Having installed three of those I decided to write my review....



Manufactured by: Wayne Dalton

Coolness factor: ***** 5/5

Quality factor : ** 2/5

Manual : *** 3/5

Ease of Install : * 1/5

W/D Support : 0/5



First, I am not a garage door expert. On my new house we have 10 - 11

feet ceilings, did not like an idea of garage door opener suspended that
high in the air.



Called two large local area companies: One rep refused to install those.

"It takes at least 2 ½ hours, and some would not work ever".



Second rep: "I could try, but I never seen one that works. Last time we

attempted to install iDrive it would take counterbalance cables off drums ".



Well I was determined to prove them wrong.



Purchase: Two local stores were carrying those: Menards and Lowes.

Menards price: $239 Lowes: $259. Pretty pricy, but one day we managed to

buy two of those for $143 from lowes.



To my surprise two boxes had two distinctly different models. I went to
Menards

and bought another iDrive - surprise again, yet another model. Bought fourth
one

from Lowes - another model !!!??? All boxes looks the same!



Installation: save yourself some time and attach wires, and set jumpers
light

configuration first. Now installation of the first iDrive took about 30
minutes,

getting one to work took about 16 hours.



Issues:



iDrive (1) model included drum wraps, they look cool but ... They would not
stay

in place no matter what I tried. After few cycles drum wraps would jam, and

prevent door from going up or down. Instead I installed springs attaching to

counterbalance cables. (Model included small springs)



iDrive(2) model large counterbalance springs. Overhead light would stay on
24x7.

The light would turn on by iDrive, but I could never ever go off.



iDrive(3) Menards model. It looks like motor position slightly 1" off from
lowes model.

I bravely replaced iDrive(2) with iDrive(3) now I was able to turn light on
and off,

Pressed "Install routine" button, door moved up and next thing I saw was
counterbalance

Cable jumping off the drums on both side of the door.. ( Ohh, sh** . Is
that what

garage doors installed (2) was trying to warn me about???). In disconnected
state

when door is ¾ up iDrive prevented torsion tube rotation.



iDrive(4) Menards model. After 5 minutes install same issue as iDrive(3). I
was done

with Menards models, went back to get another iDrive from Lowes.



(I attempted to contact W/D phone support. 888-827-3667 Every single option
leads

to some voice mail box, we will contact you within 24 - 48 hours, yeah
right )



iDrive(5) first it looked like same model as iDrive(2), oh wait it is
slightly different again!

Everything is cool, run install routine. Another new featu motor would
pivot down before

the door is closed and jam between the door and header board. I was afraid
it

broke /dented the door.



iDrive(6) lowes same model as (5) . and same issue. After another hour of
play

I learned that if the motor is manually raised to sit on detent pin followed
by install

routine this feature goes away.



Next adjust custom upper limit. After day of working door started to reverse
and

unit beep three times. After hours of play time I discovered if opener
returned into

default upper limit, door works fine, custom upper limit - every 3rd or 4th
time we

have a problem.



In the end after buying 6 iDrives I found 2 that worked. Also I believe that
iDrive(5)

was not a defective, but manual that did not mention this type of problems,
and

Wayne Dalton customer support impossible to reach, and they web site is
useless.



Conclusions:

I like I drives, they fast, pretty quiet, not take any overhead space. But
software is glitchy,

poorly written / badly organized manual, inadequate phone support. IMHO
those openers

do not deserve $100 premiums over chain drives lowes trying to charge for
them.



My doors were installed 2 month prior and I had to remove and lube all
components.

Plastic clips, attached to the end of counterbalance cable and springs, are
major pain.

Removing those and attaching spring end directly to counterbalance cable
solves

most problems.



Mike

I installed one my self yesterday and find it OK ( exept the software problems you
also experienced)
Also don't like that you can't connect hard wired switch.
Did you managed to adjust the lower limit on the door ?
I hate how it comresses the bottom gasket.

Regards
Happy




"Mike Jak" wrote in message news:Lb4Sc.103291$8_6.77977@attbi_s04...
Having installed three of those I decided to write my review....



Manufactured by: Wayne Dalton

Coolness factor: ***** 5/5

Quality factor : ** 2/5

Manual : *** 3/5

Ease of Install : * 1/5

W/D Support : 0/5



First, I am not a garage door expert. On my new house we have 10 - 11

feet ceilings, did not like an idea of garage door opener suspended that
high in the air.



Called two large local area companies: One rep refused to install those.

"It takes at least 2 ½ hours, and some would not work ever".



Second rep: "I could try, but I never seen one that works. Last time we

attempted to install iDrive it would take counterbalance cables off drums ".



Well I was determined to prove them wrong.



Purchase: Two local stores were carrying those: Menards and Lowes.

Menards price: $239 Lowes: $259. Pretty pricy, but one day we managed to

buy two of those for $143 from lowes.



To my surprise two boxes had two distinctly different models. I went to
Menards

and bought another iDrive - surprise again, yet another model. Bought fourth
one

from Lowes - another model !!!??? All boxes looks the same!



Installation: save yourself some time and attach wires, and set jumpers
light

configuration first. Now installation of the first iDrive took about 30
minutes,

getting one to work took about 16 hours.



Issues:



iDrive (1) model included drum wraps, they look cool but ... They would not
stay

in place no matter what I tried. After few cycles drum wraps would jam, and

prevent door from going up or down. Instead I installed springs attaching to

counterbalance cables. (Model included small springs)



iDrive(2) model large counterbalance springs. Overhead light would stay on
24x7.

The light would turn on by iDrive, but I could never ever go off.



iDrive(3) Menards model. It looks like motor position slightly 1" off from
lowes model.

I bravely replaced iDrive(2) with iDrive(3) now I was able to turn light on
and off,

Pressed "Install routine" button, door moved up and next thing I saw was
counterbalance

Cable jumping off the drums on both side of the door.. ( Ohh, sh** . Is
that what

garage doors installed (2) was trying to warn me about???). In disconnected
state

when door is ¾ up iDrive prevented torsion tube rotation.



iDrive(4) Menards model. After 5 minutes install same issue as iDrive(3). I
was done

with Menards models, went back to get another iDrive from Lowes.



(I attempted to contact W/D phone support. 888-827-3667 Every single option
leads

to some voice mail box, we will contact you within 24 - 48 hours, yeah
right )



iDrive(5) first it looked like same model as iDrive(2), oh wait it is
slightly different again!

Everything is cool, run install routine. Another new featu motor would
pivot down before

the door is closed and jam between the door and header board. I was afraid
it

broke /dented the door.



iDrive(6) lowes same model as (5) . and same issue. After another hour of
play

I learned that if the motor is manually raised to sit on detent pin followed
by install

routine this feature goes away.



Next adjust custom upper limit. After day of working door started to reverse
and

unit beep three times. After hours of play time I discovered if opener
returned into

default upper limit, door works fine, custom upper limit - every 3rd or 4th
time we

have a problem.



In the end after buying 6 iDrives I found 2 that worked. Also I believe that
iDrive(5)

was not a defective, but manual that did not mention this type of problems,
and

Wayne Dalton customer support impossible to reach, and they web site is
useless.



Conclusions:

I like I drives, they fast, pretty quiet, not take any overhead space. But
software is glitchy,

poorly written / badly organized manual, inadequate phone support. IMHO
those openers

do not deserve $100 premiums over chain drives lowes trying to charge for
them.



My doors were installed 2 month prior and I had to remove and lube all
components.

Plastic clips, attached to the end of counterbalance cable and springs, are
major pain.

Removing those and attaching spring end directly to counterbalance cable
solves

most problems.



Mike