Before installing a garage door opener, you should ensure that the door operates easily manually. The rule of thumb is that if a ten year old child can lift the door with little or no effort, the door is well balanced. If the door is hard to lift, you should have a professional authorized dealer check the springs and other hardware on the door before installing an opener.

Generally speaking, if you have a two car garage door, you can use either the one third (1/3) or one half (1/2) horsepower garage door opener.

Remember that the easier it is to open the door manually, the easier it will be for the garage door opener to open the door and that means the longer your garage door opener will last.

Which model is better, the chain drive, the belt drive or the screw drive? back to top

Each garage door opener has its advantages. The chain drive and belt drive are good in all applications, and the screw drive is best used on one piece doors that tilt rather than go up on a track. The screw drive runs a little slower than the other two garage door openers.

The belt drive is the quietest garage door opener and would be recommended for garages that have a room above them.

The chain drive is the garage door opener that we have been making the longest and offers dependable performance year after year. All of our garage door openers are very reliable and require virtually no maintenance.

Will your garage door opener open my eight, nine or ten foot door? back to top

The way the garage door opener comes out of the box it will open up to a 7 foot door. Our chain drive garage door openers can open up to 10 feet high with the proper extension kit. We have a kit for an 8 foot door and we have a rail assembly for 10 foot high doors. Both of these are optional equipment. Our screw drive and belt drive garage door openers can be extended to open an 8 foot high door.

How do I test the automatic reverse system? back to top

Your garage door opener has two safety systems. The first and most apparent is the Safety Sensor System® which is located 4 to 6 inches above the garage floor on both sides of the door. To test the sensors, first open the door, then place a carton or an item that completely blocks the infrared beam of the sensors. When commanded to close, the door will not move more than an inch and the opener's light bulb will flash for 5 seconds, equaling 10 flashes. Removal of the carton or item will allow normal operation. If the safety sensors become misaligned or obstructed, the garage door can be closed by pressing and holding the wall door control button until down travel is completed.

The second safety feature is a built-in automatic reverse system that will reverse upon striking an obstruction, provided the opener and door are installed and adjusted properly.

After adjusting the opener, always test the safety reverse system. We recommend repeating this test monthly.

Place a one inch board (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor, centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse upon striking the board. If it does not, refer to your owner's manual, call us, your Liftmaster Authorized Dealer at 1-818-222-7191 or speak to one of Liftmaster's technical service representatives by calling their S.O.S. HotLine® at 1-800-528-5880. Failure to pass the above test could result in serious injury or death.

Please remember to repeat this test once a month.

Why does my garage door reverse as it is closing? back to top

All garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 include the federally mandated Safety Sensor Reversing System®. These sensors are found 4 to 6 inches above the garage floor and protect the door opening with an invisible beam. If there is any problem with the safety sensors, the light bulb on the opener will flash 10 times and the garage door will not close unless constant pressure is applied to the wall button.

Both the sending and receiving sensors have a small LED light to help us align and troubleshoot them. The LED on the sending eye will glow regardless of alignment or obstruction. The LED on the receiving eye will go out when the beam is obstructed, and it will flicker if out of alignment.

The first step is to make sure that each sensor has a steady glowing LED light. If both lights are on, but one appears to be flickering very slightly, chances are the sensors are misaligned. To check for misalignment, first obstruct the beam of the sensors so that they cannot see each other. When the beam is blocked, the indicator light on one of the two sensors will temporarily go out. This is the receiving eye. Remove the obstruction so the light on the receiving eye comes back on. Then loosen the wingnut on the back of this sensor. Move the sensor around and make sure the green indicator light is bright and steady before you retighten the wingnut. This can take a few attempts before it is back in alignment.

If an indicator light is out on only one of the sensors, check for a possible loose wire. The sensor wires are attached to the white and black terminals on the back or side-panel of the overhead motor unit. Make sure the wires are securely connected to the terminals. If everything looks okay here, check the wires at the sensors. Move the wire around where it is connected in the back of the sensor. If the indicator light comes on, you have a short in the wires and/or sensor, and will have to replace the sensors.

