Garage Door System GuideMost garage door openers hang from the ceiling and pull the door with a trolley on a rail. A jackshaft, or wall mount, opener throws that layout out. It mounts on the wall to the side of the door and drives the torsion shaft directly, which changes what garages it fits and what springs it requires. The facts below come from LiftMaster product literature for the 8500W wall mount opener.
How a wall mount drive works
Instead of a rail overhead, a jackshaft opener couples to the end of the door's torsion shaft and rotates it, winding the door up the tracks the same way a manual pull would. LiftMaster publishes that its 8500W uses a 24 volt DC motor for ultra quiet operation with smooth, adjustable speed, mounted on the wall beside the door.
The headline benefit is space. LiftMaster states that the wall mount design frees up ceiling space in the garage and reduces noise and vibration. That makes the drive the standard choice for garages with cathedral or obstructed ceilings, overhead storage, or high lift track conversions where a ceiling rail cannot go. LiftMaster rates the 8500W for sectional doors only, up to 14 feet high or 180 square feet, and up to 850 pounds.
Backup, locking and connectivity
Because the jackshaft turns the torsion shaft directly and leaves the door itself unlatched, LiftMaster pairs it with a powered deadbolt. LiftMaster states the included Automatic Garage Door Lock deadbolts the door after it closes, and that battery backup allows you to open and close the door even when the power is out.
On the electronics side, LiftMaster publishes that the 8500W includes built in Wi-Fi for smartphone control through the myQ app, Security+ 2.0 rolling code technology to guard against signal interference, and a myQ remote LED light rated at 1,500 lumens that can be positioned anywhere in the garage. The unit runs on standard 115 volt, 60 hertz household power.