Are more complicated than I thought...

I thought bigger would be better, but MAN was I wrong!?!

One of the springs broke on the door, so I figured "what the hell, lets get the biggest ones I can find and install those..." Well, got done tensioning them, and when I went to open the door, all hell broke loose. Door FLEW open, and went straight into the opener. -_-

At that point, I figured I may have done something wrong, so I reset everything and tried again. Same result.

Was going to reset and try a third time, but decided to have a look online, and well, found there's more to it than just tossing some big ass springs on there. Found the approximate weight of the door, and have a better idea of what I actually need to order.

Lesson learned! Anyone else ever mess with tension springs on their garage door?

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

yup.my dads old shop had wooden doors 10 and 12 ft.to say those doors were heavy is an understatemnet so those springs had to be wound tight.when they would break it would shake the whole building.just how are you adjusting them.i read somewhere that you adjust them so they hold the door still when it is halfway open,this gives some help to the opener when they are down so it doesnt have to work so hard to open

I refuse to work on those things. Scare the crap out of me. Something lets loose and it good night. I have seen folks work on them and I know there is a way to lock them out but they still freak me out.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

They used to color code them, by size. If you still have one of the old ones check for a dab of paint on them. Then get the same replacement and ask them how many revolutions to put on them. They are designed for a certain number of revolutions, and sized by door weight.

I thought I read some where that those marks across the spring would line up once it was at the proper tension.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

I don't touch them. Too scared.

Just found my door weighs 197.8 LBS and that I have 600 LBS worth of springs.

Maybe that's why it didn't work out too well.

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Did you get it on video by chance?

No, but I really wish I had.

I nearly crapped my pants when it hit the door opener!

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Exact opposite. When the line is straight across the spring, the spring is unloaded.
Clopay makes an E-Z torsion system that's pretty safe to install. You use a drill to wind and unwind the spring to the proper torque. Using the line as an indicator.

I have two pair, four total, so there is always one breaking. But at least it's only a quarter of them so I can still get the door open. I even have a 2x4 cut to the right length tucked in the corner to hold the door open, and an established process for replacing and adjusting them. And I keep an old broken one so I can take it to the hardware store to make sure I get the right replacement.

And they are scary and they do make a lot of noise when they break.

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5 speed '91 190E 2.6 320,000 mi. (new car, fast, smooth as silk six, couldn't find any more Peugeots)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.5l Turbo Diesel 266,000 mi. (old car, fast for a diesel, had 2 others)
5 speed '01 Jetta V6 (new wifes car, pretty quick)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.2l Turbo Gas 197,000 mi. (wifes car, faster, sadly gone just short of 200k )
5 speed '83 Yamaha 750 Maxim 14,000 mi. (fastest)
0 speed 4' x 8' 1800 lb Harbor Freight utility trailer (only as fast as what's pulling it)

They're about 10% as scary as working with a spring compressor on a car suspension. There is much less potential energy in the garage spring, and unlike the car spring it is contained by the torsion rod and can't go flying off across the garage. I think the whole garage doors are dangerous thing is just fear and loathing promulgated by the industry to scare folks away from doing their own repairs. Ever gotten a quote to have one of these replaced on a weekend? They start sounding a lot less threatening real fast...

I had done a few on large doors, a total PITA just guessing. Then my fathers broke I took the broken spring to a supply house and they supplied me with a new one. While there I inquired as the best method for tensioning the new one. That questioned was answered, OH a yellow (may have been blue, red white) spring gets eight revolutions. I did exactly what they said, lifted it by hand, it opened fine hooked up the opener and it just did it's thing. I was gritting my teeth when I heard he lost that spring, but asking a good supplier was the trick.

I thought that the goal was to have just enough spring tension to counter the weight of the door. Either purchase weaker springs, or add 402.2 lbs. of weight to the door. How much does your new bike weigh?

You better believe it. Call a pro, it's a lot cheaper than a trip to the ER.

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'83 300D, 126K miles.