Garage Door Springs
Shop garage door springs with confidence. Learn how torsion springs and extension springs work, how to measure your current spring, and how to choose the correct replacement for a safe, balanced garage door.
Introduction to Garage Door Springs
Garage door springs counterbalance the weight of the door so it opens smoothly, closes safely, and stays balanced. The right replacement spring depends on the spring system, door weight, spring dimensions, and hardware on your door.
Most garage doors use either torsion springs, which mount above the door and use torque, or extension springs, which stretch along the horizontal tracks. Before ordering, identify your spring type and measure carefully so the replacement spring matches your door.
Garage Door Spring Buying Guide
What are garage door springs?
Garage door springs counterbalance the weight of the door, making it easier and safer to open and close. A properly matched spring system helps the door stay balanced and reduces strain on the opener and other hardware.
What garage door spring do I need?
To choose the correct garage door spring, identify the spring type, measure the spring, and confirm the garage door weight. For torsion springs, you need the spring length, wire size, inside diameter, wind direction, and end type. If your door has two springs, measure both springs.
What is the difference between torsion springs and extension springs?
Torsion springs mount above the garage door and use torque to balance the door. Extension springs usually mount along the horizontal tracks and stretch as the door closes. Most modern sectional garage doors use torsion springs, while many older or lighter doors use extension springs.
How do you measure a garage door torsion spring?
- Measure the unwound spring length.
- Measure 10 and 20 coils to determine the wire size.
- Read or measure the inside diameter.
- Determine whether the spring is left wind or right wind.
- Identify whether the spring uses standard or special ends.
Is it safe to replace garage door springs yourself?
Garage door spring replacement can be dangerous because springs store tension and torque. Use proper tools and instructions, keep hands and clothing away from wound springs and cones, and contact a qualified garage door technician if you are unsure how to proceed safely.
Garage Door Spring FAQs
How do I know if my garage door spring is broken?
A broken garage door spring may leave a visible gap in the spring, cause the door to feel extremely heavy, prevent the door from opening, or make the door open unevenly.
Should I replace one spring or both springs?
If your door has two springs that were installed at the same time, replacing both is usually best because they normally wear at a similar rate and help keep the door balanced.
Why do I need to measure 10 and 20 coils?
Measuring 10 and 20 coils is the most accurate way to determine wire size. Calipers and micrometers can be unreliable because of corrosion, paint, coil curvature, and conversion errors.
What happens if I order the wrong spring?
The door may be too heavy, may not stay open, may open too quickly, or may not balance correctly. An incorrect spring can also damage other garage door parts.
How to Measure Garage Door Springs
In order to process your order for springs, please provide the following information about each spring: (1) length, (2) wire size, (3) inside diameter, (4) spring wind, and (5) type of ends.
If you have two springs on a residential or commercial door, it is critical that you measure both springs. Approximately 30% of manufacturers and service companies mix wire sizes. Following the steps below will help in getting the correct dimensions.
Likewise, if you have a linear system on a commercial door, make sure that you measure each of your springs. If you have a duplex or triplex system, make sure that you know the inside diameter and wire size for the inner spring(s) and all five characteristics of the outer spring.
How To Measure Garage Door Torsion Springs Video
Measure the Length of the Spring
You need to determine the length of the unwound spring, but you don't need to unwind the spring to measure the length.
If your torsion spring is unbroken and unwound, simply measure the length of the spring. Measure from the first coil on one end of the spring to the last coil on the other end of the spring. Do not include the cones themselves in your measurement, but include the coils that are on the cone.
If your torsion spring is broken, loosen the setscrews on the winding cone. Caution: If the torsion spring is still wound, do not touch the setscrews on the winding cone. Do not touch the bolts that secure the stationary cone to the spring anchor bracket. Once the winding cone is free to slide on the shaft, slide the two parts of the spring back together. The coils should be touching, and there should not be a gap anymore. As with the unwound spring above, measure the distance from the first coil on one end to the last coil on the other. Do not include the cones, but include the coils that are on the cones.
Torsion springs grow one coil in length, with each turn of tension applied to them. The gain in the spring length is replaced with small gaps between the coils when you open your garage door because the setscrews do not move on the shaft, so you cannot open your door to measure the spring length. Measuring a wound spring requires determining the number of turns on the spring.
To determine the unwound length of a wound spring, it is imperative that you exercise caution. Caution: Keep your fingers out of the spring and away from the winding cones - the spring could suddenly unwind at any time.
If there are paint, chalk, or crayon marks wrapping around the spring, this will be easy. The mark originally traveled across the length of the spring and did not wrap around. The torsion spring has one turn for each time the paint stripe comes back to the front of the spring.
Also, if you have a residential garage door with standard 4" cable drums, simply deduct from the total spring length the number of coils added when the spring was originally wound. On seven-foot high doors, this would be eight coils, and on eight-foot high doors, it would be nine coils.