If the problem seems to occur only during the daytime, check to make sure the receiving eye is not in direct sunlight. If this is the case, remount or adjust sensor back toward the side of the garage.

After any adjustment to the sensors, the opener itself or the door, test both reversing systems.

To test the safety sensors with the door open, press the remote control or pushbutton to close the door. Break the beam using your hand or a carton. The door should immediately reverse to a fully open position and the opener bulb will flash 10 times.

Next, place a one inch board (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor, centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse on striking the board. If it does not, refer to your owner's manual, call us, your LiftMaster Authorized Dealer at 1-818-222-7191 or speak to one of Liftmaster's technical service representatives by calling their S.O.S. HotLine® at 1-800-528-5880. Failure to pass the above tests could result in serious injury or death.

Please remember to repeat this test once a month.

How do I control my limit adjustments? back to top

The limit adjustments are accessed through the cover or end panel of your garage door opener by using a flat head screwdriver. Refer to your owner's manual for the exact location on your specific model.

Each adjustment screw attaches to an individual switch, one for up and one for down. Increasing the down, for example, allows the motor to run longer, moving the trolley farther down the rail, and consequently lowering the door onto the floor. Decreasing the down acts in reverse. The more you decrease, the less time the motor runs, therefore stopping the trolley and the door before it completely closes.

This same principle applies to the up travel adjustment. Turn the screw towards the increase and the door will open farther. Turning the screw towards the decrease button will have the opposite effect.

Things to remember during this adjustment phase:

• One complete turn of the adjustment screw is equivalent to approximately 2 inches of travel.
• Turning the adjustment screw the direction of the arrow always increases travel. Turning it the opposite of the arrow decreases travel.
• The motor may overheat and shut off with repeated operation. Simply wait at least 30 minutes and try again.
• Always test the safety reverse system after adjusting the opener. We recommend repeating this test monthly.
• Place a one inch board (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse on striking the board. If it does not, refer to your owner's manual, call us, your LiftMaster Authorized Dealer at 1-818-222-7191 or speak to one of Liftmaster's technical service representatives by calling their S.O.S. HotLine® at 1-800-528-5880. Failure to pass the above test could result in serious injury or death.
  
  Please remember to repeat this test once a month.

How do I make force adjustments? back to top

The force adjustments control the pressure used to open and close the door. A new garage door opener from the factory is set to the lowest possible force adjustment. If you have a properly-balanced door, the forces required to open and close the door should be minimal.

The force adjustments are usually located on the rear of the garage door opener and/or under one of the light lenses, if your opener has two lights. If you have lights on the side of your opener, the force adjustment will be located under the right light lens. The force adjustments are labeled with an arrow indicating open or close and numbered 1 to 9, with one being the lowest force and nine the highest. The force adjustments can only turn 260 degrees, or ¾ of a complete turn. Changes to the forces should be done in 10-degree increments. Please remember that too much force will interfere with the proper operation of the safety reversal system. Do not increase the force beyond the minimum amount required to close the door. Do not use the force adjustments to compensate for a sticking, binding, or unbalanced garage door.

After adjusting the opener, always test the safety reverse system. We recommend repeating this test monthly.

Place a one inch board (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor, centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse upon striking the board. If it does not, refer to your owner's manual, call us, your LiftMaster Authorized Dealer at 1-818-222-7191 or speak to one of Liftmaster's technical service representatives by calling their S.O.S. HotLine® at 1-800-528-5880. Failure to pass the above test could result in serious injury or death.

Please remember to repeat this test once a month.

Why does my garage door reverse as it is closing? back to top

All garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 include the federally mandated Safety Sensor Reversing System®. These sensors are found 4 to 6 inches above the garage floor and protect the door opening with an invisible beam. If there is any problem with the safety sensors, the light bulb on the opener will flash 10 times and the garage door will not close unless constant pressure is applied to the wall button.

