The (non-torsion-type) springs on my garage door have never been replaced since I bought the house about 25 years ago. I'd like to replace them before I'm forced to.
In looking around the net it appears that springs these days are color coded on the ends and that people replace the springs with ones with the same color code. Mine have no color code - maybe the codes didn't come about until more recently, or maybe it's rusted off... so how can I determine the proper springs?
Or perhaps he has a "stanley barry style" 1 peice "up and over" door wiith tension springs on the lever arms. Were VERY common here in Canada up untill about a decade ago when safety regulations pretty well killed them. Still the simplest door operation of any overhead door as far as I'm concerned.
On 21 Sep 2014, Oren wrote in alt.home.repair:
Yes, "extension springs". They do come color coded, with the end loops painted. This site shows some examples. That would make ordering the springs much simpler.
They feature a guide to figuring out the springs. It looks easy enough except I have to weigh my heavy wooden door, which will be difficult. I'll have to borrow a good scale.
Thanks for the pointer to the site. It seems to have the info I need.
On 21 Sep 2014, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote in alt.home.repair:
I found some mention of "Berry" doors, maybe that's what you're referring to. Mine's not like that - it's a common segmented door that rolls directly up then folds back along the garage ceiling. An extension spring on each side. Heavy wood, maybe 5 segments. Probably weighs at least 200 pounds.
Hi, If indeed it is color coded, knowing the weight of the door and dimension may cross reference to matching color. In torsion springs left side and right side has different color(like red and white)
Hi, No bath room scale?
On 21 Sep 2014, Tony Hwang wrote in alt.home.repair:
Yes, but it's digital with a glass top. They recommend an analog scale.
I may try mine anyway.
If you have some means of measuring the diameter of the wire used to make t he coil spring, that along with the number of turns on the coil itself shou ld allow you to get the correct replacement. Good idea to replace after 25 years or more life. When you put in the new springs, I highly recommend t he use of a cable running down the middle of the spring that is tethered to something substantial to prevent the spring pieces from doing serious dama ge if it should break at some time in the future. The internet has lots of views under garage door spring safety.
On Sunday, September 21, 2014 6:15:37 PM UTC-5, snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net wrote :
the coil spring, that along with the number of turns on the coil itself sh ould allow you to get the correct replacement. Good idea to replace after
25 years or more life. When you put in the new springs, I highly recommend the use of a cable running down the middle of the spring that is tethered to something substantial to prevent the spring pieces from doing serious da mage if it should break at some time in the future. The internet has lots of views under garage door spring safety.Good points here...but also measure the diameter of the coil. In my experie nce these springs break at the end loops...I've taken the old loop and run it into the spring and held it with a cable clamp (to keep it from sliding off). It is only a slight overstretch...and I haven't had any come off. (us e at your own discretion)
If it were me, I'd just add a safety cable so that if the spring breaks some day, it won't go flying. What you have may be better than the made in China crap that you're probably going to replace it with.
[snip]
Am I missing something here (not all that unlikely), but I thought we were talking torsion springs... If so, what is the purpose of a safety cable?
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Why? If you want to go thru the exercise to size and have a spare on hand, that's about as far as I'd go.
The car garage doors here were replaced with fiberglass doors (Reynor???) some 40 yr ago and only one of the four has been replaced so far. One or more of the other three may eventually go in my lifetime, but I see no reason to do anything prior to that happening.
Maybe since you don't have a color-coded set go thru the exercise of sizing perhaps, but why replace something that's still functional and may be so for another 20 yr?
I guess you are missing something:
"The (non-torsion-type) springs on my garage door "
"An extension spring on each side."
Mea culpa... I did miss it. Two very similar subject lines for closely related topic. My bad!
On 22 Sep 2014, dpb wrote in alt.home.repair:
I want to put safety cables within the springs. In order to do that, I have to remove the springs, at which point I might as well put new springs on. Seems to me that 25-plus years is a more than reasonable lifespan for such things. Most things I've read say they should last about 10 years or so. Also, my springs look a little stretched out to me.
On 22 Sep 2014, Unquestionably Confused wrote in alt.home.repair:
It was the other thread that made me start thinking about my issue again. Maybe I should have titled my thread more differently than his.
On 22 Sep 2014, trader_4 wrote in alt.home.repair:
I didn't mention it, but my question started when I was looking to install safety cables. I figured that while I was there I might as well do the whole thing.
Do you really think new springs could be significantly worse than the old ones? They're just steel springs. What could go wrong?
Well, the 25 year old ones might have been made in the USA and the new ones might be made in some schlock factory in China, using some cheap crappy steel. It wouldn't be the first thing where I've seen old parts last forever and new parts fail quickly.
Ahh.... Now I see where you're going wrong. You don't need to remove the springs to put safety cables on. The cable just runs up the inside of the spring and the two ends get fastened to the door track and hangers. If it were true that you needed to remove them, then it would make more sense to replace them, because you have them off already.
Seems to me that 25-plus years is a more than reasonable
I agree there is some merit to the replacement strategy too. It's up to you.
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+1 That's making work that doesn't need to be done to address the immediate issue...Agreed on "his choice" but I see no reason to replace until either they don't perform the function because they have lost tension (not likely ime) or when they do finally break.
I've one that broke right at the formed hook, lost no turns so I simply refastened the end. That's been at least 10 yr now, probably a few more than that as it was not too long after we returned to the farm which was in '99/2000 time frame...
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