This Sears model 139.53603, 10+ years old, makes a chattering noise when
going in the "door down" direction, even if the door is disengaged. (The
door is perfectly balanced; will stay at whatever position I release it.)

I've cleaned the track (using a carburetor cleaner), removed the chain
and soaked it in the same cleaner and used a toothbrush to aid cleaning.
In the control unit, I used the same cleaner to remove the old grease
off the plastic gears and relubed it with white lithium. I sprayed WD-40
on the high-speed parts, like the motor bearings and the shaft that
drives the gear that the chain wraps around.

There are no obvious defects in the plastic gears (like chips or missing
teeth). The only odd thing I notice is that the motor shaft moves back
(toward the gears, and away from the door) about 3/16" when the the door
is going down.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray

Subject: Noisy garage door opener
Newsgroup: alt.home.repair
= Ray K = wrote:

This Sears model 139.53603, 10+ years old, makes a chattering noise when
going in the "door down" direction, even if the door is disengaged. (The
door is perfectly balanced; will stay at whatever position I release it.)

I've cleaned the track (using a carburetor cleaner), removed the chain
and soaked it in the same cleaner and used a toothbrush to aid cleaning.
In the control unit, I used the same cleaner to remove the old grease
off the plastic gears and relubed it with white lithium. I sprayed WD-40
on the high-speed parts, like the motor bearings and the shaft that
drives the gear that the chain wraps around.

There are no obvious defects in the plastic gears (like chips or missing
teeth). The only odd thing I notice is that the motor shaft moves back
(toward the gears, and away from the door) about 3/16" when the the door
is going down.

Thanks for your suggestions.


Ray,

What's the problem? Is it just the noise?

Look at the gear set, see if there is plastic residue accumulating in the cover
plate bottom. Since it's a 10 Y/O install, I assume the trolley is installed
correctly (not binding) almost vertical. Could the rail be out alignment?


What is a 'chattering noise'?


--

-Graham

Remove the snails to email

It's normal for the motor shaft to move back & forth slightly.

How tight is the chain? With the door disconnected & the carriage at
mid travel (half way open) the chain should sag approx 1/2".

The two points that parts wear out (after the gear) are the bearing
plate on the motor head that the drive shaft goes thru & the bushing
that the motor shaft goes thru.

Check the motor shaft bushing that is stuck into the black steel plate
to make sure it isn't oblonged out. The bushing comes in the gear kit
assembly.

Remove the opener chain & check to make sure the shaft is fairly rigid.
If it moves easily back & forth the bearing plate is worn out. The
plate comes in an assembly w/ the drive shaft & the drive sprocket.

Doordoc
www.DoorsAndOpeners.com

G. Morgan wrote:

What's the problem? Is it just the noise?

Yes. Sounds like something is about to fail, even though there are no
odors and the door and chain move smoothly without binding.

Look at the gear set, see if there is plastic residue accumulating in the cover
plate bottom.

The cover has been off for a few days now, but I don't remember cleaning
anything off the bottom when I first removed it. Most likely, any
residue would have caught my eye.

Since it's a 10 Y/O install, I assume the trolley is installed
correctly (not binding) almost vertical. Could the rail be out alignment?

I'll double check tomorrow that nothing has come loose over the years.

What is a 'chattering noise'?

Hard to describe. Almost like the chain isn't fully engaged with the
gear that drives it and is slipping. I've adjusted the chain tension
from very loose to too tight without any effect on the noise problem. As
I recall, even with the chain removed I have the noise problem in the
one direction.

Thanks,

Ray

"Ray K" wrote in message
...
This Sears model 139.53603, 10+ years old, makes a chattering noise when
going in the "door down" direction, even if the door is disengaged. (The
door is perfectly balanced; will stay at whatever position I release it.)

I've cleaned the track (using a carburetor cleaner), removed the chain and
soaked it in the same cleaner and used a toothbrush to aid cleaning. In
the control unit, I used the same cleaner to remove the old grease off the
plastic gears and relubed it with white lithium. I sprayed WD-40 on the
high-speed parts, like the motor bearings and the shaft that drives the
gear that the chain wraps around.

There are no obvious defects in the plastic gears (like chips or missing
teeth). The only odd thing I notice is that the motor shaft moves back
(toward the gears, and away from the door) about 3/16" when the the door
is going down.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray

That's exactly what mine was doing right before the whole thing fell off the
ceiling!

Steve ;-)

wrote:

It's normal for the motor shaft to move back & forth slightly.

How tight is the chain? With the door disconnected & the carriage at
mid travel (half way open) the chain should sag approx 1/2".