For example, on a seven-foot high garage door, a 34" spring comprised of .250 wire would grow eight coils when it is wound and stretched. The spring will grow 7.5 coils, or 7.5 X .250 for the coil size, or 1 7/8". Springs are usually stretched an extra 1/8", so the total addition to the spring length is eight coils or two inches. The 34" spring will measure out at thirty-six inches. Deducting eight coils from the total length will provide an accurate length of thirty-four inches.
There is another way to determine the number of turns on the springs on larger standard lift industrial doors or residential doors with non-standard drums. Measure the circumference of the cable drum, and measure the height of the garage door in inches. Divide the height of the garage door by the cable drum circumference, then add one. This is the number of turns that are on your spring. For example, a 14' high door is 168" high. Many of these have drums with 17" circumferences. Dividing 168" by 17" would give you 9.88. Add one to this, and you get 10.88 turns, and with a little stretch, a total of 12 coils. Deducting 12 coils from the total length will give you an accurate length of the spring when it is unwound.
If you measure springs on a larger commercial or industrial door and there is not a paint stripe, and if you have a vertical-lift or high-lift garage door, it will probably be easier for you to unwind the springs than to calculate the length of the spring.
Regardless of how you determine the number of turns on a wound spring, count off one coil for each turn and measure the remaining length of the spring to determine the unwound length of the spring.
Determine the Wire Size
| 10-Coil Measurement | 20-Coil Measurement | Wire Size | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in | cm | in | cm | ||
| 1 3/4" | 4.50 | 3 1/2" | 8.99 | 0.1770 | |
| 1 7/8" | 4.76 | 3 3/4" | 9.53 | 0.1875 | |
| 1 15/16" | 4.88 | 3 7/8" | 9.75 | 0.1920 | |
| 2" | 5.08 | 4" | 10.16 | 0.2000 | |
| 2 1/16" | 5.26 | 4 1/8" | 10.52 | 0.2070 | |
| 2 3/16" | 5.55 | 4 3/8" | 11.11 | 0.2187 | |
| 2 1/4" | 5.72 | 4 1/2" | 11.45 | 0.2253 | |
| 2 3/8" | 5.95 | 4 11/16" | 11.90 | 0.2343 | |
| 2 3/8" | 6.02 | 4 3/4" | 12.04 | 0.2375 | |
| 2 7/16" | 6.19 | 4 7/8" | 12.38 | 0.2437 | |
| 2 1/2" | 6.35 | 5" | 12.70 | 0.2500 | |
| 2 5/8" | 6.67 | 5 1/4" | 13.34 | 0.2625 | |
| 2 3/4" | 6.93 | 5 1/2" | 13.87 | 0.2730 | |
| 2 13/16" | 7.19 | 5 5/8" | 14.38 | 0.2830 | |
| 2 7/8" | 7.34 | 5 3/4" | 14.68 | 0.2890 | |
| 2 15/16" | 7.49 | 5 7/8" | 14.99 | 0.2950 | |
| 3 1/16" | 7.79 | 6 1/8" | 15.57 | 0.3065 | |
| 3 1/8" | 7.94 | 6 1/4" | 15.88 | 0.3125 | |
| 3 3/16" | 8.12 | 6 3/8" | 16.23 | 0.3195 | |
| 3 5/16" | 8.41 | 6 5/8" | 16.81 | 0.3310 | |
| 3 7/16" | 8.73 | 6 7/8" | 17.46 | 0.3437 | |
| 3 5/8" | 9.21 | 7 1/4" | 18.42 | 0.3625 | |
| 3 3/4" | 9.53 | 7 1/2" | 19.05 | 0.3750 | |
| 3 15/16" | 10.00 | 7 7/8" | 20.01 | 0.3938 | |
| 4 1/16" | 10.32 | 8 1/8" | 20.63 | 0.4062 | |
| 4 7/32" | 10.71 | 8 7/16" | 21.43 | 0.4218 | |
| 4 5/16" | 10.93 | 8 5/8" | 21.87 | 0.4305 | |
| 4 3/8" | 11.11 | 8 3/4" | 22.23 | 0.4375 | |
| 4 17/32" | 11.51 | 9 1/16" | 23.02 | 0.4531 | |
| 4 5/8" | 11.72 | 9 1/4" | 23.44 | 0.4615 | |
| 4 11/16" | 11.90 | 9 3/8" | 23.81 | 0.4687 | |
| 4 7/8" | 12.45 | 9 3/4" | 24.89 | 0.4900 | |
| 5" | 12.70 | 10" | 25.40 | 0.5000 | |
| 5 5/16" | 13.49 | 10 5/8" | 26.98 | 0.5312 | |
| 5 5/8" | 14.29 | 11 1/4" | 28.58 | 0.5625 | |
| 6 1/4" | 15.88 | 12 1/2" | 31.75 | 0.6250 | |
The wire size is the thickness of the wire used to make the spring.
