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Anyone replace their own garage door springs? Torsion type..

I have re-done a couple of mine on the small (10' door). Never had any issue with the mild steel rods, 1/2" was stout enough. However, to avoid bending the door I used the professional that does that stuff all time on the 16' foot door to replace both springs & check out the whole install. At my age I've concluded there are many things that I willing to let the "professionals" do. Until they prove not to be professional.
 
I did mine once as I didn't want to pay the fee. Went well, till I lost grip and the bar put a hole on my wall. I still do most of my own garage door repairs, but those tension springs are no joke.
 
Cranky said:
I have stainless steel for rods or will be rods. 316 SS doesn't bend very easily at all....and 289 isn't chump change when a divorce is on the horizon...and if I can build rear ends and do all I've done with cars, I can do this too :)
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Have your soon to be ex-wife help you, don't forget to get extra insurance for her. :D
 
Go for it! What could possibly go wrong?

I did mine on a small residential type door when I did a high lift kit. It took a lot of contemplating before I said 'screw it, I'll do it'. Anyway, assembling everything was a PIA but the spring winding wasn't that bad. Just don't be in the way.

It's like anything else, if you do it everyday it's cake.
 
EZ-Set Torsion Conversion kit. Only way to go.
Just make sure the cables on the spools are tensioned the same so that the door goes up straight.
No rods to mess with and instructions are right on the box.
 
I replaced my 16' door several years ago. Had my son help me remove the old one. Then we stacked the new 2" insulated door panels in the opening, it had the ez set kit also. Went in without a hitch and it was my first one I had done. :)
 
Got tired of trying to get someone out here for a reasonable price so I bought some springs. After sitting around for another week after the springs arrived and thinking about how hot it is and not really wanting to mess with it, I decided to get started on it this evening around 6:30pm and had planned on getting up early in the morning to finish it up. Got tired of jacking the door half way up and then having to fight it the rest of the way up and then having to fight to keep it from slamming the floor when closing it, it was time to jump in and just do it. After taking things apart and seeing how easy it was, I finished up the job and it's done. Only took 1 hour and 50 minutes! Sure is nice being able to open and close it without killing myself. These double wall insulated doors ain't light....and it's kinda hard to believe it took me a month to get up the nerve to do it myself! lol
 
I readjusted the three doors at my last place. After 10 years or so they didn't go up like they use to. It's like playing with an oversized mouse trap!
Not in a hurry to do it again either.
 
Garage doors are like all things mechanical a little maintainice goes a long way. I see misaligned tracks, doors that do not go up straight and openers that just need to be lubricated all the time.
 
mopar 3 B said:
Garage doors are like all things mechanical a little maintainice goes a long way. I see misaligned tracks, doors that do not go up straight and openers that just need to be lubricated all the time.
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Yeah, I'm guilty of poor maintenance too but do hit them with lube from time to time. On this door (rear 10 footer), I found two different diameter spring wire. The left side was smaller than the right side. What's up with that mess? And the 'pro' that replaced the springs on the front door used shorter springs than what was up there and now the door is harder (heavier) to open and appears to have 8 rounds of tension on each spring....and need to be lubed. Apparently, the 'pro' didn't put anything on them.
 
When i did my door I opted for the side springs for all the reasons above
 
Frank Mopar said:
When i did my door I opted for the side springs for all the reasons above
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Extension springs instead of torsion? Actually, besides lasting longer, there are many reasons why torsion springs are a better way to go than extension springs. I also feel they work better with heavier doors....
 
Cranky said:
Yeah, I'm guilty of poor maintenance too but do hit them with lube from time to time. On this door (rear 10 footer), I found two different diameter spring wire. The left side was smaller than the right side. What's up with that mess? And the 'pro' that replaced the springs on the front door used shorter springs than what was up there and now the door is harder (heavier) to open and appears to have 8 rounds of tension on each spring....and need to be lubed. Apparently, the 'pro' didn't put anything on them.
Click to expand...
Fortunately torsions use a common shaft but still the door would work better with same size springs.
8 rounds is not much. Keep tirning until the door starts to lift off the floor and then back them off a
little. To much tension will make it hard to get down.
 
