Even though garage door springs are small, they have a big impact on how well your garage door works. Among the different types of springs used for this purpose, side-mounted ones are the most common.
It may seem like a difficult task to adjust these springs but with proper instructions, it’s something that can be done by yourself.
This article will provide step-by-step directions that should enable you to adjust and maintain the tension in your side-mounted garage door spring system confidently.
Understanding Side-Mounted Garage Door Springs
Side-mounted or extension springs are placed at each side of the garage door. These kinds of springs store energy when they stretch or extend as the door moves up and down.
They are simpler than torsion springs, which are mounted above doors and use torque to lift them open because they only need to be adjusted manually.
Over time, side mounted-springs may wear out and lose their tension causing an imbalance in the doors’ weight distribution system. As a result, this makes them harder to open or close smoothly which is why such symptoms should be noticed early enough before things get worse.
Safety Precautions
Keep safety in mind before proceeding with the adjustment process. Wrongly performed, garage door springs can be dangerous. Here are some points to consider:
- Wear Protective Gear: Safety glasses and gloves will come in handy in avoiding accidents.
- Disconnect Power: Ensure that the garage door opener is disconnected to prevent accidental activation.
- Secure the Door: Utilize locking pliers or C-clamps to hold it still while working on it.
- Work in a Clear Space: Remove any objects that may cause tripping or falling hazards around the garage door area.
Tools Needed
Having appropriate tools makes adjustments safer and easier. Consider having these tools with you:
- Wrenches and Pliers: Used for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts.
- C-Clamps or Locking Pliers: They come in handy when securing the door at certain points during adjustments.
- Safety Glasses and Gloves: Protect yourself from getting hurt while undertaking different tasks.
- Stepladder: It provides better access especially if there are high garage doors that need adjustment.
- Tape Measure: To make sure precise modifications are done.
- Lubricant: This will ensure that springs remain well-oiled as well as other moving parts.
You can buy these tools at your local hardware shop or on the internet. The purchase of high-quality tools will save you time and energy in the future.
Steps to Adjust Side-Mounted Garage Door Springs
Now, let’s walk through each step of adjusting your side-mounted garage door springs. This guide will help you do it easily and accurately.
Step 1: Disconnect the Power and Secure the Door
Begin by unplugging the door opener so that it cannot move while you’re working. Then open the garage door fully and use locking pliers or C-clamps fastened to the tracks just below the bottom rollers to hold it in place. This will keep it from falling suddenly which could cause injury. If you see that the opener has a problem, you can contact California Garage Door Repair to help you with doing a garage door opener repair.
Step 2: Identify the Spring Tension Adjustment Points
Find out where tension can be adjusted on the springs. Usually, these are located close to one end of a spring which connects to the track hanger. You’ll see a bunch of holes along the track hanger where the spring’s end is hooked. This hook positioned into different holes determines how tight or loose a spring should be.
Step 3: Use the Appropriate Tools to Adjust the Spring Tension
You have got to unhook each spring from its current hole carefully and move them elsewhere to change tensions with wrenches and pliers. When closer to the hanger, there will be more tension while further away lessens it. Make adjustments equally on both sides for balance.
Step 4: Test the Garage Door Balance
After making modifications, take off the clamps then lower halfway down. If it remains steady at this position, then the springs are balanced okay. But if falls below or rises above that level, then further alterations must be done until it stabilizes at mid-point.
Step 5: Make Final Adjustments as Needed
You may need to make some slight adjustments to achieve perfect balance. Even small changes will have a great effect so keep adjusting little by little while frequently checking whether or not balance has been achieved. It can take time but if you’re patient enough for this process, you’ll eventually get there!
Detailed Process for Garage Door Side Spring Tension Adjustment
Let’s dig deeper into the process of adjustment to ensure that every detail is well understood. Below are a few more pointers:
- Measure Twice, Adjust Once: Use your tape measure to verify that the distance between the coils of the spring is consistent after adjusting it.
- Lubricate the Springs: You can apply silicone-based lubricants to reduce friction on these parts and make them last longer.
- Check for Wear and Tear: It is important to inspect springs for signs of rusting while adjusting them. If there are any damaged areas found during inspection, they should be replaced immediately so that no future complications may arise.
