My neighbor called me and asked me to come check out a problem with her garage door opener. When I went over, the problem was obvious. The drive end of the chain was lying on the floor, and the drive sprocket was still in the chain.
Worse, the drive shaft stub was still in the sprocket. The shaft was cut off clean as if by a lathe cut-off tool. As I checked into the problem, I couldn't find a bearing to support the shaft where it exited the drive module. I looked all around the floor hoping to find it, but had no luck. The shaft was supported only by the edge of the sheet metal frame. The pull of the chain had slowly, over time, completely severed the 1/2-inch shaft.
It was a well-known garage door opener brand. I had one just like it, so I examined my opener. Sure enough, mine also had no bearing. The shaft on my opener was cut about half-way through. It was still intact, but it wouldn’t be for long.
How could any designer or quality inspector accept and improve such a design screw-up? It wasn't that the brass bushing was missing during assembly. It appeared as though it was missing from the design itself.
Since the openers were both out of warranty, my neighbor and I both replaced our openers with other brands.
This entry was submitted by Robert Nepper and edited by Rob Spiegel.
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I don't have anything to add to what has already been observed, although nothing surprises me at what is done as cost reduction measures anymore. What I did find amusing was that what I first thought the article was about was a missing bear (presumably from the local zoo) that broke into someone's garage :)
3DROB -- you and I are on the same page. Yes, it USED to work well. Stock-holders had inputs and CEOs listened. Unfortunately, the entire NYSE and other major indices are running on corporate standards that were designed in the 1930's and even earlier. It just doesn't work well anymore -- to all of the points you've detailed -- because there is no accountability. Another rotten system that long-ago had meaningful value is the concept of labor unions. Once a method to protect hard working individuals, but today, are equally as corrupt as the very companies they oppose, and still with no sense of accountability.These are GOD-sized issues I cannot begin to correct.
I have an identical pair of Liftmaster openers that open the two doors of my garage. They were about 10 years old when one day the wife hit the button and the opener dropped the drive sprocket and a few other assorted parts onto the top of the car. Not sure if this is the same brand as the one in the article but it was a similar failure mode. Turns out there was an inexpensive rebuild kit available from a local garage door dealer so I installed the kits in both openers (repair for one, preemptive for the other), and both have been working fine for another 5 or so years now. The kits are way cheaper than a new opener, are easy to install in-place, and once every 10 years seems like a useful service life to me even considering it probably shouldn't happen in the first place.
I would say they cut a corner there for costs. As the saying goes they don't make them like they used to. What is a bearing or bushing really cost anyway? I just hope you examined the new unit before using it to make sure it was built better! I don't think manufacturers actually realize that by skimping on one little part like that that they can tarnish their brand forever. Fools.
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