Symptoms Of Faulty Or Broken Torsion Springs
Loose or, misplaced or broken cables are a common sign of a faulty torsion spring, especially if your garage door has a torsion system assembly with a single torsion spring. As theres only one spring that supports the doors weight and keeps the cables under tension on the pulleys groove, a worn or broken spring will cause the cables to wander around in all directions, unsupported. The cables themselves will not usually need replacing unless they are worn out or have become damaged.
Purchase Standard Torsion Springs With Our Find My Spring Database
Garage Door Torsion Springs are normally centered above the garage door on a one inch shaft. At one end of the spring is the winding cone that is secured to the shaft with set screws. At the other end of the spring is the stationary cone. This is secured to the spring anchor bracket, which is secured to the header. On two-spring assemblies the stationary cones of both springs are mounted back to back to the spring anchor bracket. The shaft running through the springs transfers tension from the springs to the cable drums at the end of the shaft. These drums pull on the cables, which pull on the bottom of the door to balance the weight of the garage door.
When you cannot use our Find My Spring Database:
All the residential torsion springs we provide are wound with 1/2″ rods, usually 18 inches. You can buy 1/2″ X 36″ rod at almost any hardware store and cut one in half. If you would like for us to include a pair of winding rods in the order you can follow the links at our Garage Door Tools & Technical Support page.
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EZ-Set Springs: Do NOT use this database
Commercial Torsion Springs
Garage door torsion springs on larger sectional and rolling steel doors come with many additional inside diameters. For information and prices visit our Commercial and Industrial Torsion Springs page.
Overhead Door Cones
We don’t recommend reusing the cones because they are dangerous the hole sizes for the winding bars are inconsistent.
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Finding The Length Of A Torsion Or Extension Spring
Possibly the most important step in measuring a garage door spring is to find the length. The length of a spring directly affects the springs winding capacity. For example, if you have a heavy garage door, youll need a spring that is large enough to lift the garage door. To find the length, first measure from spring end coil to spring end coil excluding the cones during the measurement of the torsion spring. Spring length measurements should be completed to the nearest quarter of an inch.
Special Notes: Torsion springs cannot be measured when they are active. A garage door that is open even partially open will stretch the spring larger and give you an inaccurate measurement. Even a spring that is at rest but has been wound to the garage door will be stretched longer than the original size. A spring should be completely unwound before measuring the length.
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Understand How To Choose The Right Springs Without Color Codes
Not all springs have visible color codes, if you cant see the color on the springs that will be removed youll want to know how to choose the right springs by measurements. Take the measurements to a garage door professional and theyll help you find the right spring.
Extension Springs
Measurements youll want to note include:
- Height of the doorExtension springs vary in length. Springs that work for a standard height door wont work for an extra tall door because the springs will need to extend farther.
- Weight of the doorThe weight of the door can be difficult to calculate but its a crucial measurement because the springs need to counterbalance the weight to function properly.
Torsion Springs
Measurements youll want to note include:
In addition to having the weight and height of the door recorded, torsion springs need additional measurements for replacement.
- LengthMeasure the spring from the first to the last coil.
- Wire SizeMeasure the thickness of the wire in the spring. To measure wire size, insert the tape measure between the first two coils and stretch it to the last coil between the 10th and 11th coils.
- Spring WindLeft wind springs are located on the right-hand side of the door and right wind springs are located on the left side.
- Inner DiameterMeasure the diameter of 1/16 of an inch. Sometimes this number is written on the winding or stationary cone. If you see a 1.75 on the cone the spring has a 13/4-inch diameter.
Garage Door Spring Size Chart: Torsion Springs
The chart is based on information from the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association . DASMA is a leading organization in our industry that created the guidelines and specifications for garage door springs. This system aids in proper identification for repair, ordering, and warehousing purposes ensuring that the right spring arrives to the customer.
Read more about torsion springs and download a copy of DASMAs technical garage spring color codes after reviewing the size chart below.
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DETERMINE THE WIRE SIZE |
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Choosing The Right Spring Size For My Garage Door
Before you choose the right spring size make sure you know which type of spring system your door uses, torsion or extension.
Torsion springs are located over the garage door and the number of springs depends on the size and weight of the door. Extension springs are located on each side of the door near the upper rails, there should always be two extension springs and cables.
