Anyone replace garage door springs themselves?

[pnora]

Not afraid, just zero experience with it. Hence the "has anyone done it" question. I'll probably give it a shot, if I can get the parts.

Take 16 minutes and watch the video on post 9. He tells you exactly what you need to know.

 

[WileE]

I've just had my teeth fixed up.....

Let's take a look... Ooh, I must say, pretty good.

 

[dsd1967]

I just did 4 garage doors with torsion springs over the Christmas break for my new garage. The rules I lived by were:

1. Stay out of the line of fire....especially the head/face area...work off to the side
2. Always remove the upper bar immediately after firmly inserting the lower bar. That way there is nothing to come back down at you from above
3. Never take your hand off the lower bar. Even if it slips out of the adjuster, the only thing the spring will do is unwind rapidly...but it is contained on the shaft so it won't go anywhere. If you keep that bar in your hand and the upper bar is removed per step 2....there's nothing to come at you.

I found that a 12 point 11 mm socket works perfectly on those pesky square head bolts that lock the adjuster to the shaft. That made it a lot easier to lock the adjuster down because those heads inevitably wind up where you can only get about 1/8 of a turn with a 3/8" open end/box end wrench.

Also, make sure to use a bar that fits exactly to the hole...otherwise there is potential for it to slip out. I used 1/2" steel barstock and it fit perfectly.

At the end of the day, I knew I had torqued up 8 springs...I was sore using muscles that don't get a lot of exercise.

 

[lyndondb]

So, my workshop door has a broken spring.

My garage has 4 single-car doors total - built like a bank barn, it has 3 doors on the lower level, and one on the upper level. This upper level is my workshop, and where I park my work truck as well as keep my pro audio equipment. This upper door is the one that has a broken spring.

One of the lower doors broke a spring years ago and I had it replaced. I remember watching the guy do it, and it was some sort of sorcery, black magic type work that involved not amputating fingers or sending wrenches through his own skull while he was removing and replacing the springs.

Has anyone here done their own spring replacements? My doors are "heavy" - they are single car doors, but they are insulated, and they have a veneer/facade on the outside which makes them look like carriage house doors (but adds weight because it's a sheet of 1/4" plywood facing). That tells me "more finger-removing, skull-cracking spring tension"..... I have the spec tag from the last spring replacement (250x2.000x41.00), which I presume is 250 lb rating x 2" coil size x 41" long, and I assume I can order springs from that....but the guy who did my last one appears to have retired, and I can't get anyone to return calls about the job.

I guess nobody needs work.

Here's the door in question:

View attachment 1595731

View attachment 1595729

...and the lower level, just because I love my garage...

View attachment 1595730

I replaced them on occasion, and I have the scars to prove it.

 

[Krooser]

Those door companies have put the fear of God in many.... I did my own garage door nearly 30 years ago...before you tube. Just asked a couple pros and followed their directions.

No issues here...

 

[mopar 3 B]

I still do mine. Don't see what all the fuse is about. Just get the right tools and get it done. If your worried about a rod smacking your face go back to page one post 16. Someone posted an adjuster that winds using a drill and socket. That type adjuster can't get much safer.
If you are replacing one spring replace them both.
Been doing them off and on for over 40 years and have not maned or lost any body parts yet.

 

[840a]

