# garage door lube. Lithium vs silicone



## pman6 (Jul 11, 2012)

Some say use lithium. Some say silicone lube.

I already have Blaster lithium spray for home exercise equipment, but it seems to leave a yellow gunky mess.

Even Blaster makes a garage door lube that is made from silicone.
But again, some pro garage installers recomment lithium.

So which is it.........


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Either will work.

I use lithium on my chain but just clean it well before either application.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Both will attract and hold dust and dirt....do as Windows On Wash does....clean it real well before putting on more.

I keep hoping my screw drive will die so I can install a Liftmaster 3800...it mounts on the wall and connects directly to the torsion bar.


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

I use lithium on the bearings if you have steel rollers. Just a little squirt around the shaft of each. I also give the area of each hinge a squirt where the two halves rub together. Put a rag up next to it so you don't make a mess. That normally gets rid of the squeaks and creaks. Chains on most openers don't need anything unless you have a really damp garage and the chain shows signs of rust. If you have torsion springs, put a piece of cardboard behind them, one at a time and spray with any kind of lightweight oil. WD40 doesn't seem to stay around too long. Just trying to keep the springs from rusting.
Mike Hawkins


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

ddawg16 said:


> Both will attract and hold dust and dirt....do as Windows On Wash does....clean it real well before putting on more.
> 
> I keep hoping my screw drive will die so I can install a Liftmaster 3800...it mounts on the wall and connects directly to the torsion bar.


DDawg,
I have a 3800 on one of my five doors. Only because it has high lift track which follows up a sloped ceiling. It does work well, but I wouldn't put one on a traditional door installation where the top track is horizontal. Liftmaster's Elite series belt drive is my choice for normal installs. The 3800's cost me almost twice as much as the Elite's. If you go to use it on a door that is in a horizontal resting position when up, you need to install some pusher spring plungers on the rails behind the top section of the door so when the door is up, it compresses the plungers. When the 3800 starts to turn the shaft for the door to go down, the plungers give the door a little push to get it moving and then the weight of the door going down takes over, keeping tension on the cables. Without the plungers, the shaft would start turning, the door wouldn't move, and your cables would just unwind.
Mike Hawkins


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

firehawkmph said:


> DDawg,
> I have a 3800 on one of my five doors. Only because it has high lift track which follows up a sloped ceiling. It does work well, but I wouldn't put one on a traditional door installation where the top track is horizontal. Liftmaster's Elite series belt drive is my choice for normal installs. The 3800's cost me almost twice as much as the Elite's. If you go to use it on a door that is in a horizontal resting position when up, you need to install some pusher spring plungers on the rails behind the top section of the door so when the door is up, it compresses the plungers. When the 3800 starts to turn the shaft for the door to go down, the plungers give the door a little push to get it moving and then the weight of the door going down takes over, keeping tension on the cables. Without the plungers, the shaft would start turning, the door wouldn't move, and your cables would just unwind.
> Mike Hawkins


Mike,

Have you used one of those side mount door openers before? One that mounts direction without a chain and track?


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Windows,
the Liftmaster 3800 is the side mount model I was talking about in the above posts. It mounts on the end of the torsion shaft.
Mike Hawkins


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## Chokingdogs (Oct 27, 2012)

The 3800 gets high praise.....it is finicky though, mounting and adjustment of the door/rails/sensors, but high-lift or "normal" doors shouldn't matter...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158641

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15695

Jackshaft openers are the bee's knees for gearheads who want a lift in their garages, myself included....


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