How to adjust your garage door chain

In this video I will show you how to easily adjust your garage door chain to reduce slack and noise, and increase efficiency.
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[@rfern263]

There are dozens of videos on TH-cam that tell you to adjust a sagging garage door chain like this, but not one tells you to check for trouble with the idler pulley which can also be the culprit and is a very easy fix.

[@australianhuntanstuff]

Soooooooooooo????

[@scottburrow8717]

Thanks for the help. Works great now that the chain is tightened.

[@ahmedalyousef1286]

I have a similar door, chain has ton of slack, I just did it after watching your video, thank you for making this easy.

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

@@ahmedalyousef1286 I’m glad to hear that!

[@ktp0913]

@@MrFixItTheRealtorhi, so when you say a little slack, how much slack? Did you just estimate it? I read that it was 1/2 in. When the door is opened. But how can you measure that? Pls reply. Thanks

[@MovingtoBethesda]

​@@ktp0913 Hi there, I didn't measure how much slack but enough so that it didn't actually feel super tight nor did I hear any noise from it that sounded like it was pulling hard on any of the gears. I think 1/2" would be sufficient for slack.

[@ktp0913]

@@MovingtoBethesda thanks for the quick reply. 👍🏼

[@josephdolan3035]

Thanks man, the trick to pull the tension out of the chain just saved me.

[@Bella-vt7ol]

You just saved me $100!!!!! Thanks so much!!!

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

Fantastic!

[@petersmichaeld59]

Thanks so much for this easy chain adjustment....need video on replacing 4 piece tube on Stanley model 3220 garage opener and ...the black adjustment knobs on bottom of unit functionality...any assistance would be greatly appreciated

[@nickfiek]

Just what I needed. Thank you.

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

Glad it helped!

[@samuelugh5729]

Hey thanks. For the info. So i have a question. I think my garage door chain probably put so much tension the metal that holds the chain and the motor the hinge the bolts are about to come off the wall. how can i fix that? would i have to remove the whole thing ? 🤨

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

I haven't personally done this before, but would imagine you would have to. You will likely need to replace the blocking on the wall that you mount the rail to. Is there a way to disconnect on your rail before the mounting plate?

[@RzVids]

I can't find what I'm looking for... I adjusted the thing that actually attaches to the garage door there's two bolts shown at 1:11. I made it longer and now when I open the garage door it's too long

[@mohamedmunasik9987]

How to adjust the shatter spring please send videos

[@cacaiashi7427]

great video bud. just a question whats the reason the chain is sagging. we are moving to a used property and that's one of the minor issues that needs to be repaired. any advice to prevent the sagging of the chain? or is it normal?

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

@@cacaiashi7427 thanks for checking it out! In the case of my door, it ended up being an indication of another issue with the actual door itself which somebody seemed to have hit and that caused the chain to sag. It was more of a temporary band aid for the problem. I would carefully inspect the door to see that there is no buckling or sagging and that the rails are fully secure. The other option is something just came out of adjustment at the opener.

[@bobrottman3445]

You don’t even tell us what proper chain tension should be. That’s what I was looking for.

[@bigmj8489]

Thanks!!

[@leeming7473]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻 you just save me $180

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

@@leeming7473 boom!

[@manuelcanales1471]

Thanks good job

[@RobertGittens-jd4je]

My chain is just as loose as yours I’ll be on this tomorrow morning

[@marquesalan]

I cant see anything! How about a closeup of the bolts?

[@CC-jy5hj]

2 things .. 1. your door isn't prepped to have an opener on is in the first place. thats why you don't have a top strut and you using angle iron. 2. you shouldn't have a rail lock on you panel if your using an opener.

[@davidortiz4935]

Door has to be closed position to adjust tension?

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

It’s easier with the door closed as it will otherwise get in your way. Be careful not to make too tight or you could snap the sprocket on top of the opener motor.

[@davidortiz4935]

@@MrFixItTheRealtor thank you!! This video is very helpful!

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

@@davidortiz4935 my pleasure!

[@shanemane4249]

I have no bolt. It’s some plastic piece with a couple of tiny screws. I can’t find any video with this piece.

[@mak6371]

The tension on both sides needs to be equal. Otherwise the cord is under immense tension and when it gets cold it's going to snap resulting in an expensive repair. The easiest way to know if the tension is equal is to have same amount of slack on both sides.

[@rickmeadows686]

Using a crescent wrench! Oh come on…. I thought the guy was a mechanic.

[@monteladow159]

That was the first thing I saw, and thought the same thing. Get the proper size wrench!

[@HardCoreGarage]

And if it's been hanging for years, leave it alone..

[@BoomChing]

I tightened the chain too much and destroyed my motor. 😢

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

@@BoomChing oh no!!

[@BaoNguyen-uw5np]

😂

[@jeffreydionne6304]

Decent video but you might want to buy a 1/2" wrench. Adjustable wrenches are useless.

[@RobertGittens-jd4je]

My chain is just as loose as yours I’ll be on this tomorrow morning

[@MrFixItTheRealtor]

Good luck! If you over tighten it can cause it to snap so just be careful.