WARNING: TORSION SPRINGS, EXTENSION SPRINGS, AND OTHER GARAGE DOOR COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF NOT HANDLED PROPERLY. PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION AND REPAIR IS RECOMMENDED.
How To Measure Extension Springs
For extension springs, youll need to know both the length of the spring, as well as the weight that its intended to hold. If you put a 90-pound spring on a 110-pound door, for example, itll end up looking like a stretched out telephone cord.
Generally, most residential garage doors are either seven or eight feet tall. Seven-foot doors usually use a 25-inch spring, and eight-foot doors use a 27-inch spring. However, because precision is important, well show you how to measure it by hand.
First, make sure your garage door is closed. Unplug your garage door motor unit from the power source, and release the garage door itself by pulling on the brightly-colored release cord hanging down towards the front of the door.
Then, lift your garage door manually you might need another hand or two for this. If only one spring is broken, lift from the broken spring side, otherwise lift from the middle.
Once the door is open, clamp a vice grip inside the track beneath the wheel, just under the bottom of the garage door. This will keep your garage door from closing.
Then, hop up on a ladder and measure the length of the spring with a tape measure. You can also weigh your garage door with a regular mechanical bathroom scale.
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Single Spring Vs Two Springs
The advantages to having more than one spring is that when a single spring in a single torsion system assembly breaks, the other spring still supports some of the doors mass, preventing it from crashing down. Another advantage to having more than one spring is that a pair of springs generates counter force from both sides of the spring anchor bracket, this counter force keeps the system balanced. Conversely, a single spring pulls the axle sideways, damaging the systems moving parts. Learn more in the article below:
Torsion Springs Are Measured By Cycles
Torsion springs can have a cycle life of anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 cycles. A full cycle refers to opening and closing the garage door completely. This means that with a regular daily use, torsion springs can have a life expectancy of anywhere from 4 years to 40 years on average. You can simply calculate a torsion springs life span by dividing its cycle life by the average times it goes in one full cycle. Full cycle considered to be when the garage door opens fully and then closes. For instance: a sectional garage door has a torsion spring with 15,000 cycles. On average, the garage door opens and closes 3 times per day. Based on the facts, the springs life expectancy is 5,000 days, or 13 years and 7 months.
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Garage Door Spring Size Chart
Torsion springs are incredibly popular for garage doors. Although extension springs have frequently been chosen by home builders for their low cost, torsion springs are gaining popularity. Many new homes are made with torsion spring garage door systems. Eventually, garage door springs do wear out and need to be replaced. In this post, were sharing with you a garage door spring size chart for torsion springs.
How To Calculate The Weight Of The Ramp To Make Sure Door Spring Is Correct
Question:
Hello, I have roughly a 8×8 ramp door. How do I go about ing the correct lift requirements? Do I wiegh the door at the tail on the ground while hinged to the trailer to figure out the correct spring wieght? It does not currently have any assist.
asked by: Daniel S
Expert Reply:
To test the weight of your ramp door, you will want to get the door all the way down to the ground and then on a scale of some kind . This will be when the door is at its heaviest point. As long as this weight is 230 pounds or less, the TRC Conventional Ramp Door Spring for 8′ Wide Enclosed Trailer will be a great option and will definitely make lifting the ramp significantly easier.With that being said, it is recommended that only individuals who have experience winding torsion springs install this product. If you have not worked with a torsion spring system before, we recommend contacting a local garage door company to install this system.
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How Can I Measure The Size Of My Torsion Springs
Measuring torsion springs is not a difficult task, but requires accurate measurements. The springs wire
size is the first component of the spring measurement, followed by the springs inner diameter and
finally the overall length of the spring.
The first measurement you will need to get is the wire size. To figure the wire size you will need to
measure 10 coils. Convert the measurement to decimals, if it measure 2 1/2 inches that would be 2.50.
Now move the decimal one place to the left giving you a wire size of .250.
The next measurement is the inner diameter of the spring. This is simple but again be accurate as even
1/4 inch can make a difference in the springs overall lifting capacity. For this example lets assume the
inner diameter measures 2 inches.
Finally measure the overall length of the spring coils. Measure only the coils and not the cones on each
end. For this example lets assume the coils measure 28 inches.
In this example your spring size is 250x2x28.
