How to install a garage door opener

How to install a garage door opener

Nick, Team member
View the video

Project Overview

An automatic garage door can not only make life easier, it’s also a safer and more secure way to park and store your car. Installing your own remote control garage door opener is easier than you might think. Continue to step-by-step instructions

Step by Step Instructions

1 Check the roller door operates smoothly
2 Install the stop collar
3 Install the weight bar
4 Attach the release handle and cord
5 Disengage the opener
6 Mark where you want to secure the door
7 Secure the screws
8 Preparing to remove the bracket
9 Remove the brackets
10 Install the motor
11 Refit the bracket
12 Check the operation of the roller door
13 Program the door opener
14 Check the safety reverse system
15 Affix the warning stickers
16 Installation complete

  • Step 1. Check the roller door operates smoothly

    Before you begin installing a remote garage door opener, raise and lower the door to make sure it is correctly balanced and rolls freely. Remove any locks or ropes that might hinder it. Also, lift the door to about halfway and release it. The door should remain perfectly balanced. If there are problems, call a roller door technician to get it repaired before installing the opener.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person checking roller door

  • Step 2. Install the stop collar

    You need to install the stop collar on the opposite end to the motor. Fit the stop collar hard against the boss of the door drum. Make sure the U-bolt holding the door shaft is tightly fastened. If it isn’t, the spring tension won’t work and the door won’t function.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person installing the stop collar

  • Step 3. Install the weight bar

    The weight bar needs to be installed in the centre at the bottom of the door. If your door doesn’t have a handle, drill two 5.5mm holes through the two marked positions and place the weight bar on the inside of the door. Use the bolts, washers, and nuts to fasten the weight bar in place. If your door has a lifting handle, remove it and install the weight bar in this spot.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person clamping garage door

  • Step 4. Attach the release handle and cord

    Thread one end of the rope through the hole in the top of the red release handle. Secure with an overhead knot at least 25mm from the end of the rope, this will prevent slipping. Thread the other end of the rope through the loop of the manual release cable. Adjust the length so the handle is no higher than 1.8m above the floor. Secure with an overhead knot.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Attaching the release handle and cord

  • Step 5. Disengage the opener

    Disengage the opener by pulling on the release cable. You will know the motor is disengaged when you hear an audible click. The release cable allows you to open and close the door manually if there’s a blackout or you’ve lost the remote. 

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person disengaging the opener

  • Step 6. Mark where you want to secure the door

    To make sure the roller door is secure before you install the motor, pin it to the drum with screws. It’s important to do this so that your door doesn’t balloon, which may delay the safety reversal response and compromise security. To do this, close the roller door and mark the last part of the curtain where it meets the drum. This is where the screws should go.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person marking garage door

  • Step 7. Secure the screws

    Roll up the door until the mark is visible. Then lift the door about half a turn from the closed position to give you enough room to drill. Secure the screws through the door curtain and into the drum wheel at the end of each roll. Now the door is pinned, you can install the motor.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Securing the screws

  • Step 8. Preparing to remove the bracket

    The motor can be installed on either the right- or left-hand side of the door, but it needs to be opposite the stop collar. Place the opener in manual release mode, and open the door fully. Make sure the U-bolt on the other side is tight. Before removing a heavy roller door from its bracket, get a friend to help by supporting the door. You’ll also need a ladder and a ratchet tie-down strap or rope for extra support. Once the door is supported, mark the position of the door shaft on the right hand door bracket.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person unscrewing garage door bracket

  • Step 9. Remove the brackets

    Once the roller door is supported you can remove the right hand axle U-bolt and mounting bracket from the wall.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Removing the bracket

  • Step 10. Install the motor

    Install the motor by sliding the opener over the axle and then engage the drive legs into the door drum wheel either side of the spoke.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person installing the motor

  • Step 11. Refit the bracket

    Refit the door mounting bracket to the wall. Clamp the opener to the axle and bracket using the clamp that’s supplied. Then you can remove all the ropes and the support ladder.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person refitting the bracket

  • Step 12. Check the operation of the roller door

    Check the operation of the roller door by disengaging the motor and manually rolling the door up and down. 

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person opening roller door

  • Step 13. Program the door opener

    Make sure the door is halfway and the opener is engaged. Plug the opener into the power supply, the LED lights should come on. Now it’s time to program the opener. You can program it for left and right operation, door travel limits and force limits. To program your garage opener, refer to the instruction manual included in your roller door pack.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person programming the garage door opener

  • Step 14. Check the safety reverse system

    To check the safety reverse system is working, place a block of wood or another object under the roller door. Close the door. You will know it works if the roller door touches the object and automatically reverses.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Person checking the safety reverse system

  • Step 15. Affix the warning stickers

    Attach the warning labels to the garage wall.

    Previous Step Next Step
    Affixing the warning stickers

  • Step 16. Installation complete

    Now your remote control door opener is ready to go, you’ll never need to leave the comfort of your car again.
    Previous Step Next Step
    person opening garage door

Tools and Materials

Tools

  • Emergency door release
  • Keyring remote
  • Roller door pack
  • Safety beams
  • Visor remote
  • Wireless keypad

Materials

  • 8mm socket, 10mm socket, 13mm extended socket and socket wrench
  • Shifting spanner/adjustable wrench
  • Cordless drill
  • 5.5mm drill bit
  • Earmuffs
  • Impact driver
  • Ladder
  • Measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Phillips head screwdriver
  • Ratchet tie-down strap or rope
  • Safety glasses
  • Work gloves

More D.I.Y. Advice

hydrangea

Planting & Growing How to create an allergy-friendly garden If you suffer from hay fever or other allergies, then being out in the garden can, at times, be less than enjoyable. But there are some steps you can take to create an allergy-friendly garden so you can spend more time gardening and less time sneezi...

pot

Planters How to choose the right plant pot Pots are a great way to add colour, interest or texture to your outdoor space. Tuscan Path’s Elaine Foster shares her top tips on how to choose the perfect pot.

sunflower

Planting & Growing How to plant and care for sunflowers Sunflowers are a great way to add colour to your garden, and they’re easy to grow and care for. Bunnings Greenlife buyer Katie explains the basics of how to grow sunflowers and shares some tips on how to care for them.

paint

Guides & Projects How to upcycle almost any piece of furniture with paint Rather than throwing out old household items, you can restore them with paint. It’s a quick, easy and affordable way to give anything from furniture to fences a new lease on life. Learn how to paint and prepare different surfaces to get the finish y...

DIY balcony and courtyard garden

Planters D.I.Y. balcony and courtyard garden Even if your outdoor space is limited to a balcony or courtyard, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on having a garden. The team at Tuscan Path, who have been supplying pots to the Australian marketplace for over 40 years, share some ideas on how ...

kitchen benchtop materials

Benchtops & Cabinets A guide to kitchen benchtop materials The perfect benchtop will add style to any kitchen. It’ll also see the most action, so choosing the right benchtop for your kitchen – and budget – is an important decision explains Bunnings Kitchen Designer Ben Carey.

Top of the content