Garage Door Spring Replacement....?

**SonofaBish** · 09-27-2011, 07:42 AM

Well, my first repair of home ownership is upon me.... The garage door spring on one of my doors broke the other day - scared the living $hit outta me... sounded like someone drove into the side of my house.....

Nonetheless, i was under the impression that these could only be installed by garage door professionals (and that it was going to cost me an arm and a leg), but after doing some looking on the internet, there appears to be a lot of DIY people that have done it.....

Has anyone here done it??? The springs appear to be relatively cheap, in the $20-$30 range... so when you pay $500 for someone to come in and do it, you're really getting the shaft...

I don't have a problem tackling it myself, but as always, if anyone has experience doing it and would like to help fix mine, i pay in food and drink.... :D

**White5.0** · 09-27-2011, 08:12 AM

I didnt actually watch these vids, just skimmed through them, but they seem like pretty good instructions. Also, the comments are really positive so this may help you:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DbiERklj8Y"]Garage Door Spring Repair and Replacement - HABPRO of Atlanta - Part 1 - YouTube[/ame]

its 3 parts I believe

**SonofaBish** · 09-27-2011, 08:23 AM

I left out an important peice of info.... mine are the type of springs that are above the door in the center, NOT the ones that run along the sides...

**SonofaBish** · 09-27-2011, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by White5.0

I didnt actually watch these vids, just skimmed through them, but they seem like pretty good instructions. Also, the comments are really positive so this may help you:

Garage Door Spring Repair and Replacement - HABPRO of Atlanta - Part 1 - YouTube

its 3 parts I believe

thanks, i'll have to watch it when i get home...

**PaxtonShelby** · 09-27-2011, 10:04 AM

You need the right size/tension spring for your door. If installed improperly your opener can be under too much load, causing it to fail prematurely. I called Hunt Door Company - they're in Moon - when mine went bad. My door is solid wood, about 1.5 inches thick - approx 16' x 7' - and it weighs a TON. I wasn't about to do it myself. I believe it cost me $200 total. He said my old spring was 2 sizes too light. It was always very hard to lift the door manually - like when the power went out. Now, it is MUCH easier with the correct size spring properly adjusted. If your doors are not heavy ( you have the 3 single doors, right? ) then maybe you can do it yourself. But for $200 ( and yours might be less ) I'd rather have a pro do it. Heck - he might even cut you a deal on the other 2 doors if you want to change them out at the same time.

Gotta love home ownership!!

**Terminated** · 09-27-2011, 11:03 AM

Honestly, I would have an insured garage door company do it. My mom just had to have someone come out to make adjustments on her garage door cus it came off the tracks, and it was only $120 for adjustments and to replace a wheel. Those things hold such high tension, it's not worth losing a finger.

Although, they are a lot less dangerous than the older springs that go along the rails on each side. Ask me how I know about those...

**Viper_ed** · 09-28-2011, 11:18 PM

Bish, they are actually very easy to do. A good friend of mine installs them for a living. There is a certain spec that you have to follow for the number of windings you have to put on the spring. There are markings that will stagger as you wind the spring and they are what is used to gauge the tension. Important thing is to make sure you have good bars for leverage when winding the spring and make sure you wear gloves. If you slip when winding them, you will cause damage, most likely to yourself.

**SonofaBish** · 09-29-2011, 07:16 AM

Thanks Ed...

the only thing that's making me think about having someone else do it is this: a.) a place my coworker went to puts a lifetime guarantee on the whole job... if the spring ever breaks again (which we know it will) then they will replace it... so its a little bit of an investment, and b.) i think places usually come out within a day or two and do it.... I don't have a clue when i'll get a chance to do it.... I'd have to order the spring, wait for it to come in, create the bars needed, etc, etc... just seems like it might be 2-4 weeks til i'd get it done... and only a coupe days later, i'm already annoyed by having to open the door behidn the TA or Lexus to get out of the garage

**John4cam** · 09-29-2011, 07:17 AM

I agree with Ed, those things are freaking dangerous.

**Viper_ed** · 09-30-2011, 05:27 PM

Just remember, it should not be more than a $200 charge to have someone come out and do it.

**Terminated** · 09-30-2011, 05:31 PM

I would think around $100 or less...

**PaxtonShelby** · 09-30-2011, 06:15 PM

Was $200 total for the big spring on my 16x7 door about 5 years ago.

**SteelTownStang** · 09-30-2011, 09:25 PM

Must be the weather or something... one of mine recently went, and I know of two others with the same problem. Weird! Easy change... the spring is color coded according to weight. Look at the end, and match the color for your replacement. Make sure that you reinstalled the "safety" cable. Good luck!

**PaxtonShelby** · 09-30-2011, 10:04 PM

I believe his spring is a torsion-style spring that mounts on the front wall of the garage - not along the top of the track where the door travels. A pipe runs through the torsion spring, which is loaded and locked to the pipe when the proper tension is set.

**How Much?** · 10-01-2011, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by dannythekid

Honestly, I would have an insured garage door company do it. My mom just had to have someone come out to make adjustments on her garage door cus it came off the tracks, and it was only $120 for adjustments and to replace a wheel. Those things hold such high tension, it's not worth losing a finger.

Although, they are a lot less dangerous than the older springs that go along the rails on each side. Ask me how I know about those...

ok i know your dying to answer, so,,,,how do you know???