Both the sending and receiving sensors have a small LED light to help us align and troubleshoot them. The LED on the sending eye will glow regardless of alignment or obstruction. The LED on the receiving eye will go out when the beam is obstructed, and it will flicker if out of alignment.

The first step is to make sure that each sensor has a steady glowing LED light. If both lights are on, but one appears to be flickering very slightly, chances are the sensors are misaligned. To check for misalignment, first obstruct the beam of the sensors so that they cannot see each other. When the beam is blocked, the indicator light on one of the two sensors will temporarily go out. This is the receiving eye. Remove the obstruction so the light on the receiving eye comes back on. Then loosen the wingnut on the back of this sensor. Move the sensor around and make sure the green indicator light is bright and steady before you retighten the wingnut. This can take a few attempts before it is back in alignment.

If an indicator light is out on only one of the sensors, check for a possible loose wire.> The sensor wires are attached to the white and black terminals on the back or side-panel of the overhead motor unit. Make sure the wires are securely connected to the terminals. If everything looks okay here, check the wires at the sensors. Move the wire around where it is connected in the back of the sensor. If the indicator light comes on, you have a short in the wires and/or sensor, and will have to replace the sensors.

If the problem seems to occur only during the daytime, check to make sure the receiving eye is not in direct sunlight. If this is the case, remount or adjust sensor back toward the side of the garage.

After any adjustment to the sensors, the opener itself or the door, test both reversing systems.

To test the safety sensors with the door open, press the remote control or pushbutton to close the door. Break the beam using your hand or a carton. The door should immediately reverse to a fully open position and the opener bulb will flash 10 times.

Next, place a one inch board (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor, centered under the garage door. Operate the door in the down direction. The door must reverse on striking the board. If it does not, refer to your owner's manual, call us, your LiftMaster Authorized Dealer at 1-818-222-7191 or speak to one of Liftmaster's technical service representatives by calling their S.O.S. HotLine® at 1-800-528-5880. Failure to pass the above tests could result in serious injury or death.

What do I do if my remote control does not open my garage door? back to top

The average range or distance for your garage door opener to respond from a hand-held remote is approximately 3-5 car lengths. If your opener does not respond from a lesser distance, you may have an interference problem causing poor range. Following are examples of what can be done to improve your range:

• Try a fresh battery in your remote control. A weak battery will transmit a weak signal, which produces poor range.
• Make sure your antenna is straight and pointing down toward the floor.
• Clear out the receiver and reprogram the remote control(s). Erase all codes in the receiver by holding the "Smart/Learn" button for 6 seconds. The adjacent LED will go out. Reprogram your remote to the opener. To do this, simply press and hold your remote control button, push and release the smart/learn button. The opener light bulb should go on and off indicating the code is learned. Release the remote pushbutton and test the remote to see if your range improved.
• If your door always closes, but you have to get closer to the door to make it open, your signal might be “blocked”by your door. Occasionally steel doors will act as a shield and the remote signal has difficulty transmitting through the door. For this scenario, adding a co-axial antenna to your opener and relocating the antenna outside should improve your range. Contact your local LiftMaster Authorized Dealer for more information on our extension kit.
• Disconnect your pushbutton wires from the overhead motor unit and test your remote control. If your range improves, try relocating your pushbutton wires. If your pushbutton wires are near electrical lines, they may cause RF or noise. Moving the wires away from the source may help.
• Do you have more than one remote control? If so, is the problem persistent in all remotes, or just one? If the problem is with only one, change the battery and reprogram. If no improvement is noted, replace the remote control.
• Do you have two or more garage door openers? If so, is the range problem evident in one unit only and not the other? If so, unplug the opener that is working fine, and then test the range on the opener you have been having problems with. If improvement is noted, call your local LiftMaster Authorized Dealer.
  
