unfortunately my local OverheadDoor company was happy to sell it to me. I thought it was pretty slick until the cables came off the drums the first week. Then they added cable keeper springs to help take the slack out. Now the cable keepers pop off occasionally and I'm looking at pusher springs. Had I known this thing was so much trouble, I would have gone with a regular belt drive opener. What a pain!

Guys..... These motors are fantastic! A few things... First... These motors like the door to be a little heavy. You have to remember where as a door with a rail needs added tension to keep the cables tight while the door is up.. A jackshaft wants the door a little heavy while up as it simply pushes straight back down and there's no need to add tension to keep the cables tight while up. Second... The track needs a pitch so when released to travel down its already wanting to fall that way. Third... You can install the cable tension monitor either way. The problem with this one is not the placement of it but how far it is from the cable. It's too far from the cable so the monitor never gets to do its job. The cable tension monitor must close and hit the sensor to activate. This one won't activate until the cable is practically off. I always build a small block or plate that only gives about an inch of play where as this looks like about three inches or so. Last... This operator will most definitely push bump springs back once force is set properly. However, bump springs are not necessary with this set up. I just don't want this motor to be bashed because it is a great buy.

Yep, my 8500 just spit both cables out to the floor when the close command was sent. Trying to figure out how to fix and why this even happened. Thanks for the comments. I learned a lot from those.

I’ve got 4 8500s and the issue is the Panel Remote units. Liftmaster has replaced all 4 controls without question.

I have a beam. Our current trolley opener causes a height on the tracks that it's a real head smacker. These are a godsend.

To everyone hating on this video (pin the comment) 1. The cable tension monitor can be installed either way. It works just as well 2. You can find a problem with pretty much every job. I bet if I looked at your 8500 installs I could find a problem with it. 3. The opener is replaced with a genie screw drive, so stop criticizing this install 4. Maybe if you listened to what he's saying about the opener instead of looking for things that are a problem, maybe this video will make more sense

What similar model garage door opener would you suggest that is better than the Lift Master 8500?

I enjoyed your video. I thoughtbi was the only person who hated my 8500. I have a 2 post car lift and I'm pretty sure i cant do the normal style opener. I pitched the track about as far as i can get it to go. I even released some spring tention. You pull the release on the motor. You better be ready cause the door is coming down fast. If i run it down with the motor. It still spins the cables off. Can you post the spring door pusher patt number so i can try those on my 10x10 insulated doors before someone ( me ) gets hurt here. Please and thank you

You’re right it is a whimpy opener....when you install it on a door that size. You have a door that is right at the max limit of this opener. I would have never chosen an opener that is going to be pushed this hard. Another thing is that your cable tension sensor is installed upside down....could be a reason why it’s not functioning properly. This video is a bad review as a result of a poor install.

I just had the small 10x10 door installed in the side of my pole barn and they put one of these on it, the next day I noticed the bottom of the motor was moving back and fourth about 2 in ? But the door works fine, looks like I can see the end of the shaft coming out of the motor going up and down like its bent ? I don't think that motor should be moving do you

I agree I don't like those open was either I love the old designs like the LiftMaster 1260

The LiftMaster LJ8900W would have been a better motor if the customer insisted on a Jackshaft. But I too would have installed an overhead motor. Have you seen Genie's new 6170 model? They don't have a cable tension monitor. It's a pretty solid design.

Yep! I never liked those things either. Our garage has the LiftMaster AC motor chain drives, and I love them. I personally think having a visible opener on the ceiling only makes things look cooler. And I mean come on, those who say it makes things look cluttered? Seriously, it'a a garage! Not a living room! I never liked the idea of those things operating the door by the spring shaft and not the door itself, makes no sense on my opinion, and probably only makes things more difficult when spring replacement is required. Wouldn't work on our doors anyway, as they're extension spring.

How did you end up fixing this door?Been installing 20yrs and just started installing these and think I’m done with this model,I went back on a cable tension failure two days ago and I’m about to start drinking again 🤣😫😤can’t get it to close smooth enough for the cables not to loosen.Enjoy your channel 👍

What garage door opener do you recommend for a tight clearance situation

The balance has to be perfect

I have learned that the spring MUST HAVE the right tension on them, if/When you get the springs anjested just right, you will never have a problem with the 8500 opener. Trust me, I have been using mine for 3 years with out a single problem.

I’m starting to agree with you. My 8500 just started making this terrible cable grinding noise. Meanwhile, my 8500W right next to it is doing fine.

Pitch the tracks more . Also if your worried about slacking cables they make cable tensioners that fit on the bottom bracket . Never had an issue with these motors . But on a door that big you should be using a commercial grade motor ! Be safe brother

It annoys me that the garage door jackshaft specs for door actuation max strength is not in the units of TORQUE… This makes it impossible to assess max-min forces for a given door My uneducated takeaway is : It’s best to use this only on well balanced doors…. The guys who did my tracks did them wrong (butt end splices of straight to straight sections and a tight 15” radius for the 90 degree sweep Thanks to that I have a door that requires positive force to lift it for the first 85 percent of travel but NEGATIVE force to push the door up the last 8” Guessing this eliminates any chance of a jackshaft solution even though overhead can easily lift fifty and push back 30 pounds Not easy to fix the tracks because the top rails are spot welded to the 90 degree sweep

I agree! My father and own and operate a small garage door company here in WA st. (Rodgers Garage Door) Where are you located Dave?

The sensor is mounted upside down, it is way more touchy upside down.

A door that big with any type of jackshaft opener .. And jack shaft drive has been around longer then we have both been alive .so its not a new idea, should have cable keepers or spring pushers installed in the rear .

Can you bypass the black cable sensor?

