How to Install a Replacement Garage Door Opener

Before you invest time, money, and energy into installing a new garage door opener, it's a good idea to check your entire garage door system to ensure that the garage door opener is the problem. For all you know, it could be a faulty door panel, chain, spring, roller, or some other part of your garage door system on the fritz. You might even need to know how to replace a garage door instead.

Garage door openers come in several different horsepower, including 1/3 horsepower, 1/2 horsepower, and 3/4 horsepower. 1/3 horsepower is the most affordable, but it also has the least amount of power. For doors with an average weight, 1/2 horsepower tends to do the job. Meanwhile, large doors and doors made from heavy-duty materials may require 3/4 horsepower.

Assess where you should install the garage door opener to avoid having to redo the installation afterward. For instance, if you’re switching from a jackshaft-drive garage door opener to a belt-drive opener, you can’t use the same installation site since your old jackshaft drive went on the wall and belt drives go on the ceiling.

Even if your replacement garage door opener is compatible with the new location, depending on the model, your installation site could be out of reach of electrical outlets. You’ll either need to install a new outlet or choose a new location within reach of an outlet. 

If you have an existing garage door opener, you’ll need to remove the entire system, including the track. Use your socket wrench to remove the old opener and track, then apply some lithium-based grease to the new tracks with a rag.

Check to make sure your garage door opener has all of the necessary parts before piecing together any sections of your garage door opener. This will save you the trouble of having to search for missing pieces or rush to the hardware store while you’re working on more challenging parts of the installation process.

The carriage tube creates the pathway for your carriage to lift and lower the garage door. Follow the instruction manual to assemble the carriage tube correctly. You may need to use a socket wrench for this step. You'll also need your measuring tape to measure the carriage tube and ensure it’s at the correct length. Loosen the nuts or bolts just enough to adjust the tube length as needed.

Next, it's time to mount the carriage onto the newly built carriage tube. Do this by sliding the carriage or trolley over the carriage tube following the specific instructions in your garage door opener manual.

This step requires a helping hand. To connect the header bracket, one person needs to manually lift the garage door until it reaches the highest point it can move. Use a level to mark the highest point, then use your measuring tape to mark two inches above this line. This is where you’ll want to bolt the bracket to the wall with the fasteners in your assembly kit and secure it with a drill or screwdriver.

Double-check that the location of the header bracket lines up with where you plan on installing the power unit.

Lift the carriage tube until the end that doesn’t have the carriage tube on it lines up with the header bracket, and attach that end of the carriage tube to the bracket with the tools indicated in your instructions. To keep the carriage tube from bending after attaching it to the header bracket, rest the unattached end of the assembled carriage tube onto a ladder.

Now it's time to mount the power unit to the ceiling of your garage. The power unit needs to be at least seven feet away from the floor. Most garage door openers come with angle irons and pre-drilled straps for securing the system to the wall.

Use lag screws to bolt the angle irons to the rafters in your garage, then attach the angle irons with the assembly materials. Follow up by connecting the strips to the power unit using the hardware materials that came with your garage door opener. Plug the power unit into a receptacle.

The carriage arm is a metal, elbow-shaped arm that works to raise and lower the door. Without these next two steps, your garage door won’t open. First, you need to install the door-mounted bracket by aligning it to the position of your carriage tube and using the provided screws and a screwdriver.

After connecting the carriage arm bracket, it’s time to secure the arm on both ends—one to the door bracket, the other to the primary carriage arm. Usually, you’ll use the hardware that came with the garage door opener kit to secure the carriage arm as per the instruction manual. 

Garage doors must legally have safety sensors to stop the motor in case of an obstruction. Install the safety devices by aligning the mounts using a laser level. The sensors should be installed six or fewer inches away from the ground of your garage—with one sensor on each side of your garage door. Wire the sensors along the wall of your garage and connect them to the power unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Before you can power your new garage door opener, you must wire the keypad to the wall of your garage. Mount the keypad to the wall in a location that is easily accessible and out of reach of small children. Follow the instruction manual closely for a safe installation. If you don’t have wiring where you plan on installing your keypad, then you may need to hire an electrician near you for this step.

To make sure the garage door opens properly, press the power button to test it out. If you notice the garage door is stuck, isn’t opening fully, or is opening too far, adjust the alignment with the controls on the power unit.