  Various objects will occasionally cause interference. Some items that have been known to cause interference are TV cable, cable amplifiers, surge protectors, fluorescent lights, battery charging devices such as power tools & golf carts, and anything that utilizes a timer such as sprinkler systems, lights, and alarm systems. If you have any of these devices, you can unplug or disable the device temporarily to see if your range improves. If it is determined that something in the area is causing the problem, and it cannot be isolated or eliminated, please contact your local LiftMaster Authorized Dealer for additonal suggestions.

My remote control has 8 or 9 switches. How do I code it? back to top

If your remote control has more than nine code switches, you will have to call us at 1-818-222-7191 and speak with a technical service representative.

If your remote control has eight or nine switches, the replacement transmitter will be a model 750CB. This remote will work with all of our openers that were manufactured between 1984 and 1996. It will not work with the new Security+® Rolling Code Garage Door Openers.

If you have a current remote with 9 switches, simply match the switch settings in the new remote to the switch settings in the old remote. The new remote control should automatically work.

If your old remote control or receiver has only eight switches and they are numbered 1-8, match switches 1-8 in the new remote to switches 1-8 in the receiver and/or old remote control. Set switch number 9 in the new remote control to the middle, zero position.

If your old remote control or receiver has only eight switches and they are numbered 2-9, match switches 2-9 in the new remote to switches 2-9 in the receiver and/or old remote control. Set switch number 1 in the new remote control to the middle, zero position.

If your original remote control has three buttons, and you are using the largest button to activate your door, make sure switch number one in the new remote control is set to the negative position.

If you do not have an existing remote control and your receiver has a smart/learn button, simply set the switches in the new remote control to random positions.> Next, locate the smart/learn button on the back or side panel of the overhead motor unit. This button is located directly below the first screw terminal, and could be white, yellow, gray, or green in color. Push and hold the button on the new remote control and at the same time, push and release the smart/learn button. Let go of the button on the remote control. The remote should now be programmed.

My remote control has a green light on the front. How do I code it? back to top

A remote control with the green light on the front and no code switches inside is called a "billion code" remote. This is because each remote has a unique code, which is one of over 3.5 billion codes. These computer-programmed codes will never be duplicated in our lifetime.

This type of remote control will only work with our openers manufactured since July 15, 1992 that have a green Smart/Learn button. They will not work with Security+® garage door openers.

To program the remote control, first locate the green smart/learn button. On our chain drive models, this button is on the end farthest from the door. On our belt and screw drive models, it is on the right side as you face the door from the opener. Push and hold the button on the new remote control and at the same time, push and release the green smart/learn button. Let go of the button on the remote control. The remote should now be programmed.

If you have lost a remote, you should erase all of the codes in the receiver by pressing and holding the Green Smart/Learn button until the indicator light beside the button goes out. This will take approximately 6 seconds. After you do this, you will then need to reprogram all of your existing remotes back into memory. Simply hold the button on the remote control and at the same time, push and release the green smart/learn button. Let go of the button on the remote control. Repeat this last step for each additional remote control.

My remote has a yellow light or no light on the front and no code switches. How do I code it? back to top

A remote control with a yellow light or no light on the front and no code switches inside are called "Security+®." This is rolling code technology, meaning that each time you press the button on the front of the remote control, the code that it transmits to the garage door opener automatically rolls the code to any one of 100 billion codes, never to be repeated. These remote controls will only work on Security+ garage door openers, which have a square orange/red Smart/Learn button.

To program the remote control, first locate the orange/red smart/learn button. On our chain drive models, this button is on the end farthest from the door. On our belt and screw drive models, it is on the right side as you face the door from the opener. Push and hold the button on the new remote control and at the same time, push and release the orange/red smart/learn button. Let go of the button on the remote control. The remote should now be programmed.

If you have lost a remote, you should erase all of the codes in the receiver by pressing and holding the orange/red Smart/Learn button until the yellow indicator light beside the button goes out. This will take approximately 6 seconds. After you do this, you will then need to reprogram all of your existing remotes back into memory. Simply hold the button on the remote control and at the same time, push and release the orange/red smart/learn button. Let go of the button on the remote control. Repeat this last step for each additional remote control.

