Garage Door Tension Spring Broke

[BlueSky]

My home is now 28 years old.  The coiled up tension springs that assist in raising the 16' garage door were replaced 9 years ago when one broke.  Now one of those broke yesterday on a Saturday.  I was away working and my son got a repair guy out to replace the springs the first time.  So, I've been looking into new springs and replacement procedure.  Turns out you need to know the length, spring wire diameter, and the ID of the spring to know what replacement springs to buy.  And it appears that the springs are in short supply like a lot of things these days.  Lowes and Home Depot sells them but are out of stock.  I suppose I'll call around to the repair businesses to see if I can find some locally tomorrow.  The wife ain't happy she has to leave her car outside now....

[SpencerPJ]

Be careful, those springs are nasty.  And be carful lifting your door, I have a bad shoulder from lifting a door with a bad spring. I upgraded my old wooden door for modern insulated aluminum.  Wow what a difference, door is way lighter and springs are different, they are inside a tube, and very easy to replace.

[saddlebum]

2 hours ago, BlueSky said:

My home is now 28 years old.  The coiled up tension springs that assist in raising the 16' garage door were replaced 9 years ago when one broke.  Now one of those broke yesterday on a Saturday.  I was away working and my son got a repair guy out to replace the springs the first time.  So, I've been looking into new springs and replacement procedure.  Turns out you need to know the length, spring wire diameter, and the ID of the spring to know what replacement springs to buy.  And it appears that the springs are in short supply like a lot of things these days.  Lowes and Home Depot sells them but are out of stock.  I suppose I'll call around to the repair businesses to see if I can find some locally tomorrow.  The wife ain't happy she has to leave her car outside now....

 Assuming your talking about the type of coil spring that runs horizontal along the header and requires twisting to increase tension and not the stretch type springs which sit vertical at the each side of the door and unless you have an extra high door instead of the average 6'6" to 7' door some of the places that supply parts to the truck and trailer industry may have a spring that will suit your needs. The springs used for the box roll up doors are much the same you just need to match one up with your old spring. Though inside diameter and wire diameter are important because of the hubs at each end there is some room to play with the spring length as long as it fits it just changes the number twists you need to put into the spring to get the right tension, keeping in mind if the spring is much too short you may not get enough twists to cover the travel distance of the door although most garage doors travel about the same distance as a trailer door give or take a tad.

Edited August 22, 2021 by saddlebum

[BlueSky]

1 hour ago, SpencerPJ said:

Be careful, those springs are nasty.  And be carful lifting your door, I have a bad shoulder from lifting a door with a bad spring. I upgraded my old wooden door for modern insulated aluminum.  Wow what a difference, door is way lighter and springs are different, they are inside a tube, and very easy to replace.

I have a metal door.  I have always assumed it was painted aluminum but it's heavy.  I can get it open by pulling up hard on the broken spring side while using the power door opener.  Yeah, I have a problem with my right shoulder from pulling on a pull handle loosening the lug nuts on my truck.  I actually pulled my arm out of the shoulder socket.  It popped back in by itself and I never went to a doctor.  That was about 10 years ago and it pops when I rotate it and arthritis is taking over but so far I can still use it fully.  

[BlueSky]

33 minutes ago, saddlebum said:

 Assuming your talking about the type of coil spring that runs horizontal along the header and requires twisting to increase tension and not the stretch type springs which sit vertical at the each side of the door and unless you have an extra high door instead of the average 6'6" to 7' door some of the places that supply parts to the truck and trailer industry may have a spring that will suit your needs. The springs used for the box roll up doors are much the same you just need to match one up with your old spring. Though inside diameter and wire diameter are important because of the hubs at each end there is some room to play with the spring length as long as it fits it just changes the number twists you need to put into the spring to get the right tension, keeping in mind if the spring is much too short you may not get enough twists to cover the travel distance of the door although most garage doors travel about the same distance as a trailer door give or take a tad.

Yep, they are the ones on a rod across the top of the door.  I watched a great youtube video that shows in great detail how to replace those springs.  It looks like I can replace them with the proper tool, the two rods used to twist the springs but it is a bit involved and could be dangerous when the springs are twisted 7 1/2 revolutions.  I shall see what the door companies charge to replace them before deciding to do it myself.  I used to fix everything no matter what but I'm getting lazier in my old age of 77.  

[Marcarl]

28 minutes ago, BlueSky said:

Yep, they are the ones on a rod across the top of the door.  I watched a great youtube video that shows in great detail how to replace those springs.  It looks like I can replace them with the proper tool, the two rods used to twist the springs but it is a bit involved and could be dangerous when the springs are twisted 7 1/2 revolutions.  I shall see what the door companies charge to replace them before deciding to do it myself.  I used to fix everything no matter what but I'm getting lazier in my old age of 77.  

If you do decide to change them yourself, make absolutely sure that when you start to wind the springs that: #1, the winding bars are heavy enough to do the job, #2, you place yourself on the spring side of the hub (the spring will get shorter as you wind and you don't want to be in line of the hub). If a winding bar comes out of the setup, it will be a bullet and the spring will lengthen like a shot.

[RDawson]

Be very careful those things can hurt you quick. As for the shortage we have a $3 million fire station that’s been waiting 3 weeks to open because of no door springs. 

