garage door spring

[Russianwolf]

Okay, Mine went Sproing, so I think I need a new one or two. So how do I go about replacing these things.

I've heard they can be very dangerous if you are not careful in removing them (as in they have a LOT of pent up energy just waiting for the careless fool).

Removal of the one should be safe. It isn't tentioned anymore. The other I'll have to figure out before I'll even attempt. These are long 4" diameter springs that are laid out horizontally above the garage door. They tension a pully on either side that has a cable attached to the door itself.

How do I safely remove this one, and what do I replace it with?

This is a double wide door so not having the springs is not an option. Disconnected from the opener I can't lift the door with the one good spring. The opener has to be helped and my wife can't.

[Warren]

Having had one of my men severely bit by a spring he was trying to replace; my advice would be, have a professional do it. A big hunk of meat and muscle was removed from my man's upper arm in the blink of an eye. It took a couple months healing and rehab before he could return to his patrol duties.

[Black wallnut]

Normally I believe that homeowners are capable doing their own repairs. The captive energy stored up in overhead door springs is so great and incedence of injury so high that I'd think twice before doing this type of repair my self. The job requires properly sized tools and more than a healthy amount of respect along with very careful work to never allow any body part in the way of the tool that is holding back the energy. I've heard of several people who have lost fingers and other parts of hands just by the wrench that they used to loosen the square head bolt that lock the spring in place. These were about evenly split between first hand (or partial handed) accounts or third person accounts! That said it can and has been done safely and I do know of some that have done it. Requires a thorough understanding of the mechanics of spring energy and a very large dose of common sense and careful methodical implementation of proceedure. One little slip and you could be paddling your canoe with only one arm for the rest of your life.

[sparkeyjames]

There is a company that make a spring tensioning device that you tension the spring with a drill motor or cordless drill. Try searching for that. I have seen it but do not remember the companies name. I however did find this very long winded description with pics for replacing your garage door springs..... http://www.truetex.com/garage.htm


Have at it and be careful.

[Tom Miller]

Oooo, oooo, oooo, I know this one! I am now an expert 'cuz I just had my springs replaced exactly one week ago. (I found one was broken last Sunday when I needed to go get a replacement dehumidifier -- a Father's Day which will live in infamy, but that's another story...)

Anyhoo, I had also heard enough horror stories that I paid to have both replaced. It was $169 total for both, including labor. I think parts could easily have been half of that, and I got same-day service. As usual, the guy does the job fast enough that you think you paid through the nose, but there's enough know-how (and danger), that you really get what you paid for, IMO.

If you still want to do it yourself, I can give you a few tips that I learned from watching the guy. Let me know.

Regards,
Tom

[Hellrazor]

I install/repair my own garage doors. Its only dangerous if you don't pay attention to what you are doing. Do the work on the springs with the door UP so the tension is off of them. Use vicegrips or a C clamp in the track to hold the door in place while you are working on it. If you don't feel comfortable working in it, call a pro.

[Uncle Cracker]

That's good advice, Tom. The horror stories are true. There is a tremendous amount of energy stored in those springs, and people have been seriously injured and even killed. Also, you have to put all that energy back into those new springs (which are a real bear), and then adjust it so that the door goes up and down with just the right amount of help. You can easily burn out an opener if you make it too tough. Considering what you'll spend anyway on parts, for just a little more you can get a pro to do it. It's money well spent, and it comes with a warranty. This is a job akin to replacing coilover struts in a car. With the wrong tools and no experience, you could end up with a facefull of trouble.

[Russianwolf]

\ This is a job akin to replacing coilover struts in a car. With the wrong tools and no experience, you could end up with a facefull of trouble.

Where's the car, I'll do all four, no problem.

LOML is going to canvas repairmen tomorrow. I can get the door up and down if I help the opener so it's not critical.

[Russianwolf]

I install/repair my own garage doors. Its only dangerous if you don't pay attention to what you are doing. Do the work on the springs with the door UP so the tension is off of them. Use vicegrips or a C clamp in the track to hold the door in place while you are working on it. If you don't feel comfortable working in it, call a pro.

these are directly above the door. across the top of the door opening, so access with the door open is about 6 inches.

I'm calling the pros.

[eezlock]

garage door spring

Mike, you said that spring runs horizontally across the the top of the door?
That is a torsion spring, if you have never attemped to work on one of those types before...my advice is to let the door professionals do it. They know how to properly install a new one and wind the tension on the spring without
getting anyone hurt. eezlock

[Uncle Cracker]

Where's the car, I'll do all four, no problem.

You probably have done it before and have the right tools. My cousin's next door neighbor has a dent the size of a silver dollar in his forehead from a strut job gone bad. Every time I look at him it makes me clinch.

Glad to hear you're going with a pro on the door spring. You just don't save enough by doing it yourself. And if you've not lifted a double door without the springs, you'd be in for a real treat.

[scorrpio]

Not only one of those springs can do you in when taking it out, a minor slip when installing the new one can send it (and the tool you using) in various indesirable directions. Oh, and you need to tension both springs exactly the same amount, or your door will rack and bind. Now, were it a door with stretch springs to the sides, I'd say go for it - but with torsion, no way.

[Tom Miller]

...And if you've not lifted a double door without the springs, you'd be in for a real treat.

Now I remember why I've been walking crooked for a week!

...Now, were it a door with stretch springs to the sides, I'd say go for it...

According to the guy who replaced my door springs, it's the linear ones that put more folks in the hospital (or 6' under). Not sure if that's true....

Regards,
Tom

[ctxman]

Certainly it can be dangerous, but no more than running your tablesaw. You gotta use your head and think safely as you work. I've done mine a couple times. It's a very simple job and the force on spring as you untension it is not that much that any grown man couldn't handle. Winding it up doesn't take that much muscle either. Here is a link that explains it all. I followed his instructions, including links to buy the springs and it was easy. AFter reading, you can decide if you feel comfortable or not doing it yourself.

John

http://truetex.com/garage.htm