Give me a break, replacing a garage door spring is no more complicated than doing drums brakes on a car. You have one spring that turns left you have one that turns right these control the up and down of the door. Yes replacing a garage door spring can be dangerous but so is replacing the brakes on your own vehicle. Both.have serious consequences. You will need two rods to wind the springs about 28” long that fit firmly in the end of the spring pockets then observe the drum roller at the edge of the garage door. Make sure that the bar the springs attach to (drum also)is unloaded (no spring pressure) this can also be done by firmly, grabbing the under broken spring at its base where it’s anchored in and attempt to roll it up or down slightly. If it still has pressure unload the unbroken spring by loosening the square bolts slightly allowing it to slip on the center bar. Once this is done remove the broken spring and drum on the edge of the door. I suggest you replace both but money may or may not be an issue but purchase a “ commercial spring” this spring is able to take more abuse due to the weight of the door than a standard residential spring. Remove the broken spring and take the parts to your garage door supplier. Have them cut new spring and install the fixtures on the ends (or purchase from garage door repair individual.). A commercial spring coils have a much larger diameter than the residential spring, giving your spring more life caring the heavy door. Reinstall spring and drum then untangle the wire that attaches the drum to the bottom of the garage door and reinstall wire (this carries the spring tension to the door). Now the “ dangerous work.” The springs must be wound up and have the same tension up or down so if you wind it 15 times on one side, you must wind 15 times on the other side. Begin to wind by firmly setting the rods in the pockets at the end of the spring as you wind. Now you asking which way do I wind. The drum at the edge of the door will tell you. If wound in the wrong direction the cable will come off, or the spring will not expand as you’re attempting to wind. Both springs go in opposite directions. Wind both equally
Remembering to firmly place, the rods in the spring pocket, as each revolution is made. Test the door by manually lifting it if too hard add more tension but remember to firmly tighten square bolts prior to removing the rods for door test. Most likely at this point the garage door will not go up level to adjust for this The drum at the edge of the door must be slipped slightly to allow for the differences in spring tension. Place door on the concrete surface and observe which side is higher. Go to the higher side and slip drum to equallize tension or level the door. To do this loosen the drum (square bolts) slightly allowing it to slip but not spin leveling the door (remember, there’s a lot of spring tension holding that door up so it must be slipped not allowed to spin). Then re-engage electric door opener and test after a few manual tests of door operation. Step back observe you new spring door operation and drink a beer. You survived a garage door spring installation

 

[Daves69]

I've done several spring replacements over the years. Although not rocket science, it can be hazardous. Do your homework if you decide to tackle these springs.

This outfit has some decent videos IMO...............

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I replaced my old door with an insulated R-13 Menards door. The drill adjust spring load worked out just fine for me.

 

[dadsbee]

Guess I'm lucky, all of my Garaga doors only have one spring! LOL

 

[a70duster]

Anyone come up with any kind of guard to go around the overhead springs in case they snap into multiple pieces none of the pieces damage our wonder Mopars?

Looks like a 3" diameter PVC pipe should contain the shrapnel.

 

[1KoolBee]

Not hard to do , plenty of videos on YouTube. Be careful and methodical. No distractions. Screwing up can hurt you bad. Those red painted set screws are red for a reason. Also keep in mind that the spring will grow in length as it’s wound tighter. There have been some springs I have done where I had to knock the spring cap over a bit with a dead blow mallet while holding tension on the spring with the winding rods.

 

[1967coronet]

Let's talk about something safe like swapping late model strut springs.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Let's talk about something safe like swapping late model strut springs.

I've got four struts to install next week... Not scared...

 

[1967coronet]

I've got four struts to install next week... Not scared...

We used to swap the coils on them when they broke.
We had made a coil compressor that ran off a 1/2 impact lol.
About every mid 2000s ford Taurus seemed to snap.
Felt like a bomb disposal tech.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

We used to swap the coils on them when they broke.
We had made a coil compressor that ran off a 1/2 impact lol.
About every mid 2000s ford Taurus seemed to snap.
Felt like a bomb disposal tech.

I bought one of these back in the early eighties... I've used it hundreds of times... There are mich better designs out there these days but I own it & it works fine...

 

[Jam72]

So, my workshop door has a broken spring.

My garage has 4 single-car doors total - built like a bank barn, it has 3 doors on the lower level, and one on the upper level. This upper level is my workshop, and where I park my work truck as well as keep my pro audio equipment. This upper door is the one that has a broken spring.

One of the lower doors broke a spring years ago and I had it replaced. I remember watching the guy do it, and it was some sort of sorcery, black magic type work that involved not amputating fingers or sending wrenches through his own skull while he was removing and replacing the springs.