This only tells you the size of the spring that were used, it does not mean the correct size springs were
used when the door was installed. In many cases we find doors have the wrong size spring installed
preventing the door from functioning properly and leading to premature spring failure.
To determine proper spring size for your garage door you need to determine the weight of the garage
door and all of its components. The most accurate way to find the weight of the door is to release the
garage door system.
Torsion Springs And Garage Door Weight
Torsion springs need to provide enough force to equal the weight of the door. This is sometimes referred to as the springs lift powerhow much weight the torsion spring can lift. The springs individual measurements are also important, they determine the springs lift.
In addition to knowing the garage doors weight and height and the springs color-code, knowing how to measure the springs dimensions can help you order the right springs.
To order the correct springs for your garage door youll need to know a few details about your door system. Those details include:
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Make Puls Your Garage Door Go
You can give your newly-taken spring measurements to a Puls technician and let them take your garage door spring repair from there or you can just let them take care of your repair start to finish, including measuring your garage door springs.
If you get your garage door springs replaced or repaired with Puls, your technician will even throw in a 25-point garage door inspection, absolutely free.
Its super easy to book a time slot just hop online, enter your location, choose the time thats best for you, and then sit back and wait for your technician to arrive at your door. Most of the time, you can even have a certified Puls technician at your home that same day.
So what are you waiting for? Book an appointment with a certified Puls technician, and you could have everything squared away within as little as the same day – its that easy.
Garage Door Weight Vs Torsion Spring Size
Weighing garage doors with torsion springs can be tricky, its best to contact a professional. To order torsion springs youll need to know the height of the door and the door weight.
HOW TO WEIGH A GARAGE DOOR WITH TORSION SPRINGS
The best practice is to contact a professional unless youre extremely comfortable handling a garage door. Do not attempt to weigh or repair garage doors alone.
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Why Does The Size Of The Garage Door Spring Matter
The garage door is likely the largest moving part of your home. The door itself can be extremely heavy, the starting weight of single doors is about 130 pounds and larger or heavier doors can weigh over 350 pounds. As a counterweight, the springs provide balance and stability to the door opening system. They make lifting the door more efficient, saving energy, and reducing the stress on the automatic openers motor.
To keep your garage door functioning smoothly as long as possible it has to be properly assembled with the correct parts and it needs proper maintenance. Installing the door with the correct spring matters, youll likely only worry about this when you need to replace a spring.
The size of the spring will depend largely on the weight of the door. Remember, the spring is a counterweight so it needs to be the right size to properly lift and lower the garage door. Operating a door with the wrong size spring can cause damage to the door operator and potentially create a dangerous situation where the door could fall.
Finding The Inside Diameter Of A Torsion Spring
The next step in measuring torsion springs is to determine the inside diameter . With a tape measure or caliber, measure from inside spring coil to inside spring coil. The resulting measurement is the diameter of the spring. Measurements should be completed in inches and measured to 1/16 for accuracy.
If the spring you are measuring has spring fittings installed , you can verify the ID by looking for numbers that are etched into the hardware. For example, a 175 will be visible on spring fittings for 1-3/4 ID torsion springs. Generally, the torsion spring ID is a standard width. Refer to the chart below for a listing standard torsion spring inner diameters.
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Garage Door: Weight Vs Spring Size
Modern garage doors have automatic openers that make it easy to move in and out of our garage without having to do the heavy lifting to open or close the doors ourselves. The springs on your garage door play a major role in this task. Springs act as counterweights to the weight of the door allowing the automatic opener to lift and lower the door smoothly, but door openers only work smoothly with the right components. Understand how garage door weight vs spring size relate so you can purchase the right spring for your door.
Garage Door Weight Vs Extension Spring Size
Finding the right extension springs for your door is easy if the color hasnt worn off the end. The garage door industry has a standard color chart for the strength for springs. The official color codes are set by the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International . The strength refers to how much weight the springs need to lift.
If the color has worn out on your extension springs, you can attempt to weigh the garage door using the steps below and find the right color-coded springs using the chart provided.
HOW TO WEIGH A GARAGE DOOR WITH EXTENSION SPRINGS
The best practice is to contact a professional unless youre extremely comfortable handling a garage door. Do not attempt to weigh or repair garage doors alone.
DASMA COLOR SPRING SIZE CHART FOR EXTENSION SPRINGS
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DOOR WEIGHT |
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