Bam! Garage door over-the-door torsion spring snapped! How to replace?

[Danny D.]

Yes. And the original photo in the original post showed only one spring:

[Meanie]

Such an upbeat and positive statement. You must be a motivational speaker. (sarcasm off)

As it's stated, "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything"

Perhaps you're a weak and timid consumer who pays to have all work performed on your home, but there are many of us who have general common sense and logic, along with patience to do work ourselves. Many people, including myself, have taken on the heavy and/or more riskier task of repairs and have turned out fine along with gaining a new experience.

Your negative comment about the OP hurting/killing himself is moronically presumptuously ascertain. Perhaps it's an invidious conclusion on your part, but don't be an ass to someone who can most likely tackle the job just because you can't.

[Meanie]

It is best to replace "both" if one breaks.

[Vic Smith]

Yep. It goes like this, but slower.

You '"adjust" because of layers of door paint adding weight, or the springs weakening. I've done it on both garages I've owned. I'm thinking of adjusting my brand new door. I lifted it with the opener detached, and think it's way too heavy Too much strain on the opener. Maybe they want repeat opener business, or maybe they just know more than me. Anyway, if I do it I'll do it like I've done it before. Tighten each spring a quarter turn until the door lifts off the floor, then back off until the door goes back on the floor. Worked for me. You should get winding bars if you do it. I used big screwdrivers, but I'm real strong. And careful.

[Meanie]

You've received good advice from most as well as found a good tutorial. Therefore, I haven't much more to add with exception to the painted line on the springs, which nobody mentioned. The painted line is straight on an non-tensioned spring. As you apply tension, the lines obviously separate and thus, space themselves apart. This aids in the tension of the spring. Take a look at your unbroken spring and count the line sections. If there are 7, for example, then you will know to turn the new spring up to roughly 7 line sections. Not sure if I explained that well, but I hope you get it.

The overall process is not difficult, IMO, but time consuming. Take your time and ensure everything is well tighten.

[Danny D.]

Thanks Smitty Two.

I see you're a regular here so you're a voice of wisdom.

I read the entire Kinch DIY - and it resonated with the engineer inside of me. I especially liked the part about paying an extra $5 or $10 for a muuuuuuuuch better - read thicker gauge - spring which would have triple the duty cycle of the cheap spring that I'll get with the drive-by installers.

In fact, I've had the torsion springs replaced before - and - my experience is that the uneducated but experienced guy who replaces them cares less about giving you the right spring than about moving on to his next paying job.

So, this is my main impetus: a) Better spring (30K cycles would be ideal) b) The satisfaction of learning how to do it myself c) Ameliorating the (appreciable) risk

Searching for DIYs, I find this is an 'easier read' than Kinch's engineering novella because this DIY reads exactly like a DIY should:

DDM Garage Doors: How to Replace Garage Door Torsion Springs

On the opposite scale, these installation instructions read like, um, like installation instructions: At least 'these' installation instructions are in color: This 2-part YouTube video covers the basics in real time: DIYClinic - Garage Door Torsion Spring Replacement (Part 1) DIYClinic - Garage Door Torsion Spring Replacement (Part 2) Interesting, this video shows a husband & wife team doing the job (gotta love propaganda!) And, this DIY reads like a regular DIY (better than Truetex does): As Kinch said, the suppliers of the torsion springs are all over the net nowadays (his DIY was written in 2002 or so, I believe), so it looks like I can get a 30K spring for under $40 plus shipping.

[Danny D.]

Thanks Tony. I found a few YouTube videos which were helpful to understand what was a bit obscure in the canonical Truetex DIY (see below).

Perhaps the most interesting was this video which showed a spring breaking in front of our eyes and then repaired!

The better DIY videos seem to be here:

DIYClinic - Garage Door Torsion Spring Replacement (Part 1)

DIYClinic - Garage Door Torsion Spring Replacement (Part 2) How to install Garage Door Torsion Springs Part 1 How to install Garage Door Torsion Springs Part 2 Here is a Sears guy (apparently) installing a torsion spring: How To Install Garage Torsion Springs - Torsion Spring Replacement

[Danny D.]

Hi Oren, I know you're a regular here so I appreciate the advice. The Truetex article is great but it's a difficult read. I prefer to read and understand everything in truetex, but, then to follow one of the simpler DIYs to follow.

