Garage Door Torsion Spring

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:30 pm

Any one replaced their own torsion springs? Yes, I have seen the warning about serious injuries and even (gasp) death. Just wondering if there is any first hand experience.

What is pissing me off is not the $85 service call, but the huge markup on the springs themselves.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

I did one a few years ago. True it's dangerous but if you have a good set of strong steel rods, and take your time and respect what's going on, it's doable.

I don't think I'd do it myself again though. $85 sounds like a reasonable fee to pay someone else for the risk.

FYI I had a pair of stainless steel 1/2" rods that I used to torque the springs. IIRC they were about 12" long, and I remember wishing they were about 50% longer, the force needed to hold the rod was pretty high.

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:36 pm

MikeWhitney wrote:

$85 sounds like a reasonable fee to pay someone else for the risk.

FYI I had a pair of stainless steel 1/2" rods that I used to torque the springs. IIRC they were about 12" long, and I remember wishing they were about 50% longer, the force needed to hold the rod was pretty high.

I thought the same thing about the $85, get it done and over with espeically with race weekend coming up. But they charge about $75 for each spring, that can be had for about $22 each after shipping.

From what I read, you are correct in your assessment of the rods. It is recommended to use 1/2" by 16" rods.

Luckily the Camaro is already in the trailer ready for Summit next weekend, cause that stupid garage door is heavy!

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:52 am

jimpastorius wrote:

MikeWhitney wrote:

$85 sounds like a reasonable fee to pay someone else for the risk.

FYI I had a pair of stainless steel 1/2" rods that I used to torque the springs. IIRC they were about 12" long, and I remember wishing they were about 50% longer, the force needed to hold the rod was pretty high.

I thought the same thing about the $85, get it done and over with espeically with race weekend coming up. But they charge about $75 for each spring, that can be had for about $22 each after shipping.

From what I read, you are correct in your assessment of the rods. It is recommended to use 1/2" by 16" rods.

Luckily the Camaro is already in the trailer ready for Summit next weekend, cause that stupid garage door is heavy!

I NEVER pay anybody to do anything I can do. The only exception was my new garage doors. It was really nice to come home and have had somebody else have done it. I have decided life is to short to do crap you don't enjoy just to have more money to pay the nursing home when your old.

William Gravely · **Posted:** Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:57 am

just did this, but it was used with some drums and cables to prevent wind-induced flutter on a solar panel array. The place we ordered the spring from had special winding rods you could use. It was scary, but with two people (who can communicate with each other) it was not bad. Nobody got hurt.

Neal Harrington · **Joined:** Thu Sep 04, 2003 4:29 pm **Posts:** 106

I have done this before, but would recommend doing
it only if you can get at the thing with the door UP! If so,
a little common sense will let you apply a much lower
torque and then let the door going down apply the severe
windup. In any case, you can't hurt yourself this way.

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:26 pm

It pains me to admit, that I have gotten someone to come out and replace them. They are suppose to be at the house tomorrow morning.

The total cost for the install and two new springs is $215. With a race this weekend and busy at work, it would be 10 days before I could get to it, if I ordered the springs today.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:10 pm

i heard a story once about a guy getting cut in half by a garage door, but it was a large commercial door that dropped a panel out of the track and broke off.

well beyond my skill-set.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:12 am

steve remchak wrote:

well beyond my skill-set.

That's just too good of a setup Steve. Are you intentionally trying to provoke me?

clinehall · **Posted:** Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:43 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

well beyond my skill-set.

That's just too good of a setup Steve. Are you intentionally trying to provoke me?

Wow, Vincent you showed remarkable restraint!

Jim, thanks for stimulating the economy.

THSCC Forums

Garage Door Torsion Spring

Who is online