04ctd

lady at church has a genie Screw drive.

door opens midway.

if i release the mechanism, i can lift it up manually, but it is VERY HEAVY,
so when the Genie hits that point, it slips and starts grinding,

it's very difficult to open all the way manually.

the Genie will lower the door easily.

she had one spring replaced previous, one spring is ~2 foot long, other is ~3 foot.

i was going to use Socket extensions as levers,take the set screw loose, and tighten the spring some. heard that is pretty dangerous, what to watch for?

ckt_santiago

It can be dangerous if something slips and the spring unloads... Ours used 5/8" rod; 1/2 drive extensions were too small and kept trying to slip . Otherwise you have the idea on how to do it, just be careful while doing so.

TIMMY22

chances are if 1 spring is longer than the other your trying to "rack" the door as it opens. this is probably why its binding.
you need to replace them as a pair. pretty much self explanitory. repair it in the up position with a 2x4 wedged under it to hold it.

spunbearing

First off do you have a tilt up or roll up door ? I'm assuming that you have a tilt up by the way that you described it. Most of the problem seems to be that she only had one spring replaced. Those springs should always be replaced in pairs. It's true that the springs will kick like a mule. First thing that you need to do is prop the garage door all the way open where it is actually pushing against the header. This will unload the spring as much as possible. Make sure that your props are strong enough to hold the door while you work on it. You can make some deadmen out of 2x4's. I would use at least 2 of them. 3 if possible. I would also secure the props to the door at the top with long drywall screws. After you have the door propped securely the rest is pretty self explainitory.

04ctd

spun, it's a roll up sectional.

ok, if i put the all the way up, to do it, how do i get to the springs once i put the door up?

the ceiling is low, and the door stops right at the header, so there's no room to reach in there.

sounds like i should just pay someone to do it, and save some busted knuckles.

spunbearing

Ok, sectionals are a whole different ball game. I'd suggest that you get someone to do it. Sectionals usually have a spring on a rod and they have to be twisted to a certain load then locked. You said that one spring is longer than the other. Does it feel loose? It sounds almost like one spring broke. There is a straight line painted on the spring and when it is twisted to load it looks like a spiral. That's how you can count the turns to make sure that the springs have the same load. On a sectional you do it with the door down.

04ctd

okay, so if the line is straight, it either broke, or the set screw came loose.

maybe the old spring broke.

this is the Cheesiest looking install ever. on the motor housing, it has 2 peices of thin strap from either side (6 inches apart) to a rafter right over (straps end right beside each other)

it wiggles & jiggles a bunch.

called a local handy man to fix it (based on Ckt San's "dangerous")
will see what he says.

spunbearing

It can be very dangerous. I know of a local guy that has been doing garage doors for 35 years and was forced into retirement by an injury while doing a sectional. The spring unloaded on him and did major damage to his arm. The arm injury unleashed a load of other problems... blood clots etc. Bad stuff. Exercise all caution.

Miles PH

First thing as Sid prier it may be broke spring.I have replaced very Manny springs.I will tell you if you don't have the experience DONT do it .I had one of my spring bars I had fly out and go through a dry wall and a plaster wall missing my helper he and I must be living right.

Hoss

Watch for flying socket extensions!!

I have tightened them using dual sticks of rebar, but it IS dangerous. If you're going to do it, make sure you keep your hands and arms clear and work from a position so that your body and head are to the side of the bars. If you do that then at least if it lets loose you'll be putting a hole in the ceiling instead of your body.

CowboyDave

Just saw this tread and noticed what you decided, good choice. I was "door specialist" for a door company and I have seen bad things happen when the bar whips around and whacks ya in the noggin. Also if the spring is old and decides it is no longer gonna cooperate it will SNAp and bite ya pretty good. If springs need to be replaced they will be custom made, weight and hight specific. I hope it all goes well for ya.

