How To Balance A Garage Door With Extension Springs

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.

How to balance a garage door with extension springs.

Use the handle to close the door all the way if it doesn t have an opener. Push the door up as far as you can to release the tension on the springs. You can do this by opening the door all the way and propping it up with a ladder. Adjust the springs on both sides of the door the same way.

Just as with their heavy duty cousins the torsion springs extension spring work should be performed with safety in mind. If the door was closing too quickly move the spring to the next higher hole on the bracket. 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. Place scale under the garage door on the side of the door with the broken extension spring.

Retest the door balance as you did in step 1. These springs run parallel to the track and often have a large pulley at the door end. Once the spring is free of tension remove from its track hanger. Extension springs can frequently be adjusted from the open door or relaxed position by repositioning hooks or attachment points.

With an extension spring door the goal is to take all the tension off the door before you even think about touching a spring. If it was opening too quickly move it to the next lower hole. You need to start with the door in the down position so you can lift it up to various heights and check the balance. Do not use a digital scale as they often will not respond to the door weight changing as rollers no longer stick to the track.

Raise the door and release the garage door opener. Extension spring systems use springs to provide the force or counter balance for the garage door but in the extension spring system the springs attach on both side of the garage door with one end of the spring attaching to angle iron or wooden supports at the top end of the track. This video will help you weigh a garage door with extension springs. Press the button on the garage door opener to close the door if it has an opener.

Close the garage door all the way.