[SpencerPJ]

Highly encourage you to leave it to the pros.  I have 2 nice 24" 1/2" ss rods I'd be happy to loan ya, but I can not stress how easily things can go wrong. 

[djh3]

I looked for over a week last time mine broke. Here in Fla I couldnt get anyone to sell me the springs. I have worked on the Todco doors on trucks when I worked @ U Haul and in some shops since. The paratroop doors on the aircraft I worked on had a similar system although it was a coil spring counter wound. Same principal. I hate to spend money on something I can do but those springs can kill you. When mine break, the door opener wont lift the door. With only one spring assist it just dont have enough. I disconnect the opener and go manual. Bad thing there is no way to lock if your going out. 

[saddlebum]

7 hours ago, djh3 said:

 Bad thing there is no way to lock if your going out. 

Drill or find a hole just above one of the rollers in the track and slip in a nut and bolt or even a bicycle lock. On my door I made a toggle 8" long out of a piece of 2x4 and drilled a hole in one end. Then lag bolted it to the header above the door just tighten enough to stay up when I swing it up out of the way. When it hangs down it jambs against the top of the door so the door cannot be opened.

[BlueSky]

I can open the door by hitting the switch and lifting up on the side that has the broken spring to help the electric door opener.  If you leave it connected the door cannot be opened from the outside.  

[BlueSky]

I called around this morning and found one company who could come out today and replace the springs.  Soo, the springs are replaced and the door works again.  Like I said I'm getting old and lazier so I paid for the installation.  One curious thing though, instead of the old 22" , 2" Id, .207 wire diameter springs, he used 32" smaller springs.  There is no way I could know what springs could be substituted and how tight to wind the different springs.   The door works great so I'm happy and my wife will be very happy to not have to park her car outside tonight.  

[saddlebum]

[SpencerPJ]

2 hours ago, BlueSky said:

There is no way I could know what springs could be substituted and how tight to wind the different springs.   

That's why you paid the big bucks   Glad all is fixed, that was quick!

[larrydr]

I have working on garage and shop door springs since 1974 and became a government approved repair and installer in 1986  ...I can tell you when you work with torsion springs DO NOT BE IN A HURRY  ..take your time ......any easy way of finding the wire size is .....Count 20 turns of the spring , measure the distance  of the 20 turns ...Then divide the 20 into the distance of the 20 turns ...There should be a number on the winding cone you can cross to the size...Or you can measure the ID of the inside of the spring with a slide caliper ..IE.. 4.85 divided by 20 = .24225 wire size often we use .243 ..Most torsion springs on a 7 foot or 8 foot high door have a 2 inch ID ...Numbers turns to wind is cable size x 3.14 will give you the distance around the pulley ..A 4 inch pulley will measure 12 inches a round ..On s 7 foot high door you will need to wind the torsion spring 7 turns ..A 8 foot high door you need to wind the the torsion spring 8 turns .... On larger or higher doors the spring calculation works on the math 3.14 time cable pulley diameter 

[dueyk1111]

one other thing they don't tell you is to lubricate those springs with wd silicone spray twice a year! makes um last longer and not have to work so hard. just spray across the outside of the spring and  you can also use the same stuff to lube thhe rollers.  😉

[saddlebum]

20 minutes ago, dueyk1111 said:

one other thing they don't tell you is to lubricate those springs with wd silicone spray twice a year! makes um last longer and not have to work so hard. just spray across the outside of the spring and  you can also use the same stuff to lube thhe rollers.  😉

Big fan of fluid film myself for this purpose. after the penetrating portion of fluid film has done its job fluid film leaves a thicker lubricating film plus it continues to creep. But each to their own.

 

[BlueSky]

The installer sprayed the springs with WD40 and the hinges.

[SpencerPJ]

The actually make a garage door lube that I use, lube

Actually makes the door and hinges quiet as a mouse

[BlueSky]

I use engine oil.

[saddlebum]

2 hours ago, BlueSky said:

I use engine oil.

So your one of the one's who is  buying @Marcarl's old engine oils. I knew he was saving his drained oil for something.

[BlueSky]

My Dad used dirty engine oil for lubing his chain saw chain.  And he mixed it with kerosene and "painted" the sills and joists under the house to discourage termites.  Hey, we were poor.  And no, the house did not burn down.  One of my nieces is living in it now.  My Dad with the help of his cousins built it in 1950.  

[Marcarl]

11 hours ago, saddlebum said:

So your one of the one's who is  buying @Marcarl's old engine oils. I knew he was saving his drained oil for something.

HEY!! I got some forsale, even comes with a guarantee!!

[saddlebum]

23 hours ago, Marcarl said:

HEY!! I got some forsale, even comes with a guarantee!!

Yup !  He guarantees it to be dirty.

[larrydr]

On 8/28/2021 at 8:34 AM, BlueSky said:

My Dad used dirty engine oil for lubing his chain saw chain.  And he mixed it with kerosene and "painted" the sills and joists under the house to discourage termites.  Hey, we were poor.  And no, the house did not burn down.  One of my nieces is living in it now.  My Dad with the help of his cousins built it in 1950.  

It need  not always have to have a big time name attached to it , some little things do a lot .