Richard wrote an engineering novella - so he deserves credit - but what he doesn't really do is show a nice step-by-step DIY.

Luckily, those step-by-step DIYS seem to be all over the net, so I'll watch a few dozen so that I have all the steps memorized in sequence.

One thing to be aware of though, is that the color coding is useless according to the Truetex discussion - because they may not be following standards.

So, I'll just trust in my mic and calipers instead of colors! :)

[Danny D.]

Hi Vic, Interesting. I see what you mean. Thanks for edifying me.

It's amazing what the folks on a.h.r know, and it's a blessing to be able to learn from you all!

[Danny D.]

Thanks Meanie for the backup, especially since I read scores of similar admonishments in the other threads (e.g., that poster's un-clever joke about needing health insurance was in all the threads so it's old hat by now - even if it might have been funny the first few times it was said).

However ...

This isn't an insurance group - this is alt.home.repair - where somewhat dangerous jobs abound (e.g., electricity, roof climbing, tree cutting, lawnmower repair, etc.).

They just have to be approached with an open mind, an inquisitive mind, and we have to give back to the community when we're done.

Thanks to all who contributed. It's my turn now to add value - which I can only do once I get the parts and tools and get the job started!

[Vic Smith]

Sometimes the old farts here hire everything out, and they forgot about when they did it themselves. Or it makes them tired just thinking about it. They aren't excited about doing a job. No energy except to post here. I'm "almost" in that category. Sometimes they parrot what they heard elsewhere. Sometimes they just don't want somebody getting hurt from their advice. Sometimes they know the cost of DIY isn't worth their time. Car exhaust work is one for me. I just don't do it. I pay up. Roofing is another, and whole house tuckpointing. I was going to replace my garage door myself, until I priced it out. Glad I paid up instead of DIY. I would NOT have enjoyed DIY. Years ago I would have relished it. With all that in mind, good luck to you. YOU CAN DO IT!!

[The Daring Dufas]

Many of us have busted knuckles from working on things. I like to share the pain. ^_^

TDD

[G. Morgan]

I won't be telling you how to do it, but to source the spring:

Call Larry @ Windsor Door

[phone]

7801 N Shepherd Dr Ste 104, Houston, TX 77088

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

No, I do most of my own repairs and maintenance and no I'm not a motivational speaker.

But I am a physician who-- thanks to the federal government's absurdly low reimbursement schedules and the coming of obamacare-- needs to work a few extra shifts to make enough money to make required payments on med school loans. Most hospitals are always looking for game guys to staff their ERs-- so it's easy to pick up a few extra well-paying shifts per month.

I can't tell you how many serious injuries I've seen, set, surgeried, sewn up, twice amputated...and once pulled the sheet up over the face of a self-styled garage door installer with the spring installation instructions still crumpled up in his back pocket....

But hey big guy, knock yourself out!

[Danny D.]

That's a great hint!

A count of coils seems to indicate a 0.2375 inch wire gauge: But, notice the last count seems oddly off (due to twist?) Large:

The twist lines are faded, but I count 9 of them, in toto for the 7 foot tall by 8 foot wide steel door, as shown below: Large: Do you also count 9? (The last one is hard to tell.)

[Danny D.]

Wow. What another novella!

I'm sure he covered EVERYTHING in there!

I could use it if/when I plaster 'my' pool - but for now, I'll stick with the garage door spring.

BTW, it's funny that the count for 10, 20, 30 coils was consistent, but then, on 40 coils, the count went bad.

I'm not sure why - maybe the angle of spring twist is taking effect?

[Danny D.]

I think it might be due to the angle of the spring, when, all of a sudden, it moved over by one.

That's probably why they specify 10 turns or 20 but not more than that.

[Meanie]

...and those who can't, yet try and fail are the ones who provide you with job security. Those of us big guys who can, will knock ourselves out and succeed, yet don't provide you with the burden. You choose that profession, you don't like it, get out and become a lawyer.

[Meanie]

I know you said you had one spring, but for some reason I was still thinking two and one was broken.

Since that one spring is broken, the count could be less due to the retraction of the spring after it broke. Though, it's a good starting point to know about where it should be, the best option is to set tension and check the balance of the door. This may require a few times of resetting but it's best to ensure a balanced door.

Good luck. Let us know how everything works out.

[Danny D.]

I was wondering about that!

A assume that, say, there are 7 twists, when the spring breaks, it can sprong over to, say 9.