When it comes to measuring torsion spring wire, calipers and micrometers are simply not reliable. This is because of four reasons. First, the coil is bent; measuring the curved part of the coil with a micrometer will get you a larger reading. Sometimes there is a straight piece of wire you can measure, but there are other problems. A second problem with calipers and micrometers is corrosion. Rust initially increases the wire size and later reduces it. The third reason you can't measure an individual coil is that many of the springs in recent years have been coated with a thin layer of paint. The fourth problem is that older calipers measured 64ths and 128ths, and many mistakes have been made converting to thousandths of an inch. We recommend using calipers and micrometers only to confirm your 20-coil measurements.
The only accurate way to measure the wire size is to measure 10 and 20 coils. Since the coils rub together when the garage door operates, the sides of the coils are less impacted by corrosion. In addition, when springs are painted, the paint does not get between the coils. The 10 and 20 coil measurements are highly accurate.
To measure 10 coils, insert the end of a tape measure between two coils or hook the tape on the end of the spring if it does not have a cone on it. Then, count 10 coils and pull the tape to the point where the 10th and 11th coils meet. Measure to the nearest 16th of an inch. Note that the hook on the end of the tape is slotted for measuring outside dimensions as well as inside dimensions. Since you are measuring the outside dimensions of the coils, you will need to pull the tape away from the end to get the correct length. Pushing the tape into the end of the ruler will give you a longer length, often 1/16" more. Record this measurement on a piece of paper.
When measuring, make sure all the coils are compressed. If there are gaps between the coils, you will measure incorrectly and order the wrong spring.
Next, measure the width of 20 coils. We measure 20 coils because it is more accurate, and to eliminate errors from counting coils. Record the 20 coil measurement. This reading should be twice as long as your 10 coil reading. If it is not, go back and remeasure 10 and 20 coils.
If you have one spring that is broken and one that is still wound, you will need to measure 10 and 20 coils on the wound spring as well. Caution: Do not touch the setscrews on the winding cone. Do not touch the bolts that secure the stationary cone to the spring anchor bracket. Do not grab the spring.
The spring wire remains the same size after it is wound, so the measurements will not be affected. We measure both springs because about a third of the garage doors installed have unmatched springs on them. Manufacturers do this to minimize cost; service companies do it to minimize inventory. Replacing with matched torsion springs will allow you to maximize cycle life.
With the 10 and 20 coil measurements, you can determine the wire size from the chart above. Note that the dimensions are not exact, but rounded to the nearest 16th of an inch. For example, 20 coils of .177 wire will measure to be 3 1/2" to the nearest 16th of an inch, but not exactly 3 1/2". Dividing 3 1/2" by 20 will give you 0.175, not 0.177.
Note: Wire sizes .200 and .237 are no longer used. If you have springs with these sizes, contact us, and we will calculate replacements for these. The specs generally fall between the wire sizes before and after them on the chart. The .289 was not included in our price list because of its low usage, but springs with that wire can still be made. Just contact us for prices.
If you look at the chart above, you'll notice that there are several items in bold. These measurements are nearly equivalent to the naked eye if you measure them improperly. It is absolutely necessary that you do the 20 coil measurement for accuracy on this particular measurement. If you don't measure properly, you can get a spring that is not strong enough for your garage door.
Determine the Inside Diameter (ID)
| Inside Diameter | Door Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 1 19/32" | Crawford only |
| 1 3/4" | Most manufacturers except for BarCol, Crawford, Raynor & Wagner |
| 1 13/16" | Older Raynor and BarCol only |
| 2" | Most manufacturers except for BarCol, Crawford, Kinnear, Raynor, Rowe & Wagner, |
| 2 3/16" | Kinnear only. Raynor springs often measure 2 1/8" or 2 3/16," but they are regarded as 2 1/4." |
| 2 1/4" | Raynor & Rowe Way only |
| 2 7/16" | Overhead Door only |
| 2 1/2" | Wagner only |
| 2 5/8" | Most manufacturers except for Crawford, Raynor & Wagner |
| 2 3/4" | Raynor & Rowe Way only |
| 2 25/32" | Crawford only |
| 3" | Overhead Door only |
| 3 1/8" | Kinnear only |
| 3 3/8" | Overhead Door only |
| 3 1/2" | Raynor Only |
| 3 3/4" | Most manufacturers except for BarCol, Crawford, Overhead, Raynor, Rowe & Wagner |
| 3 25/32" | Crawford only |
| 4" | Wagner only |
| 4 1/8" | Kinnear only |
| 4 3/8" | Overhead Door only |
| 4 1/2" | BarCol & McKee only |
| 4 7/8" | Rowe Way only |
| 5 1/8" | Kinnear only |
| 5 1/4" | Most manufacturers except for BarCol, Crawford, McKee, Overhead, Raynor, Rowe & Wagner |
| 5 1/2" | Raynor only |
| 5 3/4" | BarCol only |
| 5 7/8" | Overhead Door only |
| 6" | Most manufacturers except for BarCol, Kinnear, Overhead, Raynor, Rowe & Wagner |
| 6 1/2" | Kinnear only |
| 7 5/8" | Overhead Door only |
| 8 1/2" | Kinnear only |
The inside diameter of a torsion spring can be difficult to measure when the spring is on the shaft, so it is better to look for markings on the winding and stationary cones. You will need a flashlight to see these.
