My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid- to
late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it lurched a
bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor inside sounds
like it's still going, but the sprocket on top doesn't seem to be
turning.

I guess I'll take it down and open it up to see if there's something I
can fix inside, but I'm not optimistic. I looked around the 'net a bit
and it seems that parts for this are no longer available (not
surprising.) I'm not upset - this thing has lasted about 25 years with
daily use and never been maintained, so I guess we got our money's
worth out of it.

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

So, any advice about this? Here's some pictures of the old unit, and a
parts diagram I found on the Sears web site.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

Nil wrote the following:
My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid- to
late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it lurched a
bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor inside sounds
like it's still going, but the sprocket on top doesn't seem to be
turning.

I guess I'll take it down and open it up to see if there's something I
can fix inside, but I'm not optimistic. I looked around the 'net a bit
and it seems that parts for this are no longer available (not
surprising.) I'm not upset - this thing has lasted about 25 years with
daily use and never been maintained, so I guess we got our money's
worth out of it.

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

So, any advice about this? Here's some pictures of the old unit, and a
parts diagram I found on the Sears web site.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

When you open it up, you may find some nylon gears in there. Most likely
they are stripped like mine were.
Sears has a repair kit. I replaced them some years ago and the kit cost
$21 then.
Call your local Sears parts dept. and have your model number handy.
It's called a 'Drive Gear and Worm Set'. My Opener does not look like
yours exactly, so it may be different.


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

?
"Nil" wrote in message
...
My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid- to
late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it lurched a
bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor inside sounds
like it's still going, but the sprocket on top doesn't seem to be
turning.

Could be stripped gears. It may be worth fixing if that is the only problem.



What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

Doubt it but do you really want to? Sort of like taking that engine from
your old Ford Pinto because it is still good and drop it into the 2011
Lincoln. New drives are quieter and faster.

In article ,
Nil wrote:

My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid- to
late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it lurched a
bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor inside sounds
like it's still going, but the sprocket on top doesn't seem to be
turning.

I guess I'll take it down and open it up to see if there's something I
can fix inside, but I'm not optimistic. I looked around the 'net a bit
and it seems that parts for this are no longer available (not
surprising.) I'm not upset - this thing has lasted about 25 years with
daily use and never been maintained, so I guess we got our money's
worth out of it.

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

So, any advice about this? Here's some pictures of the old unit, and a
parts diagram I found on the Sears web site.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

May we assume that the door opens and closes smoothly and easily with
the opener disconnected?

On 19 Jan 2011, Smitty Two wrote in
alt.home.repair:

May we assume that the door opens and closes smoothly and easily
with the opener disconnected?

Yes, you may/it does.

On 19 Jan 2011, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote in
alt.home.repair:

Could be stripped gears. It may be worth fixing if that is the
only problem.

I'm going to open it up in the next couple of days and see what's in
there. It does sound like a stripped gear.

Doubt it but do you really want to? Sort of like taking that
engine from your old Ford Pinto because it is still good and drop
it into the 2011 Lincoln. New drives are quieter and faster.

I'm assuming the part that's gotten quieter is the motor unit, and that
a new chain would be much like the old. I see there are belt-driven
ones - they're probably quieter. Mainly, though, I want to do it as
quickly and easily as possible. The noise and speed factors aren't as
important to me.

On 19 Jan 2011, willshak wrote in
alt.home.repair:

When you open it up, you may find some nylon gears in there. Most
likely they are stripped like mine were.
Sears has a repair kit. I replaced them some years ago and the kit
cost $21 then.
Call your local Sears parts dept. and have your model number
handy. It's called a 'Drive Gear and Worm Set'. My Opener does not
look like yours exactly, so it may be different.

It sounds like that might be it. There are several gears in the parts
diagram, and I wouldn't be surprised if some or all are worn. Maybe
I'll be lucky and the parts are generic enough that ones from a
different model will fit.

Nil wrote:

My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid- to
late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it lurched a
bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor inside sounds
like it's still going, but the sprocket on top doesn't seem to be
turning.

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

So, any advice about this? Here's some pictures of the old unit, and a
parts diagram I found on the Sears web site.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

You've got to try repairing the original unit, just for the sake of
its fake woodgrain finish that's a vital part of our heritage. That's
why I never threw away my vintage-1976 Sears TV (still works great).

A lot of those Sears (Chamberlain) openers crack one of their large
plastic gears, but the crack is small enough that the opener works OK
when the door is disconnected.

On 1/19/2011 2:35 PM, Nil wrote:

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

There's no need to replace the garage door springs with a new opener.

My house has a Sears wood grain opener, though a bit different than
yours (mine says "Digital Control" on the side)." It's been here since
we moved in in 2000. Meanwhile, at a rental property I have I'm on the
third GDO since it was built in 1985, but the first two were opening a
heavy swing-up door that took a toll.

Remember that your old one probably doesn't have the safety features
like the current models (my Sears one doesn't) and it isn't as secure.

Replacing an opener shouldn't take more than five hours or so. Get the
Chamberlain at Costco.

