There are quite a few different component parts that are involved when you’re installing a garage door opener, but do you need new versions of everything? Can you replace a garage door opener without changing the rails?
It may be possible to replace a garage door opener without changing the rails, but it can be difficult to do and it is rare that they will fit and function properly. The model, type, and dimensions of your opener and your garage door rails need to be a perfect match, otherwise your door is not likely to work the way that it should.
Read ahead in this article to find out exactly how you can replace your garage door opener in a way that will keep it in proper working order, so that you don’t end up with damage or malfunctions in the future.
Will A New Garage Door Opener Fit the Old Rails?
It can seem like a great idea to try and replace some parts of your garage door opening mechanism without buying and installing new versions of every component, but you may find it to be more costly than cost-effective.
In order for your garage door opener to work safely and effectively, it needs to be perfectly fitted to the rails or tracks.
Technically, you might be able to fit a new opener onto the old rails that you have, but this should only be attempted if you are able to adjust it to fit perfectly, or if you replacing your opener like-for-like (with the exact same make and model that you previously had fitted).
Why Won’t Most Garage Door Openers Fit Onto Old Rails?
To understand why it is generally not a good idea to install a new garage door opener onto an old set of rails, we can take a look at how these two parts of the mechanism come together.
Garage door rails and openers can have many compatibility issues, including:
- The type of rail and mechanism
- The width of the rails
- The alignment of the rails
- The dimensions of the rail parts
Essentially, there are many reasons why the new opener and the old rails or tracks will not fit together, causing significant problems for the functioning of the door. The rails will therefore need to be adjusted and modified, which can take more time and money than installing a new rail.
Can You Adjust Old Rails To Fit a New Garage Door Opener?
If you are determined to try and fit a new garage door opener without getting a new set of rails then you have two options: either you replace the opener with one that is exactly the same make and model, or you try and adjust the rails to fit the new opener.
Not all garage door tracks and rails are actually adjustable, but some newer models are. This might give you enough flexibility to get them to work with a different opener than they were originally fitted to.
This process is usually a complicated one, though, and any small mistakes in adjustments or alignments can cause your door to have a lot of problems.
If your rails don’t perfectly fit your door, then you might experience:
- Misalignments
- Noisy operation
- Excess wear and damage to the tracks, rollers, and panels
- Overworking the motor
Is It Cheaper and Easier To Replace The Garage Door Opener Without Changing the Rail?
It may seem like you could save a bit of money by keeping your old rail in place, but replacing it may be worth it in the end. Depending on where you buy your door opener from, and how you choose to get it installed, the rail itself generally comes with the opener and is designed to be installed as one package.
It’s actually quite rare to be able to buy a garage door opener that doesn’t come with a new rail.
So you are probably not saving money, but can you save time and effort by not replacing the rail? Not really. Generally speaking, it is just as difficult and time-consuming to install your opener to your old rail as it would be to replace both, if not more so.
You will have to make significant adjustments to the old rail just to get it to fit together, and you may have to keep coming back to it when things aren’t working the way that they should.
What Are the Benefits of Installing a New Rail?
If you’re still not convinced that attaching your new opener to your old rail may not be worthwhile, let’s take a look at some of the benefits that you get from installing a whole new rail with your new machine.
Firstly, the rail that comes with the opener unit is designed for purpose, so they should both work together without any issues. This saves you from adjusting and troubleshooting, and it will mean that the whole system will last a lot longer before needing to be replaced again.
A newer rail is also likely to operate more effectively and efficiently than an old one. Old openers often used metal-on-metal contacts, which are noisy and have less of a smooth movement. A newer rail, however, will generally have nylon-to-metal parts, which are much quieter and smoother.
How Much Does It Cost To Install A New Garage Door Opener?
If you’re concerned about the time and hassle of replacing all of the different parts of your garage door opener, then you could always get a professional to do the job for you. Installing a whole new opening system can be a bit of an awkward job, after all, and it does take some time if you have never done it before.
A technician will usually charge just $60 to $100 an hour for labor, which generally works out to less than $200 for the whole process. With the cost of the opener, you are looking at around $250 – $500 in total.
Summary: Can You Replace Garage Door Opener Without Changing the Rails?
So, can you replace a garage door opener without changing the rails? It is technically possible for some models, as long as they are compatible or adjustable, but it is rarely a good idea.
Unless you are replacing your opener with the exact same make and model, you are likely to spend a lot of time and effort adjusting and modifying the old rails to ensure that they work perfectly, if it is even possible at all. You are also much more likely to experience issues in the long run.
A new opener will generally come with a new rail that it is designed to work with. These are usually smoother and quieter than the older rails you already have, and they do not take much more effort to install.