With some Security+® models, you can also program your remote control or additional remotes, without climbing a ladder, right from your Multi-Function Control Panel. Simply press and hold the remote control button. Then press and hold the light button and the pushbutton on your Multi-Function Control Panel. The opener lights will flash to confirm that the remote control has been successfully programmed.

As an added feature, Security+® remote controls can be programmed to operate the garage door opener lights without opening the garage door. This feature can only be programmed using the Multi-Function Control Panel.

With the garage door closed, press and hold the remote control button that you want to control the light. Secondly, press and hold the light button on the door control panel. Then press and hold the lock button on the door control panel. After the opener lights flash, release all buttons. Test this by pressing the remote control pushbutton. The garage door opener lights should turn on or off, but the door should not move.

How do I program my Wireless Keyless Entry System? back to top

There are two models of the Wireless Keyless Entry System, the 740CB and the 940CB. The 940CB is for use only with Security>+® garage door openers having an orange/red smart/learn button. The 740CB will work with all openers manufactured since 1990 that have a yellow, white, gray, or green smart/learn button. It will not work with Security+® openers.

To program the keyless entry, first locate the smart/learn button. On our chain drive models, this button is on the end farthest from the door. On our belt and screw drive models, it is on the right side as you face the door from the opener. You simply press and release the smart/learn button. You now have 30 seconds to enter your four digit PIN number into the keypad and hold the enter button for five seconds. Wait one minute and test the keyless entry by entering your four-digit PIN number and pressing enter.

With some Security+® models, you can also program your Model 940CB Wireless Keyless Entry without climbing a ladder, right from your Multi-Function Control Panel. Simply enter your pre-selected code and press and hold the enter button on your Keyless Entry. Then press and hold the light button and the pushbutton on your Multi-Function Control Panel. The garage door opener lights will flash to confirm that the Keyless Entry has been successfully programmed.

How do I program my Wired Keyless Entry System? back to top

Our wired keyless entry, Model 65LM, can be used with most openers manufactured after 1984. This keyless entry wires directly to the garage door opener. If you are using this keypad on a garage door opener built by another manufacturer, we highly recommend using a Model 85LM transformer to power the keypad.

To program the keypad, first unplug the garage door opener from the electrical outlet. Next, remove the nameplate from the console that the keypad plugs into and locate the program/operate switch. Flip the switch to program. Next, enter your desired four-digit PIN number into the keypad. Slide the switch back to operate, and plug the garage door opener back in. The keypad should be programmed.

Why isn´t my remote control and/or Keyless Entry System functioning? back to top

First, assuming that you have more than one remote control or battery-powered keyless entry, determine if all remote devices have failed, or just one. This is very important. If one of three hand-held car remotes stopped working, but the other two are functioning, the problem is isolated to that one hand-held unit. Before proceeding with troubleshooting, there are two things to check first. Make sure the battery in the remote is good. Second, make sure your lock feature is not activated. If the LED light inside of the wall-mounted push button is flashing, hold the lock button for two seconds to deactivate this feature.

There are two different types of remote controls. The older technology which has dip-switches, and the “Smart”remotes without switches. Determine what type of remote control you have before proceeding.

If your remote control has dip-switches, the first thing to check are the settings of the switches. Compare the settings in the non-working remote to another working remote, or to the switch settings on the overhead motor unit. These must match identically. If you do not have another working remote, and you have a yellow, white, gray or green learn button on your overhead motor unit instead of code switches, simply hold down the button on the non-working dip-switch remote and at the same time push and release the learn button.

If your remote control has no switches, locate the learn button on the back or side panel of the overhead motor unit. This button may be red or green in color. Push and hold down the button on the non-working remote and at the same time push and release the learn button. Then let go of the button on the remote.

If this does not resolve your problem, please contact us at 1-818-222-7191.