[joecaption]

I change them with the door fully open and two clamps in the track to stop the door from moving down.
Does this have a torsion spring over the door header or springs on the tracks.
To test the door operation, put the door all the way down, reliece the emergency lock by pulling on the cord, the door should be able to be lifted with one hand.
If not the rollers could be loose, need to be lubed, or not enough tention one the springs to lift it.
If it's a tortion spring over the door I'd call an over head door company to adjust it, they can be really dangerest if you do not know what your doing.

 

[joed]

The door should function normally when disconnected from the opener. It should not need to be held up with clamps etc. If it does need to be held up then fix the door.

It is a common failure of the Sears openers. That is why they have a kit with all the parts you need to repair it. That kit will have exact step by step instruction of what needs to be done to change the gears.

 

[joecaption]

And the reason not to be safe is?

 

[KatHelms]

To test the door operation, put the door all the way down, reliece the emergency lock by pulling on the cord, the door should be able to be lifted with one hand.
If not the rollers could be loose, need to be lubed, or not enough tention one the springs to lift it.
If it's a tortion spring over the door I'd call an over head door company to adjust it, they can be really dangerest if you do not know what your doing.

The door itself seems just fine - I've been manually opening and closing it so my wife can get the van out for work. It opens aeasily without much force, and it comes down in a controlled speed, too, so I don't think there's a problem with the springs.

 

[KatHelms]

It is a common failure of the Sears openers. That is why they have a kit with all the parts you need to repair it. That kit will have exact step by step instruction of what needs to be done to change the gears.

Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear.

 

[AtlanticWBConst.]

Check the pullies.

I just went thru this on a home of one of my customers. Gears stripped over time due to worn out pullies (binding up the gear).

In this situation, the remedy was both a new opener AND new pullies.

 

[bbo]

don't be afrain to do any of the work on your garage doors, as long as you do the research and practice safe habits, the repairs are fairly straightforward, I've replaced to of the gear sets and a torsion spring at my house in the past 3 years but doing the research and practicing safe habits.

I'd have a door company replace a door should that be needed, but the other reapirs I can do in a day are no problem.

The directions that I got with my gear sets was very explicit and easy to follow. I just purchased em off amazon. you can probably get them locally as well.

TO replace the torsion spring, I can't find the site I used for directions, but these seem to be very good as well. You should be able to get the righ springs locally. http://ddmgaragedoors.com/diy-instructions/replace-garage-door-torsion-springs.php

 

[KatHelms]

I got the replacement kit in the mail this week, and replaced the gears today. Turned out the worm gear was shot as well, but it turned out to be a pretty simple operation.

Appeared to me that the cause was simply rubbing of the gears with no lubrication. I loaded em up with the grease that came with the kit, and I'll try to remember to check it in the fall

Thanks for the help!

 

[Darren R]

Most important part of changing a gear kit is too make sure you fill each groove with the grease provided or you will be doing this again in no time. They don't send it for assistance while admiring your 'handy' work.