How to Replace a Chain Belt for a Garage

The chain belt on a garage door opener is the part that connects the opener to the door, allowing it to be opened and closed. This part begins to wear down over time. The most visible sign of belt degradation is that the garage door begins to open more slowly and the opener is less responsive. Replacing the chain belt should cause the garage door opener to become more responsive again.

Replacement chain belt
Ladder
Wrench

Instructions

- 1
  Pull the cord hanging off the garage door opener. This cord is the emergency release, which disconnects the garage door from the opener. You always want to engage the emergency release before working on any part of the garage door opener.
- 2
  Remove the nuts on both sides of the chain belt to detach it from the garage door opener. Remove the old chain from the garage door opener.
- 3
  Lay the replacement chain belt down along the floor of the garage underneath the garage door opener. Make sure the side with the tension bolt inside the chain is on the same side as the garage door.
- 4
  Loosen the tension bolt in the chain belt. Do not completely remove it.
- 5
  Attach the chain belt to the garage door opener near the pulley using the nut used to remove the old chain. Run the new chain through the pulley and along the chain belt bar. Connect the chain at the other end with the nut in the same way the old chain was attached. The new chain belt is connected exactly the same as the old chain.
- 6
  Tighten the tension bolt in the chain belt until the chain is no longer sagging.
- 7
  Press the garage door opener button to reengage the system and disable the emergency release.

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