At 10:36 PM 1/8/2006, Mark Andy wrote:
>I've got a weak garage door that has a wound spring around a rod at
>the front top of the door...
>Do I just need a couple rods of the appropriate size to wind a
>little more tension into the spring? Presumably I should put a rod
>in, hold it, and loosen what looks like a set screw, then wind a
>turn into it, reset the set screw, test, etc.?
As you've probably heard, garage door springs are considered "a very
dangerous thing you should not attempt to service
yourself." Ha! Nonsense I thought, I'll just ask the shop-talk
guys (s.b in the archives about two years ago.)
My door is the same setup, but I ended up hiring it done anyway. The
guy only wanted $55 for a service call up to one hour. When he
finished and began writing up the paperwork, I tried one of my
favorite tactics, the "cash discount" -- Me: "Oh, that's ok. I
don't really need a receipt. Is cash OK?" He says "Uh, sure. $40
sound good?" I gave him $45 :)
If you really want to try it (I probably would, if it needed to
again), here's what he did:
* Door lowered, opener disconnected.
* Vise-grips on the track at both sides above the rollers, so it couldn't move.
* Two rods, 10 or 12" long, approx 3/8" diameter or whatever to fit
in the holes in the spring hub.
* Insert one rod at appropriate place to [hopfully] contact door
header and prevent spring from flying loose, if it got out of control.
* Insert and 2nd rod hold while carefully loosening set screws;
torque the hub to increase tension.
* Retighten set screws.
* Repeat as necessary (being a pro, he estimated and did maybe 3
quarter turns, which was about just right.)
* Remove safety clamps and test.
See paragraph #1. There is a hell'va lot of energy stored there (esp
on an older or heavier door) and you can really f**k your self up if
things go wrong.
-Wayne
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