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HELP! Road Runner is prison, or any garage door repair guys out there?

Billccm

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Hello All:
Two weeks back I was pulling out my Mustang (I know) and as I closed the garage door it came crashing down. YEP, broken spring.
Really long painful story that I will keep short is I live in a town controlled by a garage repair mafia. Regardless of who I call, they all get their parts from the same shop. This shop has more than enough business it can handle, and since it has monopolized the garage spring business in Tucson they are in no hurry to help the customer, contractor, or repair guy. I've been without garage access for two weeks and it really hurts that I cannot get my Road Runner, or Grand Marquis out.
Details are commercial 18x9 garage door, two springs, and both broken. I've called 8 repair shops, 3 came out and won't touch it, and I'm trying to get the local mafia guys to handle the repairs. It seems they are just stringing me along.
Got to fix this on my own, and I realize it is dangerous. I was a volunteer fireman many years ago and made a fatal call for a garage door spring replacement gone bad.
I measured the wire diameter at 0.295, inner diameter at 3 3/4, and length at 34.75. I need both left and right wound.
So I am looking for advice as I tackle this; found Northshore web site that seems to be the best DIY place. Looking at the door is seems so simple, but yet I know it is complex.
Thanks for any advice, or sympathy.
 
Careful this torsion springs can bite! Be prepared to have both hands ready to hold a good bar in the holes as you wind and have some one that can tighten the wrench quickly! Be careful you can do it but be careful!
 
Not hard at all, I installed all 4 of mine myself with zero experience. It's helpful if you can find a tag or sticker somewhere that tells you how many turns otherwise you just crank them evenly until your satisfied. I'd call the manufacturer, hopefully they can set you up or get you in touch with a different dealer.

As far as the danger goes, it's like anything else.. common sense goes a long way. Use rods that fit the holes correctly and keep your head out of line with it because you have to wind them up really tight.
 
Not hard at all, I installed all 4 of mine myself with zero experience. It's helpful if you can find a tag or sticker somewhere that tells you how many turns otherwise you just crank them evenly until your satisfied. I'd call the manufacturer, hopefully they can set you up or get you in touch with a different dealer.

As far as the danger goes, it's like anything else.. common sense goes a long way. Use rods that fit the holes correctly and keep your head out of line with it because you have to wind them up really tight.
I actually have the manual to the door that says "9.6 turns". Really?? How do you do 0.6 turns?
Odd that everybody over at FABO says don't do it I will die, and everyone over here is encouraging me to tackle the job?
 
I actually have the manual to the door that says "9.6 turns". Really?? How do you do 0.6 turns?
Odd that everybody over at FABO says don't do it I will die, and everyone over here is encouraging me to tackle the job?
Don't sweat the .6, I look at it as a really good starting point not an absolute, seems like I always had to go a bit more. Wrap it 9.5 turns and try it then proceed from there and again keep your body out of harm's way.
 
I've done easily a couple dozen... Since the spring is slid over a tube it really can't go anywhere, just be careful with the winding rods, make sure they fit snugly in the holes & don't let the rods slip out of your hands....
 
paint a line on spring it helps keep track of what you are doing and have two rods that fit snug in the holes
 
Most springs come with a line already painted on them... And many online garage door spring suppliers include a couple 1/2" x 12" rods to wind the springs with..
 
I've done two DIY door installs...read the directions, take your time and you will be fine.
 
I've done it on 2 garage door myself, the last time was just a year ago. Since you have the rotation count and if you can get the springs, it's worth a shot . . . Just be smart about it.

Good luck !
 
I have changed, adjusted 100s of the springs on overhead roll up doors on the big semi trailers. I always opened the door all the way up and back out of the way to get your long adjusting rods in . Measure from the spring shaft to the lower edge of open door and clamp some vise grip to keep the door from closing. Replace the springs and cables, adjust equally.
 
Snap a chalk line on the spring before turning it. That will help you keep track on the number of turns.
 
I would be interested to know why several refused to do the job.

I was a commercial door installer/repairer in between my navy and army stints and again for another 3 years after my service retirement. Yes, you can do this. Yes, it can be dangerous. You have to be very careful at all times. I am not trying to scare you, but they can maim or kill.

First and foremost...the door has to be level on the ground and even spacing in the tracks. Crowbars and wooden wedges are yoour friends here.

With both springs broken, the disasembly is straightforward. Loosen both spring winding ends so they will slide on the shaft/tube. Loosen the stationary ends from the center bracket(s). Loosen both cable drums so that they too will slide. Pick a side and slide the tube so you can take the drum off and slide off the spring. Slide your new spring on and do the same for the other side. Reattach springs to brackets.
Setting the drums: if you have a tube, you will set the drum on the left side first. Make sure the cable is clear and not stuck on anything. Take a vise grips, and while holding the left cable drum tightly, put the vise grips on the tube so that they hold the cable taut on the drum. Now do the same for the right side, except for the vise grips ( unless your door has two shafts coupled in the center). Holding the drum with the cable on it taut, tighten the drums set screws. Do not over muscle the set screws as they will deform the tube.

