Popular Post Kzoo Posted March 24 Popular Post Share #1 Posted March 24 Broke. I was running errands this afternoon. I came home about 2:30 and the garage door I use wouldn’t work. The spring broke. I replaced this one about 10 years ago. Off to Menards to buy the replacement. It took 45 minutes to replace. The first tension of the spring was perfect. No torsion adjustment needed. 6 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post maddmaxx ★ Posted March 24 Popular Post Share #2 Posted March 24 The sweet dance of success. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted March 24 Share #3 Posted March 24 13 minutes ago, Kzoo said: Broke. I was running errands this afternoon. I came home about 2:30 and the garage door I use wouldn’t work. The spring broke. I replaced this one about 10 years ago. Off to Menards to buy the replacement. It took 45 minutes to replace. The first tension of the spring was perfect. No torsion adjustment needed. Dangerous job. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerrySTL ★ Posted March 24 Share #4 Posted March 24 15 minutes ago, Airehead said: Dangerous job. True. This is one job that I let an expert do. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted March 24 Share #5 Posted March 24 33 minutes ago, JerrySTL said: True. This is one job that I let an expert do. Kzoo Services : Expert lawn mowing, legal, and garage door services. Prompt replies to all calls. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikeguy Posted March 24 Share #6 Posted March 24 I replaced the extension springs on the garage doors at my old home. (Google found me this picture) The difficult part was lifting the door. If I recall the door was 175 pounds. I'd lock it open and replace the springs. When the door is open there is minimal tension the springs. At my new home we have torsion springs. One broke after only 5 years. I called the guy for that one. I probably could change a torsion spring, but I don't want too deal with all of the variables... the diameter of the spring wire. the length of the spring, how many turns you need to turn the spring to get to the correct tension for the weight of the door, how to wrap each wire drum the same so the door lifts the same on each side, etc... Nope I called the guy. He was done in about 1 hours. He told he uses the app in his phone to calculate what needs to be done for the weight of my door. He used a larger diameter spring wire and the torsion springs are longer now too. He told it should last 10 years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BR46 Posted March 24 Share #7 Posted March 24 1 hour ago, Airehead said: Dangerous job. It's not bad, I've done a few of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted March 24 Share #8 Posted March 24 Just now, BR46 said: It's not bad, I've done a few of them. You do risky things. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shu Fang Bastard ★ Posted March 24 Share #9 Posted March 24 Kzoo hasn't updated this thread. Did the spring win? Couch 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizeye Posted March 25 Share #10 Posted March 25 1 hour ago, BR46 said: It's not bad, I've done a few of them. Which style spring. Torsion spring that mounts across the front wall, or extension springs along the two sides of the garage door? Even myself as an avid DIYer wouldn't tough the torsion spring. One slipup with the lack of day to day practice can take your arm, or worse, off. Extension springs can be dangerous but doable with far less risk. On a similar note, I did change the rollers, but never unmount the bottom roller as it anchors the cable that the spring applies tension to. There is a special technique to change the bottom roller. Extension Springs Torsion Springs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted March 25 Share #11 Posted March 25 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted March 25 Share #12 Posted March 25 4 hours ago, Airehead said: Dangerous job. It can be if you aren't careful. I have replaced one and survived. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted March 25 Share #13 Posted March 25 1 hour ago, Tizeye said: Which style spring. Torsion spring that mounts across the front wall, or extension springs along the two sides of the garage door? Even myself as an avid DIYer wouldn't tough the torsion spring. One slipup with the lack of day to day practice can take your arm, or worse, off. Extension springs can be dangerous but doable with far less risk. On a similar note, I did change the rollers, but never unmount the bottom roller as it anchors the cable that the spring applies tension to. There is a special technique to change the bottom roller. Extension Springs Torsion Springs The trick with torsion springs is to have two rods to fit in the holes on the adjuster ring. Do it in quarter turns and stay out of the line of fire. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted March 25 Author Share #14 Posted March 25 3 hours ago, Shu Fang said: Kzoo hasn't updated this thread. Did the spring win? Couch I survived just fine. Like RattleCan said, use the 2 bars designed for the job and be careful. I’ve done a few of these. This was 45 minutes start to finish. Winding the torsion spring was less that 5 minutes of that. It took 31 quarter turns and only the last few were really under much tension. Slow and steady wins the race. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BR46 Posted March 25 Share #15 Posted March 25 7 hours ago, Kzoo said: Slow and steady wins the race. I've done a few races over the years and I know for a fact that slow and steady doesn't always win. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizeye Posted March 25 Share #16 Posted March 25 8 minutes ago, BR46 said: I've done a few races over the years and I know for a fact that slow and steady doesn't always win. Unless you are a tortoise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 25 Share #17 Posted March 25 15 hours ago, Kzoo said: The spring broke. Had that happen a few times on the old door/opener. Happy I wasn't in the garage when it did as it sounded like a gun shot, and I imagine would have scared the shit out of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted March 25 Share #18 Posted March 25 38 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: Had that happen a few times on the old door/opener. Happy I wasn't in the garage when it did as it sounded like a gun shot, and I imagine would have scared the shit out of me. That loud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted March 25 Author Share #19 Posted March 25 1 hour ago, Razors Edge said: Had that happen a few times on the old door/opener. Happy I wasn't in the garage when it did as it sounded like a gun shot, and I imagine would have scared the shit out of me. I've been in garages a couple of times when they let go. The last time I had to replace this one I came out of the house and hit the up button and proceeded to walk out the garage door as it was rising. I was somewhere close to just under the opening when it let go. Scaring the crap out of you is an understatement. This time I was in my car and hit the remote. I never heard it. I just couldn't figure out why the door wouldn't go higher than about a foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikeguy Posted March 26 Share #20 Posted March 26 On 3/25/2024 at 7:35 AM, Razors Edge said: On 3/24/2024 at 4:04 PM, Kzoo said: The spring broke. Had that happen a few times on the old door/opener. Happy I wasn't in the garage when it did as it sounded like a gun shot, and I imagine would have scared the shit out of me. If you don't install the safety cables inside the extension springs, when the spring breaks ( all of the springs eventually break) the spring will shoot across the garage like a missile. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted March 26 Author Share #21 Posted March 26 1 hour ago, Bikeguy said: If you don't install the safety cables inside the extension springs, when the spring breaks ( all of the springs eventually break) the spring will shoot across the garage like a missile. I've never dealt with extension springs. Interesting fact on the safety cables. I bet that could mess up the finish on a new car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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