How to Repair a Garage Door Spring

Garage doors are often neglected, and people rarely think about them until something goes wrong. In many cases, if the door can't open or close properly, it usually has to do with the springs. If you thought that this is something that can be fixed quickly, think again. It would be best to have at least a certain level of skill in working on DIY projects. You also have to take some safety precautions since self-performed garage door repairs are one of the most common causes of DIY accidents. Let's take a look at the steps you'll need to take to repair garage door springs safely and effectively.

Know the Type of Springs on Your Garage Door

Know that there are two main types of garage door springs: extension springs and torsion springs. Extension springs are usually mounted on the sides of the door and counterbalance its force. On the other hand, Torsion springs are made of a spring wrapped around a metal shaft located above the door. These use rotational power, or torque, to help open and shut the door.

For the sake of this exercise, we're going to teach you how to perform a garage door spring repair with extension springs, as they're the most popular type by far. But, first, let's take a look at how to get started.

Get the Tools

The first step is getting the tools. You also have to make sure that you get the proper protective equipment. It would be best if you got yourself a hard hat, gloves, and safety goggles. Then, you will need to get a nice sturdy ladder, two c-clamps, a marker or masking tape, and an adjustable wrench. You will also require new extension springs, garage spray lubricant, and new brackets or cables if needed.

Open the Door

The next step is to open the door completely. This is done to free the springs of any tension. If your entry is manual, you have to open it until it hits the stop bolt. If it's automatic, however, open the door entirely with the remote and pull the door's emergency cord below and back, so the spring stays in the open position. This will remove the connection between the spring and the opening and release all tension.

Detach the Extension Spring and Cables

The extension spring will be attached to the back of the garage door's track. You first need to unbolt it. Next, locate the bracket to which the lift cable is attached right above the door's opening. Next, remove the moving pulley from the spring's end and remove the loose thread from around the pulley. The next step will be to remove the safety cable. Once this is done, the extension spring can be removed.

Attach New Safety Cables

The next step will be to thread the safety cable through your new spring and make sure that the ends of the safety cable are attached to the track brackets. 

Install the Lift Cable

Attach one end of the spring to the corresponding connection point on the door track and the other to the moveable pulley. The cable has to be threaded from the bracket on the door's bottom corner, over the stationary pulley, looped around the moveable pulley on the extremity of the spring, then back to the door's track bracket. Once you reach that part, make sure that you apply a bit of force so you can stretch the spring by around 1 to 2 inches.

The only step left is to test how the door works. Remove the clamps, plug in the car opener, and spray a bit of lubricant on the springs. Then, you can open the door up and down to see if some adjustments need to be made.

As you can see, repairing garage door springs isn't that complex and can be done independently. However, it's still a severe project and could have dire consequences if not done correctly, so make sure you have the skills and be safe.