Raising garage tracks

[Tom919]

I would like to raise my garage tracks and called two companies and unfortunately received mixed messages.

Company A: Said they are able to lift the tracks with new tracks / spring system and can keep the motor. It will cost $1000 + tax (CDN)
Company B: Said that they are NOT able to lift the tracks and keep the same motor as they need to then use a Jackshaft motor. $1,900+tax. They said it is not to code keeping the old motor and putting too much pressure on the arms by raising them.

So my questions are:

1) Can you raise the tracks and keep the same motor?
2) What is a reasonable cost?

[Jtangm04]

I raised my tracks for $600 keeping my belt drive garage door opener. I just bought an extension bar for the j arm. I live Illinois so unsure about coding rules.

I would keep looking until you get a consensus response about building code and ways to raise your tracks.

[Tom919]

Thank you for your response.. I talked to the technician on the phone and he said that its always possible to raise the j arm, but when it gets 2-3 feet long then there is a risk that it can no longer support the door and they would potentially lose their license.

[Jason Penner]

Jack lift all the way. Costco 400-500$. DIY 1 hour to install

[Ironstrokes]

Jack lift all the way. Costco 400-500$. DIY 1 hour to install

What is a jack lift for the garage tracks? I just searched on Costco and there is nothing that goes by the name jack lift that I see.

[Jason Penner]

Sorry, I just checked now, looks like they don’t carry the liftmaster 8500 anymore.

[Stingreye]

Jack shaft like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/LiftMaster-8500-Elite-Jackshaft-Operator/dp/B00BS28SP8

you generally need to change out spring too when you raise the tracks.

[Tom919]

I have literally no space to the left or right of my garage door as its at the edge of the wall. Is it still possible to install a wall mount opener if it is not parallel to the garage door? Lets say perpendicular on the other wall?

[wbond]

It can certainly be done, whether or not you have a code for this would be the question . I went from a standard height door track system to one that followed the roofline and used the existing opener. The spring had to be changed, the track that forms the curve had to be modified and the J arm had to be extended. You can see the tracks in the upper left as well as the opener. I have a screw drive system.

[trumb1mj]

This is pretty neat. I had never considered something like this before. Did you have to move any collar ties?

[wbond]

No collar ties were affected. I found this out on garagejournal forum. It’s mostly focused on modifying garages to work on cars, so many of them have done this to be able to put a lift in.

[Tom919]

Does anyone have a jackshaft positioned above the door instead of on the side?

they mention it briefly on this website:

https://ddmgaragedoors.com/parts/powermaster-commercial-operators.html

[sonman]

I have a 16’ garage door and my expert says that I can move the opener 4’ left or right of the middle of door to get it out of the way of my swing and still open the door.