I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue

In article ,
says...

I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue


Side mounted extension springs are very easy to change, quite safe compared to
torsion drive, since you work with no spring tension. Roll the door up. Use a C
clamp on each track to hold the door up (or vise grips). The spring is now just
hanging there with no tension. Unhook the cable, remove and replace the spring
and hook the cable back up. Try to get equal tension on each side, just barely
enough to hold the spring horizontal.

If it is a recent door there will be a safety cable down the center of the
spring that you will need to remove and replace also. And if it doesn't have
a safety cable, put one on, they are availabe at any Home Depot along with the
springs.

Here is Clopay's instructions, lots of other stuff on their site:

http://www.clopaydoor.com/publicfile...lyInstruct.pdf

Just curious, why do they need replacing?

--
Dennis

"Sue" writes:

I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue

I'll do a fair amount of stuff myself. Garage door springs with
energy and tension to shoot through my chest, however, aren't among
them. They're among the more dangerous goodies in a home IMO.

Don't wanna chase you away from saving money, but if you screw it up
you could end up disabled or dead without too much imagination.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

(Todd H.) writes:

"Sue" writes:

I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue

I'll do a fair amount of stuff myself. Garage door springs with
energy and tension to shoot through my chest, however, aren't among
them. They're among the more dangerous goodies in a home IMO.

Don't wanna chase you away from saving money, but if you screw it up
you could end up disabled or dead without too much imagination.

Doh--disregard -- I wasn't aware side springs were so easy to work
with and weren't under tension all the time like the coils I've seen
so often.

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

DT wrote:
In article ,
says...

I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue



Side mounted extension springs are very easy to change, quite safe compared to
torsion drive, since you work with no spring tension. Roll the door up. Use a C
clamp on each track to hold the door up (or vise grips). The spring is now just
hanging there with no tension. Unhook the cable, remove and replace the spring
and hook the cable back up. Try to get equal tension on each side, just barely
enough to hold the spring horizontal.

If it is a recent door there will be a safety cable down the center of the
spring that you will need to remove and replace also. And if it doesn't have
a safety cable, put one on, they are availabe at any Home Depot along with the
springs.

Here is Clopay's instructions, lots of other stuff on their site:

http://www.clopaydoor.com/publicfile...lyInstruct.pdf

Just curious, why do they need replacing?



All I might add to what DT said and the link he gave you is to make sure
you get the proper strength springs to match your door's weight.

Sometimes the springs are color coded with paint, to assist getting the
correct replacements, but the most certain test is to carefully lower
the door onto a bathroom scale with the door's springs disconnected.
(This may take a couple of husky guys to help you with.)

If the weight of the door exceeds the scale's range, you can easily
double that range with a simple lever made out of a foot or two length
of 2 by 4 and a brick. Put one end of wood on the scale and the other on
the brick and place that rig so the door gets lowered onto the center of
the piece of wood, then just double the scale's reading.

Once you know the weight of the door, just buy springs with a rating
close to that weight.

HTH,

Jeff


--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

One of the reasons that I was looking for graphic instructions is that I
have a solid, one piece door not a roll up door.
Because it is not a roll up door I do not have those 'tracks' that all the
instructions I have read tell me to C-Clamp to hold the door in
place.......so that makes me wonder what else I do have or do not have that
the instructions are not addressing.
I think you are correct, in that there is not nearly the danger in working
with side mounted springs as there is in working with tension springs. My
existing springs have the safety cable running down the center - does that
cable wear, should that be replaced too?
The reason I want to replace the springs is first they are 12 years old, and
second I recently replaced the sprocket on my garage door opener and the
garage door seems much less balanced than it did prior to that replacement.
Especially when moving downward when closing the door - the door moves from
side to side. So I thought the springs might be the next thing to conquer!
Thanks for your prompt response. But I would still like some
photos/pictures showing all the parts and location of those parts that need
to be replaced.
Sue


"DT" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this
home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than
without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue


Side mounted extension springs are very easy to change, quite safe
compared to
torsion drive, since you work with no spring tension. Roll the door up.
Use a C
clamp on each track to hold the door up (or vise grips). The spring is now
just
hanging there with no tension. Unhook the cable, remove and replace the
spring
and hook the cable back up. Try to get equal tension on each side, just
barely
enough to hold the spring horizontal.

If it is a recent door there will be a safety cable down the center of the
spring that you will need to remove and replace also. And if it doesn't
have
a safety cable, put one on, they are availabe at any Home Depot along with
the
springs.

Here is Clopay's instructions, lots of other stuff on their site:

http://www.clopaydoor.com/publicfile...lyInstruct.pdf

Just curious, why do they need replacing?

--
Dennis

In article ,
says...

One of the reasons that I was looking for graphic instructions is that I
have a solid, one piece door not a roll up door.
Because it is not a roll up door I do not have those 'tracks' that all the
instructions I have read tell me to C-Clamp to hold the door in
place.......so that makes me wonder what else I do have or do not have that
the instructions are not addressing.
I think you are correct, in that there is not nearly the danger in working
with side mounted springs as there is in working with tension springs. My
existing springs have the safety cable running down the center - does that
cable wear, should that be replaced too?
The reason I want to replace the springs is first they are 12 years old, and
second I recently replaced the sprocket on my garage door opener and the
garage door seems much less balanced than it did prior to that replacement.
Especially when moving downward when closing the door - the door moves from
side to side. So I thought the springs might be the next thing to conquer!
Thanks for your prompt response. But I would still like some
photos/pictures showing all the parts and location of those parts that need
to be replaced.
Sue


I've never worked on that style door. There are probably points where the
mechanism can be clamped to lock it up, but as long as it has an opener, just
run her up and turn the power off to the opener, it will hold the door fine.