The more common inside diameters for residential doors will have "175" or "134" for 1-3/4", as pictured below. Some light commercial doors may also use a 1-3/4" inside diameter spring.
Embossed on springs with larger inside diameters will be the numbers "2.0," "200," or "2000," corresponding to 2," as pictured below. Raynor 2 1/4" cones are marked with the numbers "1264," "1265," "1266," and "1267." Larger 2-5/8" cones are marked with "258" or "263." Residential torsion springs rarely have an inside diameter greater than 2-5/8".
Commercial and industrial doors, depending partly on their weight, use torsion springs with inside diameters all the way up to 8-1/2". The markings on these cones are similar: "334" or "375" refers to 3-3/4", "600" corresponds to 6", etc.
If you cannot find any of these markings, measure the inside diameter with calipers or a ruler to the nearest 1/16". Be careful: if you bend your tape measure to get it around the shaft, you will most likely come up with the wrong measurement, and the spring you order will not work properly.
Once you come up with an inside diameter for your springs, confirm this dimension with the manufacturer of the garage door from the chart above if there are any identifying marks on the door.
Determine the Wind of the Spring
This is the most confusing part of measuring springs, so you will need to be careful. Examine the drawing to the right. Notice that when the end of the coil is on the bottom, it points to the left. The spring on the left in the drawing is left wind. This is one way to identify the wind.
Another way to determine spring wind is to make a fist, as shown to the left. Notice that the thumb points down and into the "spring," and the index finger curls in the direction of the end of the "spring." A spring following this image of the hand is a right wind spring. A spring following the mirror image created by the left hand is a left wind spring.
Caution: Do not wrap your hand around a wound torsion spring.
On most residential garage doors, the spring to the left of the center support bracket is right-wind, and the spring to the right is a left-wind spring. In other words, the right wind spring is typically on the left side above the garage door, and the left wind spring is above the right side of the door as you view the door from inside the garage.
Special Types of Spring Ends
Most torsion springs have standard ends that are bent out slightly. If the spring you are ordering needs special ends, let us know. Otherwise, you will receive a spring with standard ends.
For example, Crawford and older BarCol springs pictured use end cones that are no longer available. If you would like to reuse your cones, you can order springs without cones.
Measuring Clopay and Ideal EZ-Set Springs
The most challenging torsion springs to measure are the EZ-Set springs because there are gaps between the coils. In order to measure the length of a broken spring, you will need to press the ends of the spring together. Often the black spacer will prevent full compression, so you will need to measure the length of each piece separately while pressing the ends together to remove the gaps between the coils. After that, add the lengths of the two pieces.
In order to measure 10 and 20 coils on a broken spring, you will need to press the coils together while pulling the opposite direction on your tape measure to measure the 10 and 20 coils. It is best to mark the 10 and 20 coils before squeezing the ends of the spring together to measure the coils.
In order to measure an unbroken spring, you will need to place a coin between two coils in the middle of the spring. Next, push the coils to the left and measure the length of the left side of the spring. Then push the coils to the right of the coin to measure the spring length to the right of the coin. If the spring is still wound, you will need to deduct the width of a coil for every turn of tension on the spring.
Since measuring the springs can be so difficult, many customers prefer to provide the garage door width, height, and model number. The model number is often embedded in the serial number or PID number located at one end of the garage door.
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If you call us with information from the stickers, we can usually determine the springs you need.
How to Replace Garage Door Torsion Springs
Garage door torsion springs are secured to a metal shaft above the garage door. Depending on the system, the shaft may pass through the middle of the springs or spring, or the shaft may sometimes house the spring. If the shaft passes through the middle of the torsion spring, the spring may be mounted in the middle of the shaft or on the end of the shaft by the outside edge of the garage door.
Torsion springs balance the garage door by applying torque to the shaft with drums at each end. Attached to each drum is a cable that extends to and is secured to the bottom fixture at the bottom of the door. The torsion spring unwinds and winds as the door is opened and closed to comprise a balanced system.
Torsion springs have three characteristics that determine the lift and cycle life. These properties are the wire size, inside diameter, and length. The lift, which is determined by the torque of the spring, tells how much door weight the spring can lift. The cycle life tells how many times the garage door should open and close before the spring breaks.
Standard Torsion Springs
Standard torsion springs are the most common residential torsion springs in the garage door industry.