The spring wire wind direction is very important. With the spring attached to the center/stationary bracket, the wire end at the winding end should point towards the ceiling. The cables come off the back of the drum so the cable will be about an inch or so from the wall.

You are now ready to wind the springs
With the springs relaxed mark a line straight across the front of the spring. You can use paint or chalk. This is just to help you in case you lose count. Based upon the size of your springs you will want winding bars 20-24 inches in length ( unless you are He-Man). The bars need to fit the holes in the winding plug securely. In does not matter which spring gets wound first. You wind using all 4 holes in the plug. This is much safer than trying to wind in half turns. Your door says 9.6 turns, so I would wind one spring to 9.75 and the other 9.5. New spring relax after a month or so, so you could put 9.75 on both and save yourself an adjustment latter on. Be sure before winding the second spring to clamp or vise grip you door to keep it on the floor until you are off the ladder and ready to try opening it.
When winding the springs you wind up and rest the bar against the wall or top setion of the door. Wind in quarter turns using all holes in the winding cone...be safe. So, wind one spring 38 quarter turns (9.5 full turns) tighten the set screws enough to hold the spring but not crush the tube. Do the same on the other spring. If you are still amongst the living and are not maimed at this point, you are doing it right. Remove vise grips from tube....they should be and inch or so away from the wall now with tension on the cables. Move ladders and other obsructions from the doors path. While holding the door down to the ground, take the clamp or vise grips off that you put on to keep the door down and slowly open the door. If everything is working properly, as every section goes through the radius in the track the door should balance or not want to up or down. This is very important for manually operated doors and ones with openers.

Good luck and if you feel unsafe or that maybe you shouldnt be doing this job, call in the professionals. Even garage door guys get injured fixing them.
 
I’m a DIY’r. I’ve done residential stuff on smaller doors, torsion and long springs on the side. Bigger doors, bigger spring I guess. Just take your time and don’t be in the path of the winding rods.

What @Skytrooper asked... Why did the others walk away?
 
I had the same thought about the business all being connected!! No one would sell me parts!!!

I dug deep and got what I needed from Grainger
 
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Wish I was closer. Done a few of them.

Call the door mfr and get actual weight and spring requirements. Most springs have a painted line from one end to the other. That's how you count turns. Use actual torsion bar adjusters. Lots of videos on the subject.
 
I do doors for a living...Not residential but commercial...They're all the same though...

You can also be a cheapskate and clamp the broken spring back together with a couple cable clamps...
That way you can at least get the thing operational...
You can also weld the spring back together...I've done both as temporary repairs on doors far larger than yours...

They're not as dangerous as people think...The most important thing is a good steady ladder...
Be sure to use the right size winding bars...Make sure they're set properly in the holes...
Don't have your face lined up with the tension bars while you're winding it...
Be aware of where the spring wants to push the bar...
You can usually let the spring tension hold one bar against the top panel of the door if you need to take a break or get a tool...
You can let the bar rest against the top panel when you're tightening the set screws...
You then stick your other bar in the other hole and put a wee bit of force on it and the other bar will come right out...
Be sure you don't put your fingers where they can be trapped by the cable either...
The painted line is a good idea...It's usually what you do...10-12 turns on the spring is average...
I feel like if you can work on a car you can work on a door...

I do know Home Depot and Lowes both sell residential door parts...I'm not sure if you can get a spring from them though...
 
They make a spring gauge, to measure the spring. The end has a tab on it, which you insert between the coils of the spring. Count 10 coils and you have your spring. You will also need to measure the diameter and total length of the spring. You can purchase the replacement online. Be sure to clamp the door shut with a vise grip over a roller on each side of the door. Start with 9 turns and check the adjustment by opening the door half way in the opening. A perfectly adjusted spring, or set of springs will allow the door to "float" in the half open position. If the door drifts up fast, take some tension off the spring. If it drifts down, add tension. Be sure to oil the springs, a paint brush and some motor oil works great. There is also a way to figure the proper springs by weighing the door, and factoring height and width, but that won't be necessary since you have the old spring.
Here is the spring gauge...

https://www.garagedoorstuff.com/product/spring-measuring-tool/

Measuring instructions...

https://www.garagedoorstuff.com/how-to-measure-torsion-springs/
 
After you replace the broken spring, make sure that your cables are properly set in the drums before winding the springs. A lot of the time, a cable will "jump" the drum, or come unwound when a spring breaks.
 
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