Garage door openers have several components to them that must all function properly to open the door. Different breakdowns cause different symptoms which will result in various repairs being needed. If your opener motor sounds like it’s running but nothing is moving, you may need new gears. Here’s our DIY garage door opener gears replacement guide.
Inspection
First thing first, you need to evaluate whether or not the garage door opener gears are the problem. To do this, you’ll need to get inside the housing of the opener. Use the emergency pull cord to disengage the opener carriage from the shuttle, and manually close the door. Unplug the opener, and then open the housing to get to the gears.
Look inside for two white plastic gears, inspect them, and look for any signs of wear or breakage. If either gear is broken or missing chunks, they will need to be replaced right away. In addition, if the teeth of the gears are worn down, they won’t engage properly and need replacing. If you determine it’s time for replacement, move to the next steps.
Gathering Supplies
You’ll need to purchase a replacement gear kit at a garage door dealer, or you can also find them on Amazon for under $40. These kits include the two gears you need, washers, and grease to lubricate the pieces with. Gather your necessary tools as well:
- Standard screwdriver
- Hammer
- Nut drivers/sockets (1/4”, 1/8”, & 5/16”)
- 5/32” punch
- 1/8″ Allen wrench
Make A Path
You’re going to need easy access to the gears in order to remove the old ones and install the new. Once inside the housing, remove the screws from the circuit board. Then slide out the circuit board and let it hang by its cord.
Next, use a pair of pliers or wrench to loosen the tensioning rod inside the housing. This will allow you to loosen the chain and have better access to the gears. Now, remove the screws holding the gear assembly in place and remove it from the opener housing.
Replace The Gears
Use the small punch to tap out the pin holding the helical gear to the shaft so that you can remove this gear. You may need to apply WD-40 to the shaft to loosen the gear for removal. Loosen the set screw in the worm gear to remove it from the shaft. Swap out the gears, making sure to use all the new washers and greasing up the shafts as you go.
Reassemble The Opener
Replace all set screws and return the gear assembly to the opener housing. Re-engage the chain and put the circuit board back in its place. Plug the unit back in and you’re ready to go!
Call Us For Assistance
If your inspection reveals garage door opener gears that are in good shape, you have another problem in your opener. Give us a call right away and we can inspect and assess your garage door system to identify the problem. If you need help with replacing the gears, we’ve got you covered there as well. Give us a call anytime for assistance.
