Can you imagine a situation in which you could not open your garage door one fine morning? Your car won’t back out, so you’re late for work. Now, you may think, ” Is it possible to repair the spring on my garage door?”
The garage door is more commonly used than the front door. Your garage door opens and closes several times daily as your house’s primary entrance and exit. Even so, it makes sense that you overlook its significance in your day-to-day activities.
Like many other large appliances, your garage door system depends on various interconnected parts that must all function together to achieve the same goal: safe, effective, and smooth operation. Garage door springs are critical to the safe and easy opening of your garage door, so you should repair them immediately.
This guide shows you how to repair a damaged or broken garage door spring.
Step-By-Step Process to Repair a Garage Door Spring
You might have a broken spring if your garage door won’t open. Thankfully, spring replacement is simple and affordable. Your garage door’s automatic opening system relies on springs for smooth opening and closing. Even though these springs are strong, they may rust, corrode, or even break over time, necessitating their replacement before you can open the garage door safely.
Replace garage door springs with these tips and price breakdowns for a lower cost!
1. Clamp the door to track
Secure the track with a locking pair of pliers or a C-clamp just above one of the rollers. Winding the new springs during an overhead garage door repair will stop the door from shooting up and breaking your nose. Pull the cord to turn off the garage door opener and unplug it before starting any repairs to the garage door springs.
2. Loosen unbroken spring
Place a winding bar in the bottom hole of the spring’s winding cone. While releasing the two set screws, keep the bar steady. Hold tight; as the screws release, the spring will push with strong torque.
3. Unwind the unbroken spring
At the 9:00 position, insert the second winding bar inside the hole. If you remove the bottom bar and unwind the spring a quarter turn at a time, you can skip over the winding bars.
4. Disconnect springs from the center bracket
Take out the two nuts and bolts that hold the stationary spring cones to the center bracket. Slide the springs towards the end frames.
5. Secure the torsion tube
The torsion tube should be secured in the center bracket using a C-clamp or a pair of locking pliers. Afterward, loosen the screws on the left and right lift cable drum sets.
6. Remove the old spring
To remove the cable drum, slide the torsion tube to the right starting on the left side of the door. After that, remove the old spring from the tube.
7. Get replacement parts
Before getting the replacement parts, you need to measure the wire diameter. First, grab a tape measure, place the hook in the space between two spring coils, and measure the length of 20 coils. Next, measure the length of 40 coils. Decimalized the measurements (for example, 4-1/8 to 4.125 or 4-1/2 in. to 4.5 in.). To find the spring’s wire diameter, multiply the two measurements by 20 and 40, respectively. Here’s a good example: Wire diameters of.225 inches equals 4.50 divided by 20 and 9.0 divided by 40, respectively. You have correctly measured if the two results line up.
It is important to determine which hand the spring is in. Look at the end of each spring to determine which direction the wind is blowing or its “hand.” It is a right-hand wind if the spring’s end is pointing upward. It is a left-hand wind if the endpoints are left. There is always a left- and a right-hand spring on doors with two springs.
8. Install left spring
With the stationary cone facing the center bracket, slide the replacement torsion spring onto the tube. After that, reconnect the garage door wire to the cable drum. Reinstall the torsion bar in the bearing bracket on the left side.
9. Install a new center bearing
Slide on the center bearing after pushing the torsion bar to the left. Push the bearing into the stationary cone after installing the appropriate spring. Place the drum back in place. Connect the center bracket to the two stationary cones.
10. Replace bottom brackets, rollers, and replace cables
In the new bottom bracket, snap the lift cable loop over the pin. Put the new roller in. Replace the old bottom brackets and cables next.
11. Thread the cables
Run the wire for the garage door or lift straight up between the doorjamb and the rollers. Insert the lift cable stop into the drum’s slot.
12. Tighten the drums
To lock the torsion tube in place while tightening the drums:
- Attach locking pliers to the torsion tube.
- Make sure the cable is wound into the grooves of the drum.
- Before turning the set screws tight, pull the cable as tightly as you can.
- After removing the locking pliers, tighten the other side again.
Equal tension on both sides is what you want. The door would open unevenly otherwise.
13. Wind the garage door tension springs
Wind toward the ceiling by inserting a winding bar into the cone. Turn the spring slowly as you leapfrog over the winding bars. Following the recommendations of the spring supplier is the best choice for the total number of turns. If you didn’t receive a recommendation, turn a 7-foot-tall door 30 quarter turns and an 8-foot-tall door 36 quarter turns.
14. Stretch the springs
Upon fully winding the spring, before tightening the set screws:
- Tap the winding bar to extend the spring about 1/4 inch from the center.
- When the set screws come into contact with the torsion tube, turn them.