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will work
with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace just that
unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

It can be done as long as sears still sells that type. I did the same
as you are inquiring about a few years ago. Your existing rail will
hook directly to it. You'll also have to install the supplied door
safety lights.

Nil wrote:
My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid- to
late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it lurched a
bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor inside sounds
like it's still going, but the sprocket on top doesn't seem to be
turning.

I guess I'll take it down and open it up to see if there's something I
can fix inside, but I'm not optimistic. I looked around the 'net a bit
and it seems that parts for this are no longer available (not
surprising.) I'm not upset - this thing has lasted about 25 years with
daily use and never been maintained, so I guess we got our money's
worth out of it.

What I'd like to know is, can I buy a replacement opener that will
work with the existing chain? It would be a lot easier to replace
just that unit than to have to replace the chain, springs, etc.

So, any advice about this? Here's some pictures of the old unit, and a
parts diagram I found on the Sears web site.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

Take heart!

When you open the box, the problem should be obvious. It'll be a broken
gear, a wallowed-out shaft, something came loose, etc.

I've fixed two I got off Craigslist in the past year ("Wont work, good for
parts..."), each for a nominal sum.

Thirty minutes of searching on the internet will almost assuredly find the
replacement parts for under twenty dollars.

On Jan 19, 11:39*pm, Nil wrote:
On 19 Jan 2011, willshak wrote in
alt.home.repair:

When you open it up, you may find some nylon gears in there. Most
likely they are stripped like mine were.
Sears has a repair kit. I replaced them some years ago and the kit
cost $21 then.
Call your local Sears parts dept. and have your model number
handy. It's called a 'Drive Gear and Worm Set'. My Opener does not
look like yours exactly, so it may be different.

It sounds like that might be it. There are several gears in the parts
diagram, and I wouldn't be surprised if some or all are worn. Maybe
I'll be lucky and the parts are generic enough that ones from a
different model will fit.

Sears doesn't make anything. Many garage door openers use a nylon
gear set between the motor and the shaft that has the chain sprocket
on it. It's very commn for them to wear out over the years until they
are so thin they just break. It's not hard to find replacements
sincethe same gears were used in many models for many years.

On 19 Jan 2011, Nil wrote in
alt.home.repair:

My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid-
to late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it
lurched a bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor
inside sounds like it's still going, but the sprocket on top
doesn't seem to be turning.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

Thank you, all, for your thoughts on this. You diagnosed it accurately:
I opened up the motor unit and found wads of what looked like snow all
over the place. Turns out that the main nylon gear (#38 on the diagram)
that's engaged by the worm gear on the motor axle was completely worn
and stripped and shredded. Now that I think about it, I guess it's been
getting noisier and rougher for some time.

Sears shows the part as "not available," but I found a similar one
that's used in almost all other openers from that era and is still
available. I found a Sears parts depot nearby and was able to check it
out to see if it was really the same as the discontinued part. It
wasn't - the current common gear is much larger in diameter. So, I
don't think I'll be able to locate the correct part. Which is OK, I'm
prepared to replace it with a modern one. Which brings me to my next
question...

Anybody have any recommendations about brands (Craftsman, Chamberlain,
Genie) or models to consider or to avoid? Or what technologies? I see
that there are chain ones (what I have now), belt ones, and screw ones.
I think a 1/2 HP motor would be plenty for this 1-car garage wooden
panel door. I'd like to keep the cost around $200 or less, if possible.

In article ,
Nil wrote:

On 19 Jan 2011, Nil wrote in
alt.home.repair:

My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid-
to late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it
lurched a bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor
inside sounds like it's still going, but the sprocket on top
doesn't seem to be turning.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

Thank you, all, for your thoughts on this. You diagnosed it accurately:
I opened up the motor unit and found wads of what looked like snow all
over the place. Turns out that the main nylon gear (#38 on the diagram)
that's engaged by the worm gear on the motor axle was completely worn
and stripped and shredded. Now that I think about it, I guess it's been
getting noisier and rougher for some time.

Sears shows the part as "not available," but I found a similar one
that's used in almost all other openers from that era and is still
available. I found a Sears parts depot nearby and was able to check it
out to see if it was really the same as the discontinued part. It
wasn't - the current common gear is much larger in diameter. So, I
don't think I'll be able to locate the correct part. Which is OK, I'm
prepared to replace it with a modern one. Which brings me to my next
question...

Anybody have any recommendations about brands (Craftsman, Chamberlain,
Genie) or models to consider or to avoid? Or what technologies? I see
that there are chain ones (what I have now), belt ones, and screw ones.
I think a 1/2 HP motor would be plenty for this 1-car garage wooden
panel door. I'd like to keep the cost around $200 or less, if possible.

People don't make things, they assemble things. That gear didn't
disappear off the face of the planet just because Sears stopped stocking
it. Look he

http://www.sdp-si.com/estore/CoverPg/Gears.htm

On 1/22/2011 5:12 PM, Nil wrote:
On 19 Jan 2011, wrote in
alt.home.repair:

My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid-
to late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it
lurched a bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor
inside sounds like it's still going, but the sprocket on top
doesn't seem to be turning.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

Thank you, all, for your thoughts on this. You diagnosed it accurately:
I opened up the motor unit and found wads of what looked like snow all
over the place. Turns out that the main nylon gear (#38 on the diagram)
that's engaged by the worm gear on the motor axle was completely worn
and stripped and shredded. Now that I think about it, I guess it's been
getting noisier and rougher for some time.