Cranky said:
Got tired of trying to get someone out here for a reasonable price so I bought some springs. After sitting around for another week after the springs arrived and thinking about how hot it is and not really wanting to mess with it, I decided to get started on it this evening around 6:30pm and had planned on getting up early in the morning to finish it up. Got tired of jacking the door half way up and then having to fight it the rest of the way up and then having to fight to keep it from slamming the floor when closing it, it was time to jump in and just do it. After taking things apart and seeing how easy it was, I finished up the job and it's done. Only took 1 hour and 50 minutes! Sure is nice being able to open and close it without killing myself. These double wall insulated doors ain't light....and it's kinda hard to believe it took me a month to get up the nerve to do it myself! lol
Click to expand...

That's always my biggest battle . . . getting up the nerve to get started . . . then I wonder why I waited ? ? ?

( someday . . . maybe . . . I'll learn . . . )
 
Cranky said:
Thinking about giving it a shot after the garage door company told me 289 bucks. Anyone have any advise on doing this job? I've watched doors get installed several times and have adjusted my own springs before and have helped with an installation....33 years ago. Yup, the springs lasted that long. The front door went last summer and my back door broke last week. There's also some good vids on the net on how to do it....or at least they seem to be informative. Another issue is I have a car within 22" of the door that has no suspension under it and it's in the process of getting it. It's just too close and makes the work area very tight.
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Had mine snap a few months ago, had both springs replaced by a local garage door Co., total cost $90. Very dangerous job, but if you are young, strong and adventurous, by all means go for it. Of course this price is in AZ and prices vary greatly according to location. .... in Cape Coral FL a complete 2.5 ton AC system replacement cost me $2900......in AZ for just a new compressor replacement I paid $5000.
 
I have done it using 1/2" socket extensions (2). You need to make sure you get the correct springs for the weight and height of the garage door. The first one I did, I mis-measured the spring diameter and ordered springs that were a hair smaller in diameter. They work, but I had to put extra tension on them to balance the garage door weight (when closed), so when the door is open (up) there is still some tension (more than there should be.)
 
fwi said:
Had mine snap a few months ago, had both springs replaced by a local garage door Co., total cost $90. Very dangerous job, but if you are young, strong and adventurous, by all means go for it. Of course this price is in AZ and prices vary greatly according to location. .... in Cape Coral FL a complete 2.5 ton AC system replacement cost me $2900......in AZ for just a new compressor replacement I paid $5000.
Click to expand...
Walking across the street is a dangerous job but somebody's got to do it.
If it is that dangerous dont you feel just a bit guilty for risking somebody's life for a measly $45 profit and if they worked for a company even less than that.
 
My springs were 57.50 shipped....and made in Canada. Also used a chart to make sure the right springs were being shipped. Had a guy quote me 65 labor and he said he would call back to let me know when he could make it out. After waiting 2 days, I called him. His phone went to voice mail so left him a message but he never called back. That was over a week ago and figured he quoted too low and went away. Yup, the job can be dangerous but it's not that hard to figure out the danger points and go from there. Swapping engines in a car is dangerous too but you figure that out as you go in most cases....at least I did it that way. On the springs, I've watched the job get done 2 times over the years and made one adjustment myself at my old house plus found what I think is a pretty good vid for doing the job. http://ddmgaragedoors.com/diy-instructions/replace-garage-door-torsion-springs.php The springs here lasted over 30 years and my doors get cycled a lot. The back door has been cycled 5 times already since the new springs went in last night. Twice last night to make sure the springs were tight enough....had to make one adjustment and 3 times today because I was in and out that much before noon!
 
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