How To Balance A Garage Door With Extension Springs

Locate the torsion springs on the bar above the garage door.

How to balance a garage door with extension springs.

You must release the tension on the garage door springs before attempting adjustment or replacement. If the door was closing too quickly move the spring to the next higher hole on the bracket. Hold the garage door in this position by attaching a c clamp to the track at a point below the lowest door roller wheel. If it was opening too quickly move it to the next lower hole.

Periodic maintenance of your garage door includes balancing to ensure the door opens and closes with maximum efficiency. You can do this by opening the door all the way and propping it up with a ladder. Raise the door and release the garage door opener. An unbalanced door can pose safety issues and tax a garage door opener.

To keep the door from falling it must be clamped to hold it in place. This is accomplished by opening the garage door as fully as possible until it hits the stop bolt on the track. Adjust the springs on both sides of the door the same way. This can still be done when only one extension spring is broken.

Be ready to grab the door in case of dramatic movement. Place scale under the garage door on the side of the door with the broken extension spring. With an extension spring door the goal is to take all the tension off the door before you even think about touching a spring. Weigh your garage door.

Open it just as wide as you can without hitting the garage door opener s stop bolt and place a clamp on the track on both sides to keep the door in place. For extension springs this is in the up position. Retest the door balance as you did in step 1. To perform the balance test close the garage door normally and detach the automatic opener if present.

Look at the wall just above the garage door. Once the spring is free of tension remove from its track hanger. The bar also has a pulley at each end through which the garage door cables that open and close it pass. To adjust your garage door s side mounted springs first open your door fully and secure it in place with a c clamp below the bottom roller.

From the middle of the door lift it to the halfway mark and carefully let go. Once your garage door is secured remove the spring hook from the track hanger which will allow you to move the hook and adjust the spring s tension.