How to Replace your Garage Door Springs
Monday August 10, 2015
Two garage door issues that most often require a professional contactor are spring and
cable replacement. Garage door springs springs and safety cables are under a great amount of pressure. If
one should suddenly break or snap, it could cause structural damage to your home or vehicle as
well as cause bodily injury. It is best for those with no experience to hire a garage door expert to
complete this project.
Ensure that you have the proper tools and materials before attempting to replace your
garage door springs. This not only includes new springs and tools for the task, but safety
equipment. Be sure to carefully read the owner’s manual to determine which tools, materials,
and safety equipment is necessary. Strictly follow all of the precautionary information in the
manual.
Required Tools:
- Ladder
- Sockets and Ratchet 3/8"; 7/16"; 1/2"; 9/16"
- Locking Pliers
- File
- C-Clamps
- Gloves
- Winding Bars
- Safety Glasses
one
Disconnect both the power and the opener from the garage door before beginning. Place
a C-clamp above the roller on the track while the garage door is locked. Remove cable drums
and cables. Use a ladder to loosen set screws located on the cable drum. Slip the cable drum.
from the head plate after removing the cable drum. Continue this for the next cable drum. To.
ease removal and installation, slightly file the shaft.
two:
Remove the defective torsion spring. Put the ladder at the center of the door, where the
door’s spring is attached to its center bearing plate. Detach the bolt from its plate. Place the
ladder on the side which has the broken spring and slip the shaft out from the head plate. Slip
the cable drum out from the shaft. Slide the spring downward and remove its shaft. Support the
shaft by sliding the shaft back inside the head plate.
Three:
Examine the whole cable while wearing gloves and replace, if necessary. Slip the new
spring on the shaft. Replace the cable drum on the shaft. Return the shaft to the inside of the
head plate bearing. It is not yet time to retighten the screws.
Four:
Put the ladder back in the center of the garage door and re-bolt the spring in the center
plate bearing.
Five:
Set the cables by facing the door with the cable drum on your left insert the cable in the
hole of the drum. Ensure the cable is set properly in the cable drum. Move the cable drum to its
bearing plate and tighten by turning in a counterclockwise direction. The cable should be in the
cable drum’s first groove. Set screws should be tightened next. Never overtighten these. Lock
pliers onto the shaft alongside the header. Be sure to hold the cable tight while doing this. Your
cable drum should now be set.
Move the ladder to the other side. Repeat all of these steps including using caution not
to over tighten set screws.
Seven:
Place the ladder so your body is not directly in front of the winding cone. Insert your
winding bar in the opening of the winding cone. Be sure the winding bar is inside all the way to
full depth. Consult the owner’s manual for the correct number of turns your torsion spring will
need to be wound. Only tighten/wind ¼ turn at a time and do not over wind springs.
Eight:
You need to test the set screws prior to removing the final winding bar. To make sure the
set screws are securing the winding cone in place on the shaft, pull down a little on the winding
bar. Tighten set screws a bit more, if the cone turns on its shaft. Once the winding cone is firmly
secure, remove your winding bar. Remove the pliers from the garage door shaft.
Take clamp of off the track and unlock the door while holding one foot steady on the
garage door. Hold the lift handle and raise your garage door. Open and close your garage door
completely. It may be necessary to add or subtract spring tension, only ¼ of a turn at a time, to
adjust for any operational balance issues.
For a single spring garage door clamp the shaft.
If your door will not remain on the floor or is difficult to lower, reduce the spring tension.
If it will not remain completely open or is difficult to raise, increase the spring tension.
Reconnect the garage door opener and plug it back into its power source. Test the
system.
Final Caution Note: Once again, garage door springs and safety cables present a high level of
danger. Call Garage Door Repair of Dallas, Texas and we will come out and replace your
broken springs or safety cables. We are expert at correcting all garage door issues.