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Belt, chain or wall mount: which garage door opener type fits your garage
Updated
Pick a belt drive if someone sleeps over or next to the garage. Pick a chain drive if the garage is detached and noise does not matter. Pick a wall mount if a beam, a rack or a low ceiling blocks the rail, but only if your door has a torsion spring on a bar. We have not measured noise. What follows is what the makers say and what each type needs.
| Type | Picks here | What the maker says | What it needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belt drive | Genie QuietLift Connect (3053-TKV) and Genie SilentMax 1000 (3042-TKH) | Genie calls both ideal for garages attached to living spaces | A clear ceiling path for the rail |
| Chain drive | Genie Chain Drive 750 (7035-TKV), Chamberlain C2212T and Genie Chain Drive 550 (2035-TKV) | Sold on durability. Genie calls its chain "heavy-duty" | A clear ceiling path for the rail |
| Wall mount | Chamberlain RJO20 Wall Mount and Genie B6172H Wall Mount | Chamberlain says wall mounting eliminates vibration through the ceiling | A torsion bar, side room, an outlet nearby |
Noise, as far as anyone can say from a listing
No pick here gives a decibel figure on its listing, so there is no number to compare. Genie says the QuietLift's DC motor and steel-reinforced belt make it "very quiet" and the ideal choice for attached garages. Chamberlain support adds a useful point about old openers: older units have metal-on-metal parts, and current designs are much quieter. So any new opener may be quieter than a 20 year old one. Owner summaries on Amazon call the chain drive picks quiet too.
What a wall mount needs
A wall mount, also called a jackshaft opener, sits beside the door and turns the torsion bar. Chamberlain says it is meant for garages with low headroom, cathedral ceilings or obstructed ceilings. Its requirements page lists:
- A properly balanced door.
- A torsion bar 1 inch in diameter, extending at least 1-1/2 inches past the bearing plate.
- At least 8.5 inches between the side wall and the end of the torsion bar.
- A door no taller than 14 ft, no wider than 18 ft, and no more than 180 sq ft.
- Up to 650 lbs for the RJO20. Drum size limits weight too: 3 to 3.9 inch drums support up to 430 lbs.
Genie's page for its wall mount says it is not compatible with reverse wound springs, low headroom setups, extension springs or one-piece doors, and needs a standard outlet within 6 feet. Note the difference: Chamberlain pitches its wall mount for low headroom, and Genie lists low headroom setups as a limit. If low headroom is your reason, read the exact wording for your track type or ask the maker.
What a rail opener needs
Ceiling. Chamberlain's chart puts a standard chain or belt opener at up to 128 inches of installed length, which is 10.7 ft back from the door. Chamberlain also recommends replacing the old rail, mounting hardware, wall control and remotes with the new opener instead of reusing them.
Safety first. Springs, cables and bottom brackets are under extreme tension. Chamberlain's support pages say to never loosen, move or adjust them, and to always call a trained door technician if the door binds, sticks or is out of balance. DASMA, the door makers' trade group, says spring systems should be repaired only by trained professionals.
Run your own garage through the fit checker, or compare all 7 picks on the roundup page.