OT-anyone know about installing a garage door

[45-70-]

I am building a barn and salvaging a perfectly good garage door. I have taken measurements and am in the process of taking digital photos so I know where everything goes and how it is supposed to be installed. The one area I need help in is the big roll bar at the top with the springs. I know those springs can ruin your whole week! How do you take the tension off so that thing is not so dangerous?

[claybob86]

I watched a guy do that once. He used a couple of steel bars that fit into holes in a wheel on the shaft next to the spring. He inserted one bar to hold onto to prevent rotation, the loosened the set screw, then slowly unwound the spring with the bars by turning a bit with one bar, holding while inserting the other bar, pull the first one out, turn a bit, repeat until spring is unwound.
Not sure I'd try it myself, I'm scared of those springs.

[2ndovc]

If it's the type with a 6-8" drum on one end or the middle there should be small @ 1/2" holes around the outside edge. You can use two large screw drivers to relive the tension and SLOWLY un-wind the tension. It's kinda hard to explain but one screw driver will wege against the header or jamb while you move the next one to a new hole. Pull back and take out the wedged sd. unwind some tension until that sd has hit the header/jamb and insert the next.

Be VERY carefull. Guy I know lost his grip on one of the screwdrivers, spun around, came out and hit him in the head. Knocked him cold!
Those things can be viscious!

[45-70-]

The door is 18 feet wide and 7 or 8 feet high. The bar has 2 springs on it. On the inside edge of each spring is a round piece of metal that appears to have four evenly spaced holes. That looks like the piece you want to stick something in to rotate so you can loosen it. So is the main danger coming from it getting loose from your grip and spinning out of control? This sounds like something for a hardhat and face shield I am going to have to study this some more, I dont care to get slapped in the head with a pry bar or lose any of my digits. Does the tension change depending on the door being raised or lowered?

[claybob86]

Tension's highest when the door is lowered.

[2ndovc]

There's a lot of energy stored up in that rod. You don't realize how heavy a G door is until you lose a spring. I had a commercial door like you see at the mall about take my head off. It was supposed to have been unwound. It wasn't. I cut into it and off it went like a 500 lb window shade.

[Noah Zark]

The door is 18 feet wide and 7 or 8 feet high. On the inside edge of each spring is a round piece of metal that appears to have four evenly spaced holes. That looks like the piece you want to stick something in to rotate so you can loosen it.

That's correct, and rather than using screwdrivers which will slip out of those holes, get a couple 18" long pieces of steel rod that fits the holes exactly. The longer the better, you will need the leverage.

Work on one spring at a time. These springs are called torsion springs because they are "twisted" or in torsion. If you look at the springs, there may be visible six or seven painted rings or lines diagonally on each spring. That's actually a straight painted line on the unloaded spring, and it looks like it does because the torsion springs on garage doors are generally wound up six or seven turns. The straight line becomes "rings" or "bands" of paint on a fully loaded spring. Count the number of bands; that's how many turns the spring is loaded, and how many revolutions you need to unwind the springs.

Insert a rod into a hole in one of the wheels, and while holding fast on that rod then loosen the setscrew in that wheel. Usually they are square-headed setscrews, but sometimes they are hex recessed setscrews (Allen).

Once the setscrew is loose, then move the steel rod in the direction of the spring force by 1/4 turn. Insert the second rod in the next hole, and after applying restraining force to the second rod remove the first rod.

Then allow the second rod to rotate with the spring force, and insert the first rod in the next hole. Take up restraining force in what is now the "third" rod, and remove the second rod. You're now in "lather, rinse, repeat mode."

So by going at it and unwinding the spring 1/4 turn at a time, you're looking at repeating the above operation about 24-28 times (six to seven revolutions) until there's no more force on the spring.

Take a breather, then have at the second spring in the same manner.

As you loosen the springs, note well the direction in which they were wound so that you rewind them correctly when you reinstall the door.

Also, if those springs have been in service for any longer than 10 years, you are MUCH better off springing (sorry!) for a new set of springs. The daily unwinding and winding takes its toll on the springs and shortens their service life. A new set of springs should give you 15-20 years or more of service, and there's no sense in putting in a set of used springs only to go through a replacement in a year or two.

TAKE YOUR TIME, get well-fitting 18" or longer bars and be careful.

Noah

[Scott Young]

to add: don't use screw drivers, ratchet extensions, or rebar. get stainless or cold rolled and cut to 18 - 20 inches in length. i have installed them and us a set of two for installation and re-installation.

go slow and stay work to the side so if one of the bars slip and you loose control of them you won't have one sent flying in to your body somewhere.

it isn't as bad as it seems, just be careful.

[Griff]

www.yellowpages.com, under garage door repair. What you describe is why I love my sliding barn doors!

[2ndovc]

www.yellowpages.com, under garage door repair. What you describe is why I love my sliding barn doors!

That's probably the best idea. I'm sure someone would install it for a few bucks.

I like the idea of the steel bar stock instead of screw drivers. Makes more sense. Better fit.

[bj94]

Most important is to be careful and take your time. Concentrate on what you are doing and do not have any distractions around. You let one of those bars slip and the next one will try to break your arm.

I've had to replace several springs for my door. My wife would not let me do it, and forced me to hire someone to do it. I watched him do it and it looked easy, but it was his arm in harms way, not mine.

[jnyork]

www.yellowpages.com, under garage door repair. What you describe is why I love my sliding barn doors!

VERY VERY sound advice!!! Those big ol' springs will eat your lunch if you dont know exactly what you are doing, can easily cause extremely bad trauma!! Just hire someone and be done with it, your family will love you for it!!

[jbm1968]

I was going to recommend the yellow pages too.

[45-70-]

I appreciate everyones advice. One drawback to living in rural farm land is the distance to the nearest city that is large enough to have a garage door installer. If I hire someone it will be a one hour drive for them, which means more money for me
I will try to locate some steel bars that fit the holes properly and see how hard the springs are.

[Scott Young]

it isn't that difficult. you simply need to be careful. i figure anyone who is a cautious reloader and adequate firearm handler will be able to do it. you just remember.

stay to the side.
use a steady ladder.
stay to the side.
with every rotation test the door; it is easy to over load the spring and have them lift the door by themselves.
wear safty glasses so if one of the springs break and sends a small piece out then you wil have your eyes still intact.
stay to the side.

most importantly take your time. this isn't hard, but if something goes wrong it could hurt.


where most people mess up at is they improvise on the bars. be sure to get bar stock. this can be from ace hardware, lowes, homedepot, a steel supply, and some feed stores. they all have 3-4 foot sections in various sizes.

don't use all thread, rebar, extensions, screwdrivers, or long bolts. do it right and you will be safe.

[Hillbilly]

My uncle had one of those springs get away from him.

Whatever he was using to hold it popped him in the head. He ended up with detached reatna and was blind in one eye for several years...good new is he eventually ran into a Doc with the technology to repair the damage.

~Hill

[Rusty]

A man should always know his limitations.


Rusty <><