Residential garage doors typically use either one or two springs. On a lighter garage door, one spring will suffice. In that case, the torsion spring may be mounted to the spring anchor bracket in the middle of the shaft above the garage door. Other times, the spring has an offset mount, meaning that installers do not mount the spring anchor bracket above the center of the garage door.
If two torsion springs balance the garage door, they are typically mounted to the spring anchor bracket above the middle of the garage door. Having two springs on the garage door tends to make it safer, especially if one spring breaks when the door is open. The other spring will then keep the garage door from falling and injuring a person or causing damage to the garage door or other property.
Does your door use standard torsion springs? Go to our Standard Garage Door Torsion Springs page to learn more and to order new springs for your garage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which springs should I order?
Many people buy the same springs that are already on their garage door.
Go to our "Should I buy the same spring that was on my garage door before?" FAQ to find out whether you should purchase the same spring you already had.
If you want to get different springs, go to our "What should I do if I want to buy a different spring?" FAQ to determine which spring you should get.
If you know which spring you want to purchase, find your spring price, then place an order with DDM Garage Doors.
Should I buy the same spring that was on my garage door before?
Did your garage door springs work before?
If you ran your door manually before it was broken, was it easy to open and close? If so, it was balanced, and your old springs were the correct type. In this case, it should not be necessary to weigh the door unless you want to confirm that you have the correct springs. On the other hand, if the door felt heavy, it may be that the springs were not strong enough.
Is the torsion spring lift correct for the weight of the garage door? Compare the door weight with the existing spring lift.
- Weigh the garage door.
- Measure your current torsion spring. Go to our Torsion Spring page to find more information about inside diameter, wire size, length, and lift.
- Determine the track radius.
- Locate your spring in the Database. Note: Database is only for standard 4" diameter cable drums. Find the column for the lift within your track radius.
- Compare the lift with the weight of your door. If it is within 10 pounds for the total weight of both springs, the current springs should balance your door when wound correctly. You may purchase the same springs you currently have. If your springs do not appear in the Database, they may be overstressed. Call us for a recommended replacement spring in this case.
Is the cycle life right for the needs of your door? Compare the cycle life of the existing spring with the frequency of door usage, condition of the door, and how long you plan to remain at that location.
- Measure your current torsion spring. Go to our Torsion Spring page to find more information about inside diameter, wire size, length, and lift.
- Determine the track radius.
- Locate your spring in the Database. Note: Database is only for standard 4" cable drums. Find the column for the number of cycles within the correct track radius.
- Make an informed decision. The industry minimum standard for garage door torsion springs is 10,000 cycles. If you want more cycles than your current spring, you can look in the compatible replacement list. Higher cycle springs last longer.
If your garage door springs have lasted less than five years, or if you plan to live where you are for many years, you may want to try the extra long life torsion springs. By using larger springs, you can, in most cases, quadruple your spring life while only doubling the cost of the springs. You will also avoid extra work down the road. The industry standard is 10-15,000 cycles for new doors. By increasing the spring wire several sizes, you can increase your spring life to over 100,000 cycles with the extra long life garage door springs.
For springs weighing over 20 pounds each, we recommend adding extra shaft support brackets, pictured below to the left of the torsion spring. These sell for $6.00 each plus shipping.
The largest wire used on standard 1 ¾" and 2" plugs is .295. High cycle springs for heavier doors weighing over 300 pounds may need larger inside diameters, plugs and additional spring and support brackets. Please call for quotes if needed.
What should I do if I want to buy a different spring than my current spring, or I am not sure what my current spring is?
If you wish, you may find your own suitable replacement spring.
- Weigh the garage door.
- Go to the Find My Spring Database™. List the torsion springs by lift, and find the springs whose lifts match the weight of your door. If you have a double car door, make sure to divide the weight of the door in half to find the lift of one of the springs.
- Place an order with us.
Have us help you find a suitable replacement spring.
E-mail us the following information:
- Provide the manufacturer and model number of the door. Look for this information on the ends of the sections. It is usually easier to find by opening the door. Sometimes it can be found on the face of the sections, or on the tracks, lock, struts, or hinges.
- Provide also the door width, height, and track radius. Measure the width and height of your door. Most garage doors are 8', 9' or 16' wide and 7' high. Many are 8' high, and many others are 6'6" or 7'6" high, and anywhere in between. Most doors are either wood or steel. If you're not sure, use a magnet. Knowing the size and type of door you have will help us catch obvious errors in the original installation, or in your weighing of the door or measuring of the springs.
- E-mail us pictures to the address below. Often we can measure the springs for you. A high quality picture like the one below should suffice. It is best if you take the picture from the center of the spring. Let us know if the unbroken spring is wound or unwound. Pictures of the tracks, door, and anything with writing on it would also help us identify the model and confirm that your door has the correct torsion springs.