It doesn't really sound like the springs are part of the problem you described,
sounds more like worn bushings.

The safety cables don't wear out in my experience, but check them for any
rubbed areas.


--
Dennis

OK - where are the bushings you speak about? Any chance I can handle that
myself?


"DT" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

One of the reasons that I was looking for graphic instructions is that I
have a solid, one piece door not a roll up door.
Because it is not a roll up door I do not have those 'tracks' that all the
instructions I have read tell me to C-Clamp to hold the door in
place.......so that makes me wonder what else I do have or do not have
that
the instructions are not addressing.
I think you are correct, in that there is not nearly the danger in working
with side mounted springs as there is in working with tension springs. My
existing springs have the safety cable running down the center - does that
cable wear, should that be replaced too?
The reason I want to replace the springs is first they are 12 years old,
and
second I recently replaced the sprocket on my garage door opener and the
garage door seems much less balanced than it did prior to that
replacement.
Especially when moving downward when closing the door - the door moves
from
side to side. So I thought the springs might be the next thing to
conquer!
Thanks for your prompt response. But I would still like some
photos/pictures showing all the parts and location of those parts that
need
to be replaced.
Sue


I've never worked on that style door. There are probably points where the
mechanism can be clamped to lock it up, but as long as it has an opener,
just
run her up and turn the power off to the opener, it will hold the door
fine.

It doesn't really sound like the springs are part of the problem you
described,
sounds more like worn bushings.

The safety cables don't wear out in my experience, but check them for any
rubbed areas.


--
Dennis

Get the right spring. Home Depot has a small selection. Door companies have
more and are more expensive. Open the door and tie it open. The new spring
may have a different fastener than the old spring. Some old springs have "S"
hooks on the ends. The new ones are like a "D" so the spring can't fly if it
breaks. The new spring will also have a cable in it to keep it there if it
breaks. Anyway, attach the bottom of the spring to the door frame, and then
pull the spring up and attach the top. This is the hard part. I use a small
come along and a big screwdriver. My whole subdivision had Holmes doors,
most have been replaced with overhead doors now. I've changed a dozen of
these springs with no problems.

Al

You can get the springs for your one-piece garage door he
http://www.garagedoorsupply.com/custom.html

http://www.bearcatco.com/helpgifs/onepiece_main.html

You might find this site useful.

Doordoc

Sue wrote:
I think I want to replace my side mounted garage door springs myself.
I have searched the web for instructions and found 1 semi-useful site
(www.naturalhandymand.com ) but I would really like some instructions with
photos or pictures. This will be the first time I have attempted this home
repair, and I'm much more comfortable with too much inforation than without
enough information.
Thanks,
Sue

We are looking to replace single steel door with sectional door. The side springs look different from all others I have seen with a long bolt in the end of the spring. How are these removed? Can you recommend website with video or pictures please.

On 05/01/2016 8:27 AM, wrote:
We are looking to replace single steel door with sectional door. The
side springs look different from all others I have seen with a long
bolt in the end of the spring. How are these removed? ...

Carefully, perhaps?

Prop up the door to remove w/o tension; unless you've got adequate help
use a mechanical aid such as a comealong or winch to then lower the door.

--

On Sun, 01 May 2016 10:17:42 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 05/01/2016 8:27 AM, wrote:
We are looking to replace single steel door with sectional door. The
side springs look different from all others I have seen with a long
bolt in the end of the spring. How are these removed? ...

Carefully, perhaps?

Prop up the door to remove w/o tension; unless you've got adequate help
use a mechanical aid such as a comealong or winch to then lower the door.

Clamp a vice grips on the track when the door is up, so it cant go down.
I usually prop a 2x4 under it too. Remove spring(s). Normally, this is
when you install some new springs. But of you are removing the door,
lower it by lowering the vice grips on alternate sides. In other words,
put vice grips 8 or 10" lower on the other side of the door, remove th
first vice grips and let the door down to that other vice grips. Keep
doing that until it's all the way down. A comealong or winch will surely
help too.

Or use the farmer method. Stack hay bales under the door, and remove
them one row at a time as you lower the door. Yes, I did that once and
it also worked well.

On Sun, 01 May 2016 10:17:42 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 05/01/2016 8:27 AM, wrote:
We are looking to replace single steel door with sectional door. The
side springs look different from all others I have seen with a long
bolt in the end of the spring. How are these removed? ...

Carefully, perhaps?

Prop up the door to remove w/o tension; unless you've got adequate help
use a mechanical aid such as a comealong or winch to then lower the door.

We don't know the OP's skills - yet.

He can look here for days. Read and study. Credits to my Huckleberry
friend, Danny D.

http://ddmgaragedoors.com/index.php

On 5/1/16 9:27 AM, wrote:
We are looking to replace single steel door with sectional door. The side springs look different from all others I have seen with a long bolt in the end of the spring. How are these removed? Can you recommend website with video or pictures please.


Don't get your back up but- if you have to ask that question, the
replacement job is probably above your pay grade. Garage doors and
springs are real dangerous for amateur DIYs to work with.

Check with the local distributor of the brand of door you want to buy
for the names of a couple of good installers. They'll steer you to the
right guys.

Well worth the money- cheaper than an ER visit or damage to your garage
or new door;-)

--
The lion may be King of the Jungle, but airdrop him into Antarctica and
he’s just a penguin’s bitch.
- Capt. James Pickett