Some key errors that must be avoided include over-tightening them especially when they snap, and failure to adjust both sides equally which causes an imbalance with the door.
Side-Mount Garage Door Spring Repair
Sometimes adjustment alone is not adequate and the springs may require garage door spring repair or garage door spring replacement. Below are signs that indicate when this becomes necessary and how to go about it.
Identifying the Need for Repair or Replacement
- Visible Damage: Rust, cracks, or deformities in the springs.
- Inconsistent Operation: The door either moves unevenly or makes strange sounds.
- Lack of Tension: Even after being adjusted, springs tend to feel loose.
Steps to Replace Side-Mounted Garage Door Springs
- Release Tension: The springs should be pulled out from the track hanger carefully.
- Remove Old Springs: The springs ought to be unhooked from the bracket and track.
- Install New Springs: Put new springs onto tracks ensuring they are equal in size and strength to previous ones.
- Reconnect and Adjust: Loop back into the track hanger while adjusting the tension as described earlier.
Remember, California Garage Door Repair can offer professional assistance if you think the task can be too much for you.
DIY vs. Professional Adjustment
There are various factors that you should consider when choosing whether to adjust the springs by yourself or hire a professional. Both methods have their good and bad sides, understanding which will help you make an informed choice.
DIY Adjustment
Pros:
- Affordable: The reason why many homeowners prefer adjusting their spring is cost. Hiring an expert can be expensive hence doing it by yourself is cheaper.
- Gratifying: The feeling one gets after successfully finishing a DIY project cannot be compared to anything else. It gives you pride in knowing that you fixed something important in your house without anyone’s help.
- Immediate Control Over The Process: If you do the fixing alone, no one dictates when and how things should happen except for yourself. You take charge of everything until completion unlike waiting for experts who may not be available soonest possible time.
Cons:
- Injury Risk Involved: These parts are under huge tension therefore mishandling them could cause severe injuries. Even with precautions injuries are still likely to occur because they can’t be avoided completely.
- Time And Effort Required: Adjusting these springs takes quite some hours especially if there is no prior experience on how it’s done. This means that a lot of effort must be put into this task plus patience since things might not go well on the first try.
- Potential For Errors: Lack of knowledge coupled with lack of skills makes people prone to making mistakes here thus leading to more damage within the garage door system itself which attracts higher charges during the repair process later on.
Professional Adjustment
Pros:
- Safety: Professionals ensure safety by doing the work. They have been trained to handle high-tension springs without endangering themselves.
- Skills: Professionals are filled with a lot of information and skills in this field. They can identify and fix problems quickly that you might not even know exist so that your garage door can operate smoothly.
- Guarantee for quality: Service from an expert often has some form of warranty attached to it. If anything goes wrong after adjusting it, they will usually come back and repair it at no extra charge which gives peace of mind.
Cons:
- Cost: Professional services can be expensive. The cost of labor and the convenience of professional expertise often come at a premium.
- Planned Timing of Job Completion: Scheduling a professional to come to your home can be inconvenient. You’ll need to find a time that works for both you and the service provider, which can sometimes delay the repair.
If you want peace of mind and guaranteed results, California Garage Door Repair provides professional spring adjustment and expert garage door repair services.
We have a team with the necessary skills and equipment that will ensure the safe and accurate adjustment of your garage door springs. Don’t expose yourself to injuries or worsen the condition of your garage door—involve California Garage Door Repair experts.
Keep Your Garage Door in Top Shape: Call California Garage Door Repair Today!
Proper maintenance and adjustment of side-mounted garage door springs are essential for the smooth operation and longevity of your garage door.
By following the steps outlined in this guide you can ensure your springs are properly adjusted and performing well. Nonetheless, safety should always come first, and at times it may be necessary to seek help from professionals in such matters.
At California Garage Door Repair, we are the experts in various garage door aspects, from spring adjustments to comprehensive repairs. With their highly skilled technicians providing top-level support, you can trust us to maintain your garage door effectively.
If you need any assistance regarding professional spring adjustment services that will leave your gate safe throughout its use period don’t hesitate to contact us.
