Garage door spring

[Green93]

Hi everyone. This is my first post, up until now I've been trying to soak up as many ideas and tricks as I can.

My issue is a broken garage door torsion spring and I was hoping someone on here knew how to figure out which springs I need. For starters the aluminum door is 16'x7' and weighs 160 lbs. There was one spring on it before and it's measurements are 1 11/16" inside diameter, overall length is 33", 10 coils measure 2 7/16" and 20 coils measure 4 13/16".

I'd like to go to dual springs and since the original spring always seemed a little weak I'm not sure what to do. Can anyone tell me if I had the correct spring before? And what springs would I need for my door if I went to a dual spring system? I'll be dong the install myself but just can't find the info I need.

Thanks in advance,

Jason

 

[drg5490]

If you have a Home Depot close to you , in the garage door section they carry springs and charts as to which on to get,also might take old spring with you to compare

 

[RaptorDuner]

This might help.

http://www.industrialspring.com/resources/measure-order-torsion-springs

 

[upndown]

Rather than playing the guessing game, take the spring and weight to a door co. They can calculate the correct spring combination as well as making sure all measurements are correct. Try and get 2" ID springs if possible..Longer cycles.

 

[CNGsaves]

Original installer likely screwed up with just one spring (ie cheap install by builder, or possibly the door had been upgraded from original thin door, to current insulated heavy door).

My bet is you'll need a spring on each side.

Call a local garage door installer . . . . .this will be a piece of cake for them.
This IS a job to hire out for a pro.

 

[LB-1911]

Hi everyone. This is my first post, up until now I've been trying to soak up as many ideas and tricks as I can.

My issue is a broken garage door torsion spring and I was hoping someone on here knew how to figure out which springs I need. For starters the aluminum door is 16'x7' and weighs 160 lbs. There was one spring on it before and it's measurements are 1 11/16" inside diameter, overall length is 33", 10 coils measure 2 7/16" and 20 coils measure 4 13/16".

I'd like to go to dual springs and since the original spring always seemed a little weak I'm not sure what to do. Can anyone tell me if I had the correct spring before? And what springs would I need for my door if I went to a dual spring system? I'll be dong the install myself but just can't find the info I need.

Thanks in advance,

Jason

You should find the information below of use

Torsion Spring FAQ's
http://ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/torsion-spring-faqs.php

Garage Door Springs
http://ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/garage-door-springs.php

Good Luck

 

[DeliveryGuy]

According to the DDMGarageDoor torsion spring chart, 20 coils will measure either 4-3/4 or 4-7/8. It's the difference between .234 gauge and .243 gauge wire.

I would find a door company locally, bring them the entire spring, and they will make you one on the spot with a minimal labor fee. If you have doubts that the door balanced properly, then hire a door company to weigh the door and make springs from scratch. If they say they never need to weigh the door, then hire someone else.

 

[rslaback]

This link is what you need if you are considering going from 1 spring to two. That said, it is entirely possible that the door was designed to operate with only 1 spring, particularly if it isn't insulated. Although from the sounds of your write up you have a dual core spring. Is one spring coil inside of the other?

 

[AndyL]

Well... your numbers don't quite work out

If it's actually a 160lb door, and I'm just going to guess canimex drums with 12" radius track) You'd be after a pair of .207x2x22.25" springs, good for a cycle life of 21,000.

But 160lbs sounds wrong based on your existing spring - your open force would need to be almost maxed. So...

UpNDown - WTF are you talking about? Diameter doesn't effect cycle life, Total length of the wire is your final determination of cycle life, what diameter die it's wrapped around only affects overall length. A 234x2x28 spring has the exact same cycle life as a 234x1.75x32" spring.

 

[skamp]

Call ddmgaragedoors and talk to them about the door weight, existing spring size and what you want to do. They will get you the right stuff. Have used them multiple times and they won't steer you wrong.

Steve

 

[jstroede]

Ugh...first of all I am so friggin tired of reading about aluminum garage doors. Aluminum garage doors are almost non existant. They are STEEL.

Next...this smells of being a an oddball setup, like those clopay diy jobs with the tiny drums or something. Pictures would be good, or at least tell us what the brand and model of the door is. Where did you get the 160 lb number?

John

 

[Green93]

Thanks for all the info guys. I've just gotten my car back together and need to tackle the garage door next. I will be installing these myself. My problem is that in Canada nobody seems to sell just the springs. And if they do they want to install them as well. I can't afford to shell out $500 for this right now. The spring will be ordered from the USA so returning it would be a huge pain in the *** and not anything I want to deal with. I need the right spring the first time. I measured the door and weighed it with two identical scales and got 80lbs per scale. It's a modern setup, installed about 8 years ago. I'll work on pics but figured that the door specs would be enough to go on.

Jason

 

[jstroede]

Pictures of the cable drum would be a big help. Normally a door that size would use a 4" cable drum. With the spring you have listed there is no way it uses this. What brand is the door? Does it use stuff that looks like this:

http://ddmgaragedoors.com/parts/clopay-ez-set-parts.html

Your weight should be in the ballpark for a standard open back non insulated door of that size. If you have something else, your weight is probably off.

John

 

[AndyL]

Green93- shoot me a pm - I'll point you to a supplier

 

[Green93]

No my drums don't look like that. Just by looking at them them seem to be about 6" give or take. I found a guy who can install tomorrow for $200 including springs. My hearts just not in this one and I just want my garage accessable again. Time to continue stripping the frame of my truck. Thanks again for all input.

Jason

 

[AndyL]

Good plan!