Chamberlain LiftMaster 1355C garage door opener, idler bolt sheared off. Photo3 by Don Tai, Toronto, Canada
Impressed, I am not, when my garage door opener stopped working. I have a Chamberlain LiftMaster garage door opener, model 1355C 1/2 hp in chain drive. The failure of the idler bolt was catastrophic.
There is a metal gear on the motor, which moves a metal chain in an oval, opening and closing the garage door. At the door side, opposite to the door opener, the chain makes a 180 degree turn back to the opener on a plastic wheel, called the idler. The wheel is fine, but the metal bolt that keeps the idler attached to the metal rail sheared off at the threads.
Where the pulley turns on this bolt is smooth and 12mm thick. The bolt then tapers down to 9mm threads included, or 7mm excluding the threads. Exactly where the nut threads on it snapped. I would have thought that the bolt would be stronger than the plastic pulley wheel.
Chamberlain LiftMaster 1355C garage door opener, rail assembly parts
My instructions show that there is a chain pulley bracket (2) available, pn 41A4813, but this includes a new bolt, plastic wheel as well as the bracket. LiftMaster charges only $7.71US for the kit, but ship from Utah. To Canada shipping will cost over $15US. In my case the pulley and housing are fine. I really do not want to undo the bracket if it is unnecessary.
I have contacted two Markham garage door dealers who have quoted me $35CAD and $40CAD for the kit (2). That seems a bit steep when I can get it from Utah for $7.71US, but with shipping and the exchange it would cost me about $30CAD along with a sizable wait time. Tomorrow I will meet with one of them to see if they will sell me just the idler bolt, which should be much cheaper.
LiftMaster has even posted instructions on the idler bolt replacement, which I have read and printed out. Installation seems pretty straight forward. Unfortunately they do not offer only the idler bolt part for sale.
Chamberlain LiftMaster 1355C garage door opener, idler bolt sheared off. Photo1 by Don Tai, Toronto, Canada
Chamberlain LiftMaster 1355C garage door opener, idler bolt sheared off. Photo2 by Don Tai, Toronto, Canada
I have not had good luck with this LiftMaster garage door opener. Shortly after I had it installed I could not adjust it so that the door would stay shut. I now have to jiggle it in order for the door to shut. I would not recommend LiftMaster to others.
Chamberlain LiftMaster 1355C garage door opener, idler bolt sheared off. Photo3 by Don Tai, Toronto, Canada
http://www.garagedooropeners.com/41a2780.html