Sears shows the part as "not available," but I found a similar one
that's used in almost all other openers from that era and is still
available. I found a Sears parts depot nearby and was able to check it
out to see if it was really the same as the discontinued part. It
wasn't - the current common gear is much larger in diameter. So, I
don't think I'll be able to locate the correct part. Which is OK, I'm
prepared to replace it with a modern one. Which brings me to my next
question...

Anybody have any recommendations about brands (Craftsman, Chamberlain,
Genie) or models to consider or to avoid? Or what technologies? I see
that there are chain ones (what I have now), belt ones, and screw ones.
I think a 1/2 HP motor would be plenty for this 1-car garage wooden
panel door. I'd like to keep the cost around $200 or less, if possible.

I replaced a Sears chain drive opener a few years ago for the same
reason. I got a 1/2 hp Stanley screw drive opener at Home Depot,
uninstalled the Sears, and put in the Stanley. It was easy to assemble,
install (all by myself) and adjust. It has worked well with no
adjustments needed and only minimal maintenance. Screw drive openers
are mid-way between chain and belt openers. They are quieter than chain
drives, but not as quiet as belt drives. They are more expensive than
chain drives, but cheaper than belt drives. As far as durability, it
probably depends more on good low-friction garage door maintenance than
it does on whether you're using screw or belt drive.

On Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:12:31 -0500, Nil
wrote:

Anybody have any recommendations about brands (Craftsman, Chamberlain,
Genie) or models to consider or to avoid? Or what technologies? I see
that there are chain ones (what I have now), belt ones, and screw ones.
I think a 1/2 HP motor would be plenty for this 1-car garage wooden
panel door. I'd like to keep the cost around $200 or less, if possible.

Martin brand. You can hardly hear them run. I believe you can find
them in the borgs, now.

http://www.martindoor.com/Garage-Doors-Openers/Garage-Door-Openers.aspx

(Soft-Touch Reverse Technology™ which eliminates the need for photo
eyes.)

Nil wrote:
On 19 Jan 2011, Nil wrote in
alt.home.repair:

My old garage door opener seems to have bit the dust today. It's a
Sears 1/3 HP model 139.663900, serial number E-154271, circa mid-
to late '80s. When I tried to open the door this morning, it
lurched a bit, opened the door half-way, then stopped. The motor
inside sounds like it's still going, but the sprocket on top
doesn't seem to be turning.

http://home.comcast.net/~esionder/GarageDoorOpener/

Thank you, all, for your thoughts on this. You diagnosed it
accurately: I opened up the motor unit and found wads of what looked
like snow all over the place. Turns out that the main nylon gear (#38
on the diagram) that's engaged by the worm gear on the motor axle
was completely worn and stripped and shredded. Now that I think about
it, I guess it's been getting noisier and rougher for some time.

Sears shows the part as "not available," but I found a similar one
that's used in almost all other openers from that era and is still
available. I found a Sears parts depot nearby and was able to check it
out to see if it was really the same as the discontinued part. It
wasn't - the current common gear is much larger in diameter. So, I
don't think I'll be able to locate the correct part. Which is OK, I'm
prepared to replace it with a modern one. Which brings me to my next
question...

Anybody have any recommendations about brands (Craftsman, Chamberlain,
Genie) or models to consider or to avoid? Or what technologies? I see
that there are chain ones (what I have now), belt ones, and screw
ones. I think a 1/2 HP motor would be plenty for this 1-car garage
wooden panel door. I'd like to keep the cost around $200 or less, if
possible.

There's a 99.9% chance the gear is still available. Keep looking on the web.
For example, I'll bet this one fits:
http://www.amazon.com/Chamberlain-Se.../dp/B00283W66I

You can get JUST the main gear for less than five bucks. It's a good gamble.

Or see he
http://www.opendoorremote.com/v5/go....ndoor&p=243762

On 23 Jan 2011, "HeyBub" wrote in
alt.home.repair:

There's a 99.9% chance the gear is still available. Keep looking
on the web. For example, I'll bet this one fits:
http://www.amazon.com/Chamberlain-Se...tmaster-41A281
7/dp/B00283W66I

You can get JUST the main gear for less than five bucks. It's a
good gamble.

Or see he
http://www.opendoorremote.com/v5/go....ndoor&p=243762

Your links are all to the gear #41A2817 and kits containing it. It's
very common and available still, and seems to be used for the vast
majority of Sears/Chamberlain openers from the late '80s on. Mine is
from a couple of years earlier, and needs gear part #4A1425 which is
smaller in diameter. I've been looking around the 'net, but I haven't
been able to find one. I've given up and plan to buy a new opener
tomorrow.

Thanks anyway. I would rather have spent $5 than $200, but after at
least 25 years, I figure the thing is probably ready for replacement.