Long Life Torsion Springs
If your garage door springs have lasted less than five years, or if you plan to live where you are for many years, you may want to try the extra long life torsion springs. By using larger springs, you can, in most cases, quadruple your spring life while only doubling the cost of the springs. You will also avoid extra work down the road. The industry standard is 10-15,000 cycles for new doors. By increasing the spring wire several sizes, you can increase your spring life to over 100,000 cycles with the extra long life springs.
For springs weighing over 20 pounds each, we recommend adding extra shaft support brackets, pictured below to the left of the torsion spring. These sell for $6.00 each plus shipping.
The largest wire used on standard 1 ¾" and 2" plugs is .295. High cycle springs for heavier doors weighing over 300 pounds may need larger inside diameters, plugs and additional spring and support brackets. Please call for quotes if needed.
What is the difference between right and left wind springs?
On most garage doors, the spring on the left side of the center support bracket has a winding cone with red paint on it. This is a right wind spring.
The spring on the right side of the bracket usually has black paint on the winding cone. This is a left wind spring.
If you have only one spring on your garage door, just remember that if the spring is on the left side of the bracket, it is right wind, and if the spring is on the right of the bracket, it is left wind.
The only exception to this is if you have a door with outside lift bottom fixtures, and the cables come off the fronts of the drums, as pictured below. On these, the right wind spring will usually be on the right side of the bracket, and the left wind spring will be on the left side of the bracket.
One garage door spring or two?
If your door has only one spring, which is made of .250 wire or larger, it may be advisable to substitute one larger spring with two smaller springs. The cost usually runs $5-10 more, but it may prevent serious problems in the future with cables breaking or peeling off the drums, and steel sections getting damaged.
The following FAQ should help you understand the problem and determine if it would be better to convert from one to two garage door springs.
For a more detailed look at the problems of only having one torsion spring, see our One Torsion Spring or Two? page.
Should I replace both springs on my double car garage door?
We usually recommend replacing both torsion springs because they normally wear at the same rate, and they usually break within six months of each other. They wear out like car tires; only you can't tell from looking at them when they are ready to break. Garage door springs break because every time the door opens and closes, the spring wire bends a little. You may have broken a paper clip or a piece of wire before by bending it back and forth. This is what happens to torsion springs. If the spring that is not broken has been replaced in the previous year or two, we do not recommend replacing it. If the other spring looks like it has been replaced, but no one knows, I usually ask the customer to decide. Newer springs usually look black. Older springs have an orange tint from rust.
Should I replace both cables?
Unlike springs, cables do not normally wear at the same rate. Some cables rust at the bottom from exposure to salt only on one side of the door. Many cables fray because of a rough spot on only one of the cable drums. When we send out our cables to you, there is a good chance that our cables will be slightly longer or shorter than yours. If you replace a cable with one that is a slightly different length, you run the risk of having the door not balance. Therefore, to save you from the possibility of the extra hassle of trying to level your door, we suggest that you replace both cables.
Do torsion springs come with or without cones?
The prices for residential torsion springs from the Find My Spring Database™ include cones on each end. To determine the price without cones installed for these springs, click the "calculate" link in the far right column.
The prices for commercial torsion springs do not come with cones. If you want cones installed, add the price for the cones to the price of the spring, and add 10% to this combined cost for the labor.
For instructions on replacing cones, go to our Torsion Spring Cone Replacement tutorial.
What do I need to buy with my garage door springs?
Winding Bars. In order to wind your new torsion springs, you will need winding bars. If you order the springs with the cones installed and the inside diameter is up to 2 5⁄8", you will need ½" diameter winding bars. If you are reusing your existing cones with an inside diameter up to 2 5⁄8", the necessary diameter will usually be ½" as well. There are, however, some cones that require bars that are 3⁄8" to 5⁄8" in diameter. Most residential springs can be wound with bars that are 18" long. Springs (or duplex/triplex sets) that lift 200-300 lbs each should be wound with 24" bars. If the springs each lift more than 300 lbs, you will probably want 36" bars. Winding bar prices vary based on the length and diameter of the bar. Hexagonal bars are helpful for working on doors because they tend not to roll when you set them down. Winding bars are often shipped separately from the torsion springs if the springs are sent from one of our suppliers. Another option is to purchase a steel rod at a hardware store and cut it in half.
Cables. We don't recommend replacing the cables unless they are broken, frayed, rusty, or gnarled. We do, however, suggest that you replace both cables if one of them is in bad shape. Cable prices vary based on the door height and the cable diameter.
What do I need to know about shipping and returns?
Shipping. Garage door springs are shipped from several suppliers around the country to minimize shipping time and cost. Torsion springs ordered by 9:30 AM CST are normally shipped same day from any of six suppliers around the country, and springs ordered by 4 PM CT are normally shipped the same day from West Chicago. Shipping and handling costs for residential springs to date usually have run $12-17 for one spring and $15-23 for two standard springs. Single springs 26" or shorter are shipped anywhere in the 48 states for $9.85. Shipping may be more for longer life torsion springs and for wooden garage door springs depending on your location.