Has anyone here done their own spring replacements? My doors are "heavy" - they are single car doors, but they are insulated, and they have a veneer/facade on the outside which makes them look like carriage house doors (but adds weight because it's a sheet of 1/4" plywood facing). That tells me "more finger-removing, skull-cracking spring tension"..... I have the spec tag from the last spring replacement (250x2.000x41.00), which I presume is 250 lb rating x 2" coil size x 41" long, and I assume I can order springs from that....but the guy who did my last one appears to have retired, and I can't get anyone to return calls about the job.

I guess nobody needs work.

Here's the door in question:

View attachment 1595731

View attachment 1595729

...and the lower level, just because I love my garage...

View attachment 1595730

I have installed a few over the years. I use two 12-18 inch pieces of rebar to insert in the holes and toggle up a quarter turn at a time with the second one holding it up then using it next to lift to next quarter turn. Usually about 7 to 8 full turns total. The bars must be long enough to get the leverage u need as it takes a lot of force. Another thing I learned over the years is that if only one is broken, u don't need to change the other one although the pros usually recommend it.

 

[Jam72]

Anyone come up with any kind of guard to go around the overhead springs in case they snap into multiple pieces none of the pieces damage our wonder Mopars?

They usually just break in one spot and both coil pieces stay on the rod. No danger at that stage unless you or your mopar are under the door and it falls. Danger comes when u are winding up the new one and you don't hold it from unwinding as you go. Won't hurt your mopar but May hurt your hands. I had considered welding the broken ends to together but decided against it.

 

[Triplegreen500]

That wasn't bad at all.

Step one, insert rods into new adjuster holes before installing the springs. Make sure they go all the way in. I had one hole with burrs in it, only gave me about 50% depth. No bueno. Little Dremel work...fixed.

I also inserted each rod (I ordered them with the springs) into the cups, and put a tape wrap on each one right at the cup, for a quick "it's all the way in" reference while working. If there was rod showing between the cup and the tape...it ain't in.

Installed the new springs and a new bearing. Reinstalled the cable drums. Turned each spring (25) quarter-turns to tension and tested....nope. Went (30)....close. (33)...perfect. Hooked the power opener to it...ITS ALIVE!!!

Nice and quiet, too. Lubed them with some PB to be safe, and lubed the six springs downstairs too, as maintenance.

This door is now over-sprung. I put on .250x2.00x41" springs. I took out what look like .250x1.75x36"...I ordered based on what was put in downstairs last time. I figure this way, less stress and a longer life (in theory anyway).

Took me all of 90 minutes, start to finish.

 

[not so famous bob]

That wasn't bad at all.

Step one, insert rods into new adjuster holes before installing the springs. Make sure they go all the way in. I had one hole with burrs in it, only gave me about 50% depth. No bueno. Little Dremel work...fixed.

I also inserted each rod (I ordered them with the springs) into the cups, and put a tape wrap on each one right at the cup, for a quick "it's all the way in" reference while working. If there was rod showing between the cup and the tape...it ain't in.

Installed the new springs and a new bearing. Reinstalled the cable drums. Turned each spring (25) quarter-turns to tension and tested....nope. Went (30)....close. (33)...perfect. Hooked the power opener to it...ITS ALIVE!!!

View attachment 1601076

View attachment 1601077

Nice and quiet, too. Lubed them with some PB to be safe, and lubed the six springs downstairs too, as maintenance.

This door is now over-sprung. I put on .250x2.00x41" springs. I took out what look like .250x1.75x36"...I ordered based on what was put in downstairs last time. I figure this way, less stress and a longer life (in theory anyway).

Took me all of 90 minutes, start to finish.

I didnt read all the posts on this , but when I first bought this place , I took barn doors off the garage and put an overhead door on , still working to this day , just gotta use ur head with the spring , no big deal...if you use back up bars when tightening it up .

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

$1100 for springs and install. My door is 14x12. I installed 12 of my doors myself. I just could not find the right springs for the door the contractor installed when shop was built. They had to weigh the door to get the right ones, plus they replaced the shaft, and a few other pieces.