I've varied the tension from too loose to too tight. No effect. The loud
noise in the down direction exists even with the chain completely
removed. So it's not an issue of door balance or binding or dirty chain
or carriage.

When I cleaned the carriage a couple of weeks ago, it was quiet for a
few up/down operations. Then the noise returned.

The two points that parts wear out (after the gear) are the bearing
plate on the motor head that the drive shaft goes thru & the bushing
that the motor shaft goes thru.

I'm having trouble locating those points. There is a diagram at
www3.sears.com, but I can't give a link to it. To see it, you just enter
the model number, 139.53603, in Search Models.

Check the motor shaft bushing that is stuck into the black steel plate
to make sure it isn't oblonged out. The bushing comes in the gear kit
assembly.

Again, I'm not sure of the location of this bushing. I assume you mean
the plastic/nylon gears, not the metal one that engages the chain.

Remove the opener chain & check to make sure the shaft is fairly rigid.
If it moves easily back & forth the bearing plate is worn out. The
plate comes in an assembly w/ the drive shaft & the drive sprocket.

I'll have to try this tomorrow. The garage is only about 36 degrees now.

Thanks,

Ray

The bushing (1st part on right of the ones in group #18) is on the
motor shaft (the one that moves in & out 3/16") right in front of the
worm gear and goes into the motor mount bracket (part #17).

The bushing is pushed into the brkt by hand & a collar holds it in
place. There is a small tab on the bushing that goes into a slot on the
motor mount bracket to keep it from spinning.

As the bushing wears the motor shaft will start to bounce & is quite
possible that it may bounce more in one direction then the other.

Doordoc

just a comment: WD-40 is not a lubricant. Use a good silicone lube instead.

"Ray K" wrote in message
...
This Sears model 139.53603, 10+ years old, makes a chattering noise when
going in the "door down" direction, even if the door is disengaged. (The
door is perfectly balanced; will stay at whatever position I release it.)

I've cleaned the track (using a carburetor cleaner), removed the chain and
soaked it in the same cleaner and used a toothbrush to aid cleaning. In
the control unit, I used the same cleaner to remove the old grease off the
plastic gears and relubed it with white lithium. I sprayed WD-40 on the
high-speed parts, like the motor bearings and the shaft that drives the
gear that the chain wraps around.

There are no obvious defects in the plastic gears (like chips or missing
teeth). The only odd thing I notice is that the motor shaft moves back
(toward the gears, and away from the door) about 3/16" when the the door
is going down.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray

wrote:

The bushing (1st part on right of the ones in group #18) is on the
motor shaft (the one that moves in & out 3/16") right in front of the
worm gear and goes into the motor mount bracket (part #17).

The bushing is pushed into the brkt by hand & a collar holds it in
place. There is a small tab on the bushing that goes into a slot on the
motor mount bracket to keep it from spinning.

As the bushing wears the motor shaft will start to bounce & is quite
possible that it may bounce more in one direction then the other.

Doordoc

I've examined things more closely; the play is more like 3/32. I can't
take it out by setting the helical screw closer to the bushing, because
the screws that hold the helical fit into slots, not holes.

As someone else pointed out, I used WD-40 on some of the parts instead
of a silicone lube. I'll buy silicone in a day or so and hope for the
best. Otherwise, I'll just replace everything when the noise gets even
worse. If I catch a sale right, should be around $150.

Many thanks,

Ray

My kids have come to rely on the noisy garage door opener... it gives
them an extra 30 second warning when my wife and I get home... so they
can ditch the evidence of them eating in the TV room.

Get a ratchet socket wrench and tighten up all the nuts. Whether that
cures the noise or not, it is part of regular maintenance.

On Tue, 01 Mar 2005 19:12:39 -0500, Ray K
wrote:

This Sears model 139.53603, 10+ years old, makes a chattering noise when
going in the "door down" direction, even if the door is disengaged. (The
door is perfectly balanced; will stay at whatever position I release it.)

I've cleaned the track (using a carburetor cleaner), removed the chain
and soaked it in the same cleaner and used a toothbrush to aid cleaning.
In the control unit, I used the same cleaner to remove the old grease
off the plastic gears and relubed it with white lithium. I sprayed WD-40
on the high-speed parts, like the motor bearings and the shaft that
drives the gear that the chain wraps around.

There are no obvious defects in the plastic gears (like chips or missing
teeth). The only odd thing I notice is that the motor shaft moves back
(toward the gears, and away from the door) about 3/16" when the the door
is going down.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray