I installed a new opener system a few months ago on my standard double-wide garage door and one of the 2 torsion springs broke yesterday. Can I DIY it? Lowe's/Neighbor/SWMBO all think I will kill myself.
I installed a new opener system a few months ago on my standard double-wide garage door and one of the 2 torsion springs broke yesterday. Can I DIY it? Lowe's/Neighbor/SWMBO all think I will kill myself.
Yes but it is dangerous. I did my own.
Lots of tutorials here:
http://ddmgaragedoors.com/index.php
I've done several. It's very dangerous if the spring tension lets go. I saw a half inch metal rod, the ones that you use to tighten the spring, pretzeled and imbedded most the way into the 2x12 header because someone hands slipped. If any part of your body was in the way of it serious damage would ensue
Is it the captured kind that has the shaft through it or the old school kind with the gangly coil spring that snaps and kills people? If its the later, get a new door.
The shaft one, get two short steel rods about 10 in in length. A stub of rebar will work. Insert one into one of the holes on the end "wheel." Pull down. Once the next hole is available, insert the next rod and relax the tension, allowing the rod to back up and rest agonist the header. repete until you've achieved the tension you need to operate the door.
Work with the rebar and wheel off to one side. Never work in the rotational path. If it spins, you can easily break your hand or face. Get a helper.
It is very dangerous. You've been warned.
Far more people die annually from electrocution than garage doors- we all seem to like electricity. 
Electricity - I can always turn off the breaker. I can't turn off the spring.
You may be perfectly fine. You may not. My grandfather had first-hand (cough) experience when a garage door spring rearranged his hand. I'm fine with "paying the man."
Hardest part may be finding where to get the springs from locally. Lowes/HD etc wont carry them, you'll have to find a garage door shop to sell you one or buy online. You'll need to measure the diameter of the wire as well as the relaxed spring length.
If one side broke you'll need to replace both sides. Also, depending on the spring hat style you may end up needing new ones (garage door shop will tell you).
Rebar works, but I went with 1/2 steel rod from Lowes cut in half to wind it. When fitting the winding rod (rebar or steel rod) I suggest putting it in all the way and then marking it with electrical tape so you know its in all the way each time you wind it (you dont want to find that you are only halfway in and see it slip).
They actually sell the rods specifically for this. They are cheap. Buy those.
I've done 8 doors so far. Take it slow, keep your body off to the side, always think about what way the tension is pushing the rods, and remember YOUR HANDS NEVER touch the hub. Stage all your tools before hand.
Parts are available at Menard's. Now you can take all the danger out and buy easy set springs that use a cordless drill to do the winding. They are only a bit more than the rod set kind and completely not dangerous.
I installed my garage doors by myself and it wasn't that big a deal, just be careful. Having said that, when one of the springs finally snapped years later I called a garage door repair company - partly because it was below 0F at the time, but the cost was surprisingly reasonable and the repair guy had the job done in a fraction of the time it would have taken me.
By the way, if your door has two springs replace them both - even if just one broke, the other has been through the same number of cycles and is probably on its last legs as well.
Appleseed said it best, there are some good utube vids on it all too.
It is certainly diy, there are plenty of people that won't change the oil in their cars because of the squish risk... Just because something can kill you doesnt mean there isnt a safe practical way to do whatever
No ones said it yet, but if you cant duct it, fuc.k it
SVreX wrote: Far more people die annually from electrocution than garage doors- we all seem to like electricity.
It's everywhere. I love it, familiar yet deadly.
I'm all for safety, make sure you always stay to the side, but compared to racing, skiing, climbing and jumping out of aeroplanes I consider in just as safe as those activities. I've done two and still have all limbs and digits accounted for and in the correct location. This is assuming we are talking about the type with a rod through the middle. If it's the free type then pay to replace the whole thing.
You'll need to know the weight of your door. Then find the appropriate spring on the chart at Menards, as nocones said.
Everything on here is mostly true. Get a quote on having it done, sometimes you'll be surprised how reasonable prices are.
If not, I say buy real winding rods, dont make them.
If you do make them, make them about 18" long. I think I saw 10" above, that's too short. Leverage is your friend.
This was one of the few times where I where I paid the man to do it for me.
Replacement torision spring with 5 year warranty, annual garage door service, and new nylon rollers cost me ~$700. Not cheap, but I originally had the cheap Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster that was installed by my builder. I elected to have a heavier duty torsion spring installed that could be easily serviced by anybody.
I couldn't find them anywhere locally when mine broke and after hearing the horror stories I just paid the man
I want to say that I paid like $65 to have one spring replaced. While he was here he was like, For $120 I can replace both.
Sold.
Holy necrothread revival. 7.5 years!
bobzilla said:Holy necrothread revival. 7.5 years!
I wonder how he made out with the spring?
I've done this more than a few times on overhead industrial doors, 20'+ in the air in a genie boom. Sometimes by myself
Had one done right about a month ago. I had left for work and popped when wife went to move van and kids out. I think it was $200 for same day fix.
Peabody said:bobzilla said:Holy necrothread revival. 7.5 years!
I wonder how he made out with the spring?
I've done this more than a few times on overhead industrial doors, 20'+ in the air in a genie boom. Sometimes by myself
That would be a bucket load of NOPE for me. Heights kills me. We had one of ours pop last spring. They were 18 years old. Had the local garage door place come out, replace those and the door seals at the same time. Just easier and done right. I've done them before, and they kinda suck.
I did my own high lift using parts from ddm linked above and it turned out great. For a fix though it's hard to beat a local pro.
I have installed a few new lightweight garage doors with no problems. When my HEAVY 70 year old 16' wood w/ glass windows door spring broke, I called the pros and never felt guilty about it.
You'll need to log in to post.