Returns. The more common sizes of torsion springs may be returned if you pay the shipping to return the spring to West Chicago. We will then either credit your invoice or send different springs and charge or credit you for the difference. Before ordering, it is advisable to ask if your spring is a standard size.
What are the dimensions of my current torsion spring?
Every torsion spring has four dimensions: length, wire size, inside diameter, and wind. If you operated your garage door manually before your spring broke, it should have been fairly easy to open and close. If that's the case, you can measure your old springs and then consider longer life options.
If your garage door did not operate well before the spring broke, you might want to base your new springs off of your door weight. For more information, view our Standard Garage Door Torsion Spring page.
What do I do if my current spring does not match my door weight?
If you have measured your old springs and their lift is more than 10 lbs off of your garage door weight, it can be difficult to decide what to do.
- If you have two or more springs, did you measure them all? About 30% of manufacturers and installers use springs with different dimensions based on their inventory. If your springs have different dimensions, enter each one in the Find My Spring Database™ and add the lift of each spring together. This should match the weight of your door.
- What is your track radius? The Find My Spring Database has columns for both 12" and 15" radius tracks. You'll need to look at the correct column.
- What is your cable drum diameter? If the part of the cable drum that is closest to the torsion springs is not 4" in diameter, our Find My Spring Database™ will not give you the proper lift. Note: A 4" drum will have a 12.6" circumference on the narrowest part of the drum on which most of the cable wraps. It will also have part numbers such as 400-8, WD-4, or OMI-8 embossed on the drums. If you have a high lift garage door, or if you do not have a 4"-diameter cable drum, contact us to check how much weight your springs should be able to lift.
- Did you use a micrometer or caliper to measure the wire size? These tend to be less accurate. Do a 20-coil count and a 10-coil count. See our How to Measure Garage Door Torsion Springs page for more information.
- When you did the 20- and 10-coil counts, did you pull the tape measure tight? The end of the tape measure is slotted to allow for the thickness of the metal. When you measure the length of a board, you hook the end over the edge of the table. When you measure the distance between two boards, you press the end of the tape measure against one of the boards. The slotted end allows for more accurate measurements. Be sure you pull on the tape when measuring your springs.
- When you did the 20- and 10-coil counts, did you count the number of coils correctly? If your two measurements do not give the same wire size, you did not count the coils correctly. Re-measure. Try putting a penny between two coils. Start counting to the right. When you reach 20, put another penny between the 20th and 21st coils. Do the same for the 10-coil count. Also, make sure that there are no gaps between the coils of the spring.
- When you did the 20- and 10-coil counts, did you measure to the nearest 1/16"? If it looks like it's about 4½" on the 20-coil count, is it 4½"? Or is it 4 3⁄8"? Or is it 4 5⁄8"? This makes a big difference. In carpentry, the last 1/16" does not matter. In torsion springs, it does.
- Did you use a digital scale to weigh your door? Use an analog scale. Most digital scales are designed to give you a number that you will still be able to read once you step off the scale. When you shake the door and check the rollers to make sure that nothing is stuck, a digital scale will not account for the difference.
- Is the inside diameter correct? Did you measure it or read a cone? Since measuring around the shaft can be difficult, look at the winding and stationary cones again.
If you still cannot reconcile the two measurements, do you trust your spring measurements? Or do you trust your door weight? Whichever you trust more, go with that measurement. Generally speaking, we suggest that you rely on your door weight from an analog scale as it is possible that your springs were not properly matched with your door weight.
What do I do if my current springs are different dimensions?
Check out our Using Torsion Springs with Different Lifts page. We recommend using matched springs rather than springs with different dimensions. If you want us to calculate the matched springs for you automatically, fill out the form on the bottom of the Using Torsion Springs with Different Lifts page. If you prefer to perform the calculations yourself, read on to see how you can find a pair of matched springs that will work on your garage door.
If you have two springs with an inside diameter of 1¾", 2" or 2¼", enter the spring information for each spring in our Find My Spring Database™. Based on your track radius, find the lift for each spring. Add these lifts together. Divide the total lift by two. This is the amount of weight that each spring should lift.
If you go back to the Database index, you can "List Torsion Springs by Lift". Click on the inside diameter of your springs for your door height. If you have different inside diameters, you can pick either one. The page that comes up shows springs in 5-pound lift increments. Scroll down the page to the lift that each spring needs to have. You will see a lot of options for springs with various cycles. As long as each spring in the pair that you pick is within 5 pounds of the lift that you calculated, the new springs should work for your door.
