How do I increase the tension in a garage door spring?
 

I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need to
increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't see a
safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type spring.
What's the secret?

--
Dave S
(The return email address is a dummy)

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:

I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need
to increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't
see a safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type
spring. What's the secret?


The FAQs on the Cardale site at http://www.cardale.com/ might help.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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Dave wrote:
I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need to
increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't see a
safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type spring.
What's the secret?

You can fiddle it a very little by cutting the spring, annealing the
end, and reattaching.
Other options are to add external springs, which may well be awkward.

Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:


I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need
to increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't
see a safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type
spring. What's the secret?



The FAQs on the Cardale site at http://www.cardale.com/ might help.

Thanks but I'd looked there, it refers to instructions in a manual that
I don't have!

--
Dave S
(The return email address is a dummy)

Ian Stirling wrote:
Dave wrote:

I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need to
increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't see a
safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type spring.
What's the secret?


You can fiddle it a very little by cutting the spring, annealing the
end, and reattaching.
Other options are to add external springs, which may well be awkward.

That sounds a bit severe, I don't fancy taking the spring assy apart.
I'd thought of locking the spring, supporting the door part open and
then detaching the cables and winding them once more around the drum but
hoped there might be an easier way(?)

--
Dave S
(The return email address is a dummy)

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:

Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:


I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need
to increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't
see a safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type
spring. What's the secret?



The FAQs on the Cardale site at http://www.cardale.com/ might help.

Thanks but I'd looked there, it refers to instructions in a manual
that I don't have!

Doesn't it also say that they should be on the back of the door? Maybe
you've covered them up with your insulation!
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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On some doors there are alternative terminating points for the cables.
Alternatively, you could add some. When all else fails fit an electric
door opener(assuming this is possible) and the problem will not exist!

Regards
Capitol

"Dave" wrote in message
...
I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need to
increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't see a
safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type spring.
What's the secret?

Dave S


An up and over door normally has two tension springs, one on either runner,
that you can wind up tighter with a steel bar or big screw driver. Doesn't
your door have this arrangement?


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BigWallop wrote:
"Dave" wrote in message
...

I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need to
increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't see a
safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type spring.
What's the secret?

Dave S



An up and over door normally has two tension springs, one on either runner,
that you can wind up tighter with a steel bar or big screw driver. Doesn't
your door have this arrangement?


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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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No, there's a "clock-type" spring in the centre with cables going off to
the edges of the door.

--
Dave S
(The return email address is a dummy)

Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:


Set Square wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:



I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need
to increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't
see a safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type
spring. What's the secret?



The FAQs on the Cardale site at http://www.cardale.com/ might help.

Thanks but I'd looked there, it refers to instructions in a manual
that I don't have!


Doesn't it also say that they should be on the back of the door? Maybe
you've covered them up with your insulation!

.... nothing on the back of the door (even before the insulation went on).

--
Dave S
(The return email address is a dummy)

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave wrote:


... nothing on the back of the door (even before the insulation went
on).

Well, they have some contact details on their site - maybe you'll have to
*ask* them!
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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This sounds like a cardale drum type spring,central in door frame aprrox 8"
in dia

SORRY FOR SHOUTING HERE BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A UNQUALIFIED
PERSON ADJUST THIS MECHANISM,EXTREME DANGER TO YOUR EYES AND LIMBS WILL
OCCURR AS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS WITH THIS DEVICE.

It is not designed to take extra weight to the door and I cannot stress
enough the above advice,even professionals in the trade will shy away from
these.Cardale no longer make these devices as the machine that wound them
broke down and was uneconomical to repair.

You could assist the door by using a pulley and weight system/

"Dave" wrote in message
...
BigWallop wrote:
"Dave" wrote in message
...

I've just insulated my Cardale up-and-over garage doors and now need to
increase the spring force to overcome the extra weight. I can't see a
safe way to increase the tension in the central clock-type spring.
What's the secret?

Dave S



An up and over door normally has two tension springs, one on either
runner,
that you can wind up tighter with a steel bar or big screw driver.
Doesn't
your door have this arrangement?


No, there's a "clock-type" spring in the centre with cables going off to
the edges of the door.

--
Dave S


And nothing obvious that looks like it could take a key or piece of metal
bar? Somewhere in the centre of the spring housing I would have thought
they'd give some kind of tension mechanism, or is it done by lengthening or
shortening the cables?


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