Replacing my garage door torsion spring

[slag]

On the way home from work last night, my 15 year old texts me and tells me the garage door wont close. I drive an explorer so it reads the text to me -- I don't text and drive. At any rate, I tell him to pull the cord (manual release) on the chain track area to see if the door will close, and it slams down and closed fine.. well crap, its not supposed to close so heavily -- I should have thought of that.

Get home and find out the torsion spring on the right side of the door, looking out to the driveway, is broken. It's marked with white paint, about 29.5 inches long, give or take 1/2 inch, and i believe is a 2 inch diameter. Wire size of the spring is 0.218 inches. Is it the correct spring for this door? I don't know. It's an insulated steel door, so.. maybe? The house was built in 2006-2007 I think, so its about 10 years old.

I want to replace both of them this weekend but it doesn't appear to be a commonly carried size. I found a chart online at http://ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/s...fg=&model=&dimensions=&num=&struts=&windows=0 that shows other springs that will work, but I guess the first step is measuring the door weight. Problem is, I don't own an analog scale. Hoping the digital one will work well enough to measure the door weight. I'm going to guess its around 160 lbs, give or take a few.

Looks like a good cross reference would be http://www.menards.com/main/doors-w...433957201-c-7577.htm?tid=-6064933042617732376 both a left and a right. I'd rather go with a larger wire size so it has more cycles, but I'd also like to get it replaced this weekend so I have full use of the garage again.

 

[Raizinman]

I think you are over complicating this. I checked Lowes and they have White Color Code garage door spring for $18.98 with safety cable. Theirs measures 27.95 inches, so not sure how you are measuring your spring, not to mention there might be some added length to your spring being 10 years old. Their item number is 586746. If your springs lasted 10 years, you got their full life. Just purchase new springs and move on. Due to safety and liability, garage door manufacturers and installers are very careful to match the springs to the correct door. I would be very cautious to change anything, but go ahead and get out your bathroom scale and weight the door if you want.

 

[slag]

That's not a torsion spring. That's an extension spring with safety cable. Totally different animals.

 

[boomerang]

Have you tried a local GD company? You may pay more but I'll bet they have them in stock and you can be pretty much assured that they will be the correct springs. My wife used to manage a GD company and it was a rare occasion that they had to order springs.

You've got the right idea replacing both. She had many customers that only replaced one stating that the other one was fine despite her trying to convince them that they both had cycled the same number of times and that the second one was not long for this earth. The ones that didn't listen, she got to see them again shortly afterwards. The ones that were really upset were those that paid for a service call plus the one spring the first time and a service call again to install the second spring. Cheaper to do both at the same time.

She was happy to sell customers springs. Chances are your local GD company will be too.

Edit: I wouldn't overthink this. The spring that broke is the correct spring. It did not fail because it was not adequate, it failed because it lasted about as long as they last these days. My wife said winter was the busiest time of year for spring failures.

 

[slag]

Have you tried a local GD company? You may pay more but I'll bet they have them in stock and you can be pretty much assured that they will be the correct springs. My wife used to manage a GD company and it was a rare occasion that they had to order springs.

You've got the right idea replacing both. She had many customers that only replaced one stating that the other one was fine despite her trying to convince them that they both had cycled the same number of times and that the second one was not long for this earth. The ones that didn't listen, she got to see them again shortly afterwards. The ones that were really upset were those that paid for a service call plus the one spring the first time and a service call again to install the second spring. Cheaper to do both at the same time.

She was happy to sell customers springs. Chances are your local GD company will be too.

I'm debating stopping off at a local place tonight on the way home. They close at 5 and its 3:22 where I live now, so I have to book it after work. The "problem" is that I'm super cheap and I can get some that "should work" from menards for about $30 apiece, or go to this place and pick up two for a little over $100.

Maybe I just shouldn't be so cheap..

 

[slag]

Have you tried a local GD company? You may pay more but I'll bet they have them in stock and you can be pretty much assured that they will be the correct springs. My wife used to manage a GD company and it was a rare occasion that they had to order springs.

You've got the right idea replacing both. She had many customers that only replaced one stating that the other one was fine despite her trying to convince them that they both had cycled the same number of times and that the second one was not long for this earth. The ones that didn't listen, she got to see them again shortly afterwards. The ones that were really upset were those that paid for a service call plus the one spring the first time and a service call again to install the second spring. Cheaper to do both at the same time.

She was happy to sell customers springs. Chances are your local GD company will be too.

Edit: I wouldn't overthink this. The spring that broke is the correct spring. It did not fail because it was not adequate, it failed because it lasted about as long as they last these days. My wife said winter was the busiest time of year for spring failures.

Thanks for the info. I'll get the correct one and get it fixed.

 

[slag]

Installed both springs on Saturday and it went off without a hitch. Had to lightly sand the bar so that the old springs would slide off and file down a high area where a set screw pushed up the metal, but all in all, was uneventfull. At least, until I collapsed the little giant ladder onto my toe and split my toenail when I was putting my tools away. Now the door is much easier to lift, not quite neutral but closer than it was, and stays in the up position when you let go. The motor is noticeably quieter also now that its not struggling so hard to open and close the door.

 

[boomerang]

Installed both springs on Saturday and it went off without a hitch. Had to lightly sand the bar so that the old springs would slide off and file down a high area where a set screw pushed up the metal, but all in all, was uneventfull. At least, until I collapsed the little giant ladder onto my toe and split my toenail when I was putting my tools away. Now the door is much easier to lift, not quite neutral but closer than it was, and stays in the up position when you let go. The motor is noticeably quieter also now that its not struggling so hard to open and close the door.

Great news on the door, sorry about the toenail.

 

[NutBucket]

The old flip-flop injury strikes again! Glad to hear the spring install was otherwise uneventful.

 

[colonel]

Do yourself a favor soak the spring with oil, (no the W40 junk) a good oil, usually the dry and break with the heat.

 

[feralkid]

z

 

[slag]

Do yourself a favor soak the spring with oil, (no the W40 junk) a good oil, usually the dry and break with the heat.

Thanks for that info. I didn't have any good oil so I went out and bought some summer essence scented baby oil and liberally applied that to the springs. You're right, it really helped remove some of the tension, and, with the summer essence smell, maybe it will keep the springs loose and jiggly. I gave them a good rub down for about 45 minutes.

While there, I also repacked them with some fresh muffler bearings and clean blinker fluid.

 

[feralkid]

You used summer essence in January?

I sure hope you live in the Southern Hemisphere or those springs will become soft and rubbery.

Most of the pro's here recommend Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer for northern latitudes.