How to Install Garage Door Springs

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Step 1

Always use good quality, snug fitting, constant diameter, solid steel winding bars when winding or adjusting springs. The use of any other object can result in severe injury, when winding the springs. The winding bar must be inserted into the full depth of the holes in the winding cone. Keep a firm grip on the winding bars at all times. Use a sturdy ladder and stand to the side of the winding bars. It is important that the torsion spring assembly be firmly and securely attached to the frame of the garage. Failure to securely attach the anchor could allow the springs to violently pull away from the garage wall and could result in severe injury and/or property damage. In no case should nails be used to secure the anchor pad.

Refer to (Fig 1) for the configuration of 2" x 6" wood jambs.

Important: The wood anchor pad must be made of Grade 2 or better southern yellow pine (also known as southern pine or yellow pine). Other acceptable types of wood for this application are beech, birch, hickory, and oak. The wood must be free of splits and cracks. Do not use wood labeled as spruce pine fir (or SPF).

Each side jamb and the center anchor should extend 12" above the top of the opening for 12" radius horizontal track and 15" above the opening for 15" radius horizontal track.

The wood anchor pad must be attached to the frame of the garage with at least four 3/8" x 4" long lag screws for wooden frames or four 3/8" x 4" long sleeve anchors for concrete frames (one at each corner). The four fasteners must be installed no closer than 1-1/2" from the sides and the ends of the anchor pad. These fasteners must be embedded into the frame of the garage, not the drywall or sheet rock. Do not use nails.

NOTE: The wood anchor pad can be off-center to the width of the opening by up to 10" in either direction.

Step 2

Lock the door in the down position securely using the door lock or locking pliers. This must be done to prevent the door from prematurely opening which can cause injury.

NOTE: You need an assistant in Step 4. If your garage has only one entrance, be sure you, the assistant, and the tools you need are inside before you lock the door.

Your door will have either one or two springs. Each torsion spring consists of spring coils, stationary cone, and a winding cone (Fig 2). The spring coils are color coded depending on the spring size and the winding cone is color coded separately, either red or black. The color on the winding cone is to help identify on which side of the door the spring is to be used.

Black winding cone torsion springs are used on the right side of the door and red winding cone torsion springs are used on the left side of the door when viewing the door from the inside looking out. Failure to install the torsion springs on the correct side will cause your door to function improperly and could result in serious injury. (NOTE: If you have low headroom, these instructions DO NOT APPLY.) Call for assistance.

Slip the torsion springs onto the spring tube, the red winding cone on the left end, the nylon center bearing, center bearing plate, and the black winding cone torsion spring on the right end (Fig 3). Cable drums go on next, the red drum on the left, black drum on the right. The set screws on the drums face the springs.

Step 3

Fasten the bottom of the end bearing plate to the horizontal angle with (2) 3/8" X 3/4" long hex head bolts and hex nuts. The bottom of the end bearing plate is identitifed by two parallel rows of two slots. Please make sure to use the bottom two slots for 12" radius horizontal track, and the upper two slots for 15" radius horizontal track. When properly mounted the torsion tube is level and straight (Fig 4).

Before installing any lag screws, it is important to drill 3/16" pilot holes where the lag srews are to be attached. Fasten the wall flange on the end bearing plate to the wood jamb with (1) 5/16" X 1-5/8" long lag screws. Drill 3/16" pilot holes wheree lag screws are to be installed. On 12" radius horizontal track, each end bearing plate should also be attached with 3/8" X 3/4" carriage bolts and 3/8" nuts (Fig. 4).

Step 4

With an assistant, lift the complete torsion spring tube assembly and slide the ends of the tube into the bearing on the end bearing plates. With the tube level, mount the center bearing plate to the center anchor pad using (2) 5/16" x 1-5/8" long lag screws.

Before mounting the center bearing plate, drill (2) 3/16" pilot holes for the lag screws. These pilot holes must be no closer than 1-1/2" from the sides and ends of the wood anchor. The center bearing plate resists the considerable counter torque of the springs. This wood anchor must be installed to the frame of the garage as stated in Step 1.

Step 5

The cable that is attached to each bottom bracket is brought up between the wall and rollers shafts to the cable drum. This cable is placed in the notch on the cable drum. Turning the cable drum and sliding it tight against the end bearing plate removes the slack. Make sure the cable follows the grooves in the cable drum. The set screws on the cable drum should be tightened while holding the cable taut. Locking pliers clamped to the torsion spring tube maintain tension on the cable (Fig 2). This procedure should be repeated on the opposite side. (Always start with the RED cable drum mounted on the left side as your standing in the garage looking out to the driveway) Use the locking pliers on this side.

Step 6

NEVER use screwdrivers or other substitutes for winding bars! Stand to the side of the bars. Be sure to insert the bars all the way into the hole.

Check for a straight line drawn across the length of the springs(s). If no line is present, draw one using a piece of chalk. This will be used to indicate the number of turns on the spring(s). After inserting the two winding bars all the way into the winding cone, wind the springs 1/4 turn at a time in an upward direction as shown in Fig 5. The number of turns is shown in the table in Fig 2. The tail of the torsion spring coil pints in the direction that the spring is wound (Fig 5a).

Secure each spring with the set screws on the winding cone. (Caution: Set screws should be turned from 3/4 to one full turn after they have made contact with the tube.) On doors with two torsion springs, each torsion spring should be wound the same number of turns. Remove the locking pliers.

Step 7

If this is the first time the door is being opened. If the tracks are not correctly aligned or the back hangers are not strong enough, the door may fall. Proceed slowly and carefully.

Unlock the door, slowly raise the door and prop it about halfway open.

Check to be sure the horizontal tracks are parallel with each side of the door. Make sure all the lag screws are securely fastened. With the door about halfway open, make sure the rollers do not come out of the top brackets more than about 1/2". If adjustment of the rear track hanger is necessary, the door must be locked in the closed position because the weight of the door is supported by the rear hangers.

NOTE: If the torsion springs do not increase in tension as the 1/4 turns are added to the springs, then you probably have the torsion springs reversed. (See Step 2.)

Step 8

To adjust torsion spring tension, the door is locked in the down position. With locking pliers clamped on the torsion tube, winding bars are used to wind the springs tighter to increase tension. Tension is reduced by removing turns. When two springs are used, both sides should be adjusted the same. Adjustments should be made in 1/4 turn increments.

NEVER adjust center bearing plate or fasteners after springs are wound. Be prepared to handle a strong force when reducing tension on a torsion spring. Use winding bars only, and stand to the side.

Lift door about halfway open and release. The door should not travel more than a few inches in either direction. You may need to release or add a 1/4 turn to fine tune your doors balance.
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