- Turn the screws one-half to three-quarters of a turn tighter. A tightened screw may pierce or distort the torsion tube.
15. Lubricate springs
Slide a piece of cardboard or a bag of paper groceries between the spring and the wall. After that, spray the garage door lube on the spring thoroughly. Wipe away any extra.
16. Test the garage door spring
Finally, lift the door about three feet with your hands after removing the clamps and pliers from the torsion tube and track. When you let go of the door, it should stay in place as long as the springs are in the right place. If you let go and the door falls, give a quarter turn extra each spring. If necessary, repeat the process to check again. If the door keeps opening on its own, release the spring tension in quarter-turn steps. Next, re-attach the opener.
Can you Repair a Broken Garage Door Spring by Yourself?
Extension and torsion springs are the two types of door springs to open garage doors. Torsion springs are essential in ensuring the door is functional, despite appearing to be a minor component of a garage door system.
You shouldn’t try to fix either kind of spring on your own. A broken garage door spring is similar to a projectile in that it is extremely tense and, if handled improperly, can result in serious harm or even death. Therefore, hiring a team of professionals like AAA Garage Door Services to fix damaged springs is best to resolve your damaged springs.
List of Tools Needed to Repair Garage Door Spring
Here is a list of all the tools you will need to repair a garage door spring.
- Adjustable wrench
- Clamps
- Cordless drill
- Hammer
- Leather gloves
- Locking pliers
- Rags
- Safety glasses
- Socket/ratchet set
- winding bars
- Wrench set
List of Materials Needed to Repair a Garage Door Spring
Given below is a list of all the common materials needed to repair a garage door spring.
- Bottom brackets
- Double-life torsion springs
- Lift cables
What Does a Garage Door Spring Do?
The garage door spring is the component of your door with the greatest lifting capacity. Along with the roller pulleys and garage door opener arm, it hangs inside the tracks and resembles a large metal coil. If you were to open it up, you would see one or two springs attached to each side of the garage door.
In addition to the shafts and the immovable metal objects around the springs, metal makes up this device. Even though your garage door is heavy, it still opens and closes smoothly due to the tension provided by this spring system.
Cost of Garage Door Springs by Spring Type
Torsion and extension springs are the two most popular varieties of garage door springs. Extension springs typically last only seven to twelve years but are less expensive. Torsion springs are more durable and last eight to fifteen years but they are more expensive. A garage door usually requires replacing two springs at once. A set of springs will cost you the following:
Extension Spring Replacement
Material Cost: $30-$90
Materials and Installation: $150-$200
Torsion Spring Replacement
Material Cost: $60-$200
Materials and Installation: $200-$350
How to Find the Right Garage Door Spring for Replacement and Repair
Remember that to balance the door and keep your spring in good condition, whether you have an extension or torsion garage door springs, the spring weight must match the door’s weight. Determining the type of springs required for a replacement is relatively simple.
If your springs extend above the garage door’s opening, you will require a torsion system. And if the springs are on either side of the garage door opening, you will need extension springs.
Referring to the manufacturer’s manual included with the door is the best way to decide which springs to replace a broken garage door spring.
It must specify the precise dimensions and requirements for matching springs. If you need help finding the manual, get the details directly from the manufacturer. If one spring breaks, you should replace all of them because it is likely that the other springs are near their end of life.
In case of questions, you can call us!
Call a Professional to Replace and Repair Garage Door Springs
You need expert assistance if your springs completely fail or if they still make noise after being lubricated.
Think about it this way: springs lift the entire 500-pound weight of a garage door. There is considerable tension and strength in those springs, which indicates that they are very strong. If you make the wrong move, the spring could whip toward your body, inflicting serious or fatal injuries. You don’t want to take this chance.
In this situation, you should contact a professional who will:
- Have the tools to measure the spring and cut it to the proper size.
- Have the necessary equipment for an appropriate installation of spring tension.
- Make sure the installation of springs is safe to prevent accidents.
- Keep every possible expert way to maintain the balance of the door.
- Ensure that torsion springs are wound properly to prevent problems.
Conclusion
Planning for the cost of repairing your garage door can be difficult because malfunctioning parts can pose a safety risk, necessitating immediate repairs. Replacement of the entire door will increase the cost. It is best to hire a professional to fix your garage door if you are still determining your ability.
We at AAA Garage Door Services know your garage’s significance as a front door to your house. Our highly qualified professionals can help you with installation or repair requirements, ensuring your door operates properly and safely. We promise top-notch work and quick responses at affordable costs. We also provide comprehensive garage door repairs ranging from garage door installation to replacement, and custom garage door services.
We also offer follow-up services to satisfy you completely with our work. You can rely on us to take good care of your garage door. Learn how to install safety cables on garage door springs with our experts too.
