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View Full Version : Any garage door experts here?



clmeue37
02-21-2015, 05:22 PM
Started out this morning by firing all the bikes up and taking them all up and down the driveway a few times just to air them out. I left them outside for awhile went back in the garage and closed the door and starting sweeping all the junk up off the floor. A few minutes goes by and I hear the garage door spring go crazy figuring it had just broke. Got up on the ladder and the spring was in one complete piece, the hub that you use to tighten the spring was still tight on the shaft, and the spring had unthreaded itself from the hub. I threaded the spring back onto the hub and proceeded to tighten it back up. As I was tightening it back up (the exact same way it was before all this) I realized that I was turning it counter-clockwise as though it would back out of the spring. Is this the way it should be? It hasnt spun off again but it still seems backwards to me. The garage door works great again but I think it may only be a matter of time before it spins back out. Don't know if any of that made any sense but if you have any input I'd be glad to hear it.

atc007
02-21-2015, 06:26 PM
I had never put any thought into a garage door..I've installed 5 of them in my life I think..One of my customers is a door man by trade. All he does for a living,,and has employees! He looked at one of mine last year..He said ,do you have PB blaster? I said yes. Can I see it ? Sure,,,Proceeded to drench every bearing on the wheels, every inch of the tracks,all pivot points etc... I knew it needed a couple more turns on the spring... But wow, after he did that 40 seconds of work. I had a BRAND NEW door! Toss her open with 2 fingers now. And I never did tighten the spring. Those things WILL kill you. Watch yourself, I know you know that. But it can't be said enough. We came close to losing a very valued member on here last year tightening his spring.... If it's working good. You must have it wound it the right way??? Right ?lol. Grab a can of your favorite lube and drench her. You will not BELIEVE the difference!! He said Lowes sells garage door lube, that is the best. But PB works great and smells good too.

Scootertrash
02-21-2015, 11:04 PM
Just removed a broken spring from my garage door last night and replaced it. Took me an hour. (I should say it would have taken me an hour if I had removd the old spring and taken it with me so I got the proper sized replacement spring on my first trip. I may very well end up getting a second new spring. My door is 18 years old and door springs have probably changed in that time. ;) )

Follow these directions to a "T". Don't skip any of the instructions. BE VERY CAREFUL!!!!

http://ddmgaragedoors.com/diy-instructions/replace-garage-door-torsion-springs.php#wind

clmeue37- There is a part of the instructions that covers how your spring should wind on to the cone. Pay attention to that part. I don't know how long you've owned/rented your home, but a previous owner/tenant could have replaced the spring wrong. ;)

You should have approximately one full turn of the spring for each vertical foot of door. You should only be doing 1/4 turns at a time. My door is an 8 foot door and I had to do 34 1/4 turns or 8 1/2 full turns. This was verified by the garage door company I bought my spring from. Get yourself a couple of 1/2 inch by 18 inch bars for adjusting the spring. DON'T USE SCREWDRIVERS OR ANYTHING ELSE BUT NICE STRAIGHT SQUARED END ROUND BARS!!!

When I did my spring I had the wife at hand just in case, but I told her not to talk to me, not to ask questions until I was done. You need to pay attention and keep track of you turn count. Don't have your buddies hold you beer while you do the repair.

If you are uncomfortable with any of this DON'T TAKE CHANCES!! CALL SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR YOU!!

This can be dangerous. Be careful!!

clmeue37
02-22-2015, 03:26 AM
Thanks guys! That link was awesome and I've bookmarked it for further use if needed. I've helped replace and tighten a few springs in the past and never paid attention to the orientation of the spring to the direction of winding. According to the information contained in the link I did everything spot on short of oiling the spring which I will be doing later on.

atc007 yes I was very careful and know the dangers associated with garage door torsion springs. Thanks for the concern! I've got a can of that garage door lube and it works awesome.

Scootertrash I've owned my home for almost a year now and I was concerned I may have had the wrong spring due to the fact that I knew the previous owner was a do-it-yourself kind of guy (as am I) but from what I've read I have the right setup. Thanks again for the info and concern!

Dirtcrasher
02-22-2015, 07:50 PM
Yeah watch out, those springs can kill you.

I removed a roll up garage door at my neighbors, we just set it down. Then I cut the foundation and put in 2 4' steel doors that still maintain a 1/16th gap when closed. I guess I do perty good work!!

But when I was done, I lifted the roll up door by myself to clean up the basement and a 2" wide piece of steel whipped around and nearly got my neck! It was F'N close!! That would have been a sucky way to go.....

Gearheadtom
02-22-2015, 09:43 PM
Sounds like you're winding it right, and yes they do look like they'd just spin apart when you wind them. The spring kinda tightens up on the hub when you wind it and shouldn't spin off. The hubs are probably worn or something like that, a new spring is probably your only option.

Tri-Z 250
02-22-2015, 09:52 PM
The info above about height to turns add this little trick: use a yellow/white wax crane to mark the spring when it's loose(no tension), draw a line straight across the entire length of spring. As you tighten the spring the line will count the turns for you. Count the hash marks to desired tension and be very careful. The opposite holds true as well if you have to loosen the spring to get the original count. Yes lube is good and often neglected.

El Camexican
02-22-2015, 10:03 PM
You've been given great advice. Those springs are man killers if mishandled.

I'm assuming you have a leaf door? If the springs aren't properly adjusted and secured that door can become a guillotine, or a spine wrecker. I have done a few and have no issues adjusting them, but without a competent buddy on hand I call in the experts when a spring brakes.

When you buy springs they come with ratings. 10,000, 20,000 & 30,000 cycle. I learned the hard way after continually being sold 10,000 cycle springs that for less than a hundred bucks more you can get the 30,000 upgrade. I estimate my door cycles an average of 12 times a day, so I was running the risk of a spring failing every 26 months. Now I'm good for almost 7 years.

If you ever do need to replace one do them as a set, or you'll be doing the second one soon after.

tripledog
02-22-2015, 10:11 PM
Garage? WT heck is that?

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIHMi.pURm8A58b7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZW c0dGJtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMQ--?p=moe+car+hole&vid=0f1343f470955cf8d1c4eec5b78fc1ae&l=00%3A13&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.6 08026962813847116%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DH XJkLBj6G1k&tit=garage&c=0&sigr=11b3l95hr&sigt=1060ospmo&sigi=11r43ih8o&age=1293164409&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=ymyy-t-999&tt=b

clmeue37
02-23-2015, 03:28 AM
Yeah I only have the one spring so it makes the whole job a lot easier. It's holding good for now so I'm just going to run with it. Thanks for all the tips and advice guys. I'll have a much better idea of what to look for when I do have to buy a new spring.