04ctd

well, the lady from church had invited us over for supper & to take another look at it, so we rode over.

the old spring had come loose, the set screws had released, so it was not lifting up the door.

i was VERY careful, and i braced the 6 inch socket extensions against the 2x4 header instead of the drywall.

i was VERY CAREFUL. i hate hurting myself.


i tried adjusting it a BUNCH of times and never got it right.

if i had too much tension on the springs, it would pick the door up halfway (with the screw drive mechanism released)

and if i had too little tension, it would not take up all the slack in the cable reels (that wind up the cable when the bottom of the door comes up) so the cable would come off the reels.

and if you have WAY too much tension, the screw drive could not push it back down.

and then, the frame was so far out of whack (20 years old?) that it would flex and let the door get sideways, and pop wheels off the door & out the track.

luckily, another buddy came by to see our new puppy (pics in this weeks breakroom - bull mastiff) and he helped me get it all squeezed back together enough to close it up for the night.

here's where it is now:
--the tension is wrong, if you release the mechanism, it pops the door up halfway. but at least she could open it in emergency.

--the frame about an inch too wide with door closed, you can physically slide the door left to right an inch.

--the overhead frame is too wide also, and needs braces to maintain straightness.

--many of the sheetmetal screws have wallered out their holes, and do not hold tight.

--some of the carriage bolts in the frame have done the same.

--some of the roller wheels on the panels are cocked because they are loose and cannot be tightened.



what it boils down to is this: drink less, party less, and put more $$ back so that when you can't do stuff like this, you have $$ to pay it done - even if you have to get ripped off to have it done.

she paid $150 for the one spring replacement, pretty sure that is a bit much

not sure i can find someone local & trustworthy to do it at a rate she can afford.

she has a lady friend, her husband does all the "honey-do's" for a lot of the ladies at church, I called him, i am in way over his head, but he said he WILL help just to learn

so, post up any other advice you have, and I may learn alot more than i want to know about garage doors this weekend....

AkTallPaul

I have a complete door and all the hardware siiting in my storage you can have for free...I would bring it down except one of my ex's lives in Charleston.....

04ctd

well, here's how to do it:

note door height as operated if you can (important for final adjustment of taking up cable slack)

get ~3 6 inch socket extensions & a 12 inch,
and a 2x4 to wedge them against (they will go through drywall)
put the 2x4 behind the spring, use masking tape or something to hold it.

tighten EVERY BOLT on the whole assembly - ours was rickety.
lube well

check brackets for being square, ours had bent, we beat flat with a hammer.

loosen the trolley (so it will move by hand - manual)

take the door all the way up (tension off the springs)
take the cables off (no tension since door is up)

lower the door. will be HEAVY - 2 people.

loosen one spring completely, and let the torsion assembly come to rest.
(this means the other spring will unwind, and both springs will be at rest)

so now, you have all the tension off the assembly.

tighten the set screws so both springs are working.

wind the torsion assy back a bit to attach the cables.

LEAVE THE trolley unattached (door able to be manually lifted)

and start taking turns on the springs, (one full turn per side) at a time
use the 6 inch'ers to hold the spring, and you will need the 12 inch to turn it (and both hands)

here's the kicker:
you are holding the torque with the socket extensions
and when you let go of the spring with the extenstions,

since the door is loose, it will come up a tiny bit.

when it comes up about 6 inches to a foot, you are very close to the proper tension.

try to cycle it by hand, check for any binds,
VERIFY the cable gets rolled up COMPLETELY.
if not, you need more tension.

if you manually cycle the door up too far, you won't get complete rolling of the cable, so try to not go past where it was first adjusted to.

then, attach the trolley/carriage assembly,
and try to cycle it with the motor.

note cable slack & position of edge of garage door relative to door opening.

check for binding, lube well as moving, and put a few wood screws around the brackets to keep them from wiggling around (the bolts holes won't hold torque if you have used them a bunch or if old and wore out)

we ended up taking half turns, and finally, quarter turns with the trolley disconnected to get the springs adjusted properly,
do each side with each adjustment so springs are even.

hth?

spunbearing

Glad that you got it done without injury.