Also- the cable sensor is mounted up side down

I can hear the frustration we’ve ALL FELT in the field/heat of the moment especially when we’re cleaning up our techs work/playing detective to identify the problem and long term solution for ourselves/customer. That being said, unfortunately that motor is THE BEST version CGI made (IMO 24VDC motor, strong lock), their latest version in sure you’re familiar with the 8500W is even worse! (Weak 12VDC motor, weak Auto Lock). I beta tested the Genie 6070/6170 starting 2years ago, and I KNOW I KNOW most people have their opinion of Genie but I swear to you all of their “RELIA-G” line (black Motörhead’s normally used in builder packages) are GREAT! They are what we USED to get from LM’s DC line! The 10/1128+20/2128+3020/3120+6070/6170 are all the same platform. Strong and reliable 24VDC motor, chain or belt. (1-pallet of heads + mix/match belt/chain rails I don’t sell chain but if you’re in new construction you may find that useful) 1000 series has less warranty and less soft stop/start (programmed in the board), 2000 series motor warranty/soft stop/start, 3000 on the same tier as 8550 but BETTER! Finally the point of this the 6170 24VDC jackshaft which includes stronger motor, and CABLE TENSIONERS, No Cable tension monitor + their Auto lock fits right into the standard vertical track “knockouts” oh and they mount with STANDARD track bolt & 7/16 nuts! Installer/homeowners dream! Liftmaster is in the same place genie was after genies buyout in 1995, they’re raising prices while lowering quality cutting corners on product and riding on their market dominance. In 1995 you couldn’t have told a dealer in the country Genie was about to lose 75% market share, but it happened due to these same factors. Good luck to you!

What you need are pusher springs! I have encountered this on a RV garage 10x13. The springs mount to the end of the horizontal track and push the door down helping maintain cable tension

I installed one of these The limits would not set. It was either happy going this way or was happy going that way but it was never happy going both ways. In addition that wimpy little DC motor is probably made for hollow thin gauge aluminum doors. I have a wood door this sounded like an old car starter with a dead battery😞 my opinion stick with the overhead or buy a commercial side mount and it's pretty expensive for a box of rocks and whatever you do DONT BUY FROM 365 garage door. Their support is actually worse than Liftmaster ( if you can believeve that)

yeah,,,it has more things to fail...I bought B750 belt drive and really like it and it just works!

Cable keepers for the Win

This door needs pusher springs mounted on the tracks....they should have been there on the initial install, i never sell or install jackshaft openers without pusher springs.....

I'm not a professional garage door or gate guy, but I think you pros installed the tension sensor is upside down....easy fix

I had two of these nice idea piece of junk opener. I have 12" radius rails and in the summer it usually comes down no problem although the thing has so much wire rope slack when closing it's just a matter of time before the wire comes off the drum. In the winter I have to reach up and help it down for a few inches. Too many idiot say add weight that have no idea how a door opens. Sure if the door is installed in a manner that its not fully opened you have more downward weight whats the stinking point of that

First off, turn your phone so you're shooting landscape! A door that big should have a commercial opener. You mentioned pusher springs but you never did actually try them?

2:56 what kind of book is it?

Thanks for the feedback. #PleaseHoldYourPhoneSidewaysForVideoRecording

you can best take the 750 from flexiforce

What book is that? Denco? What about cable tensioner?

I absolutely LOVE the 8500 jackshaft operator! I won't install anything else. Its just a matter of learning the tricks of the trade.

John Deere, Monte Carlo, lifted old Chevy, 12’ ladder

The anti roll sensor for the cable is mounted the wrong way better reread your install manual on the installation of it

I thought Wayne Dalton had the best design when they made them aside from gear being plastic inside. Mounted over the center of the door. I wish they'd bring back a modified version of that.

basically

Add cable tensioner and your problem is solved

Put the right springs on and it won’t have slack

Good vid Dave! 8500 JackCRAP opener!

I'm building a garage. 2 doors are 9W x 8H, my guy is putting the 8500c it is rated "light commercial" my two 12W x 10H he is putting "commercial duty" he has been doing it for 30year and knows his shit. I say your install is wrong. He just told me how he shows up and can tell you what is wrong before going up the ladder. The other guys take four hours and still don't know. If your guy is leaving you to fix it, then he probably installed it wrong because it doesn't work correctly. Things only work and last if they are done right the first time.

I know I’m late as shit on the comment. Those sensors are a pain in the ass. Luckily, now they have did away with them but I think it looked like the cable sensor was upside down.

Everyone in the garage door business knows you dont use jackshaft style operators on standard lift door unless its only way with a heavy duty commercial jackshaft with a brake and push down springs. Then the cost is big time. I couldnt agree with you more. A longer opener than door with extended arm length is so much better on slightly hi lifted residential doors. i would have enjoyed working with you. Love liftmaster, hate the res. shaft drive. Wanna talk junk... W.D. I drive. now that was worst piece of shit i ever saw.

Saw a ton of videos promoting them and how great they are. I found these videos indicating how worthless they are after I purchased two. Wasted a grand for junk.

I only install them on 18r or better. Side note NEVER INSTALL ON LOWHEAD with reverse turn springs. Motor thinks it’s opening one closing so if you walk through the photo wise the door will hit you.

First of all genie screw drive sucks ass. 2nd flip tensioner the right way 3rd add cable saver to bottom fixture Reset limits and force to be safe Ta da problem solved. Been doin this shit for a looooong time

How to Install a Chamberlain Wall Mount Garage Door Opener, Model RJO20 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q9iJdpyIvNTTlXU.html

Wrong.

It's called bumper springs. Hire a technician that actually knows what he's doing. Service plan? Gtfo