Here's an example. Let's say that the combined lift of two 1¾" inside diameter springs is 243 lbs for an 8' door. I want each new spring to weigh half that amount, or 121.5 lbs. Even though springs that lift 116.5 to 126.5 lbs will work, I want something that is fairly close to 121.5 lbs. When I look up this information, I find that I could get 33.5 inches of .234 (wire size) that lifts exactly 121.5 lbs. On 12" radius tracks, this will only get 15,000 cycles. If I wanted a lot more life out of my springs, I could look down the list and see 58.25 inches of .262 (wire size) that lifts 120 lbs. The spring gets 72,000 cycles (almost 5 times more) for less than twice the cost. If I like this option, I can purchase this pair of springs, which will work well with my door.
If you have an inside diameter or door height that is not listed, contact us for more information.
Spring and Drum Conversions
If you have an older Crawford or BarCol garage door with larger cable drums, you may want to standardize your hardware. The extra parts run an extra $40-50 with shipping and handling, not including the cost of a one-inch shaft you may need to replace if you have an older BarCol 1 1/16" shaft.
For detailed instructions on converting EZ-SET and Crawford torsion springs, see our torsion spring tutorials.
Custom High Lift Conversions
If you are thinking of modifying your garage door so it rises closer to the ceiling, review our DIY instructions for High Lift Garage Door Conversion and then get a quote for a custom garage door high-lift kit including the necessary hardware, drums, cables, and springs.
How to Determine the Track Radius
There are three ways to do this. One is to use a level to measure from the junction of the vertical and horizontal tracks to the bottom of the straight portion of the horizontal track, as pictured on the right.
Determine your track radius by measuring from the floor. A second way is to measure from the floor to the bottom of the straight portion of the horizontal track, as pictured on the left. On 7-foot high garage doors, the measurement will be about 7'4" for a 12" radius track or 7'7" for a 15" radius track. On 8-foot high garage doors, the measurement will be 8'4" for a 12" radius track and 8'7" for a 15" radius track. Floor variations or horizontal tracks that are not level may vary these dimensions an inch or more.
Determine your track radius by examining the tracks. The third way to determine your track radius is to check your tracks visually, as pictured on the right. On the left door notice that with 12" radius tracks the horizontal angle connects to the vertical flag bracket 3" below the top of the flag bracket. On 15" radius tracks, however, the horizontal track angle connects to the top of the vertical flag bracket angle.
The more information you gather, the better we can help you get the torsion springs you need.
EZ-SET Torsion Springs
EZ-SET torsion springs appear very similar to standard torsion springs, but the hardware is quite different. Door installers mount EZ-SET springs to winders on the ends of the shaft, which is also 1" in diameter. The black winder has the letter "R" or "L" on it, corresponding to the right or left side of the garage door.
As with standard residential torsion springs, typically, one or two springs fit on the shaft. While most two-car garages will have two EZ-SET torsion spring. In this case, the spring is usually mounted on the left side of the garage door.
Some of the wider garage doors have two shafts with a coupler in the middle to connect the two. This extra piece of hardware can save you a lot of time and trouble replacing your EZ-SET torsion springs in cases with very little space between the end of the shaft and the wall.
Double-car garage doors, with either one spring or two springs, will have a center support bracket (pictured). Single car garage doors will not have this bracket--typically, nothing supports the middle of the shaft.
Does your door use EZ-SET torsion springs? Go to our EZ-SET Torsion Spring page to learn more and to order new springs for your garage.
Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster Torsion Springs
Wayne Dalton designed its TorqueMaster torsion spring system to operate even more safely than Clopay's EZ-SET system. The garage door has one or two springs nested inside of the shaft. The cross section of the shaft is not circular - one quarter of the shaft extends outward to form an edge. The spring stays fastened inside the shaft by the stationary cone, which matches the shape of the shaft.
On earlier garage doors, the TorqueMaster spring comes equipped with a winding cone on the opposite end, which extends past the end of the shaft and passes through the cable drum. The winding cone fits inside a special winder, which allows the torsion spring to be wound with an electric drill. Newer doors with Torquemaster springs are wound with a wrench or a socket using a ratchet system.
The cable drums support the ends of the shaft, these being formed of plastic. Wayne Dalton manufactures the TorqueMaster with about three grooves that sit higher than the rest of the grooves. They set the remaining grooves to give the cable a 2" diameter as it wraps around the drum.
The center of the shaft has a circular piece that fits on the center support bracket. When the garage door opens, the circular piece rotates with the shaft and remains on the center bracket.
Standard Commercial Torsion Springs
Commercial and Industrial garage doors typically have at least two torsion springs. Many of these doors use four or more torsion springs in one of four setups: linear, duplex, triplex, or mixed.
The linear system comes into good use more commonly with wider garage doors through which large vehicles need to enter. Since these garage doors tend to be wider, four or more torsion springs line up on the shaft with ease. Customers installing the linear system gain the advantage of less costs for the springs and spring hardware than for the materials in the duplex/triplex spring systems.
The duplex system only appears to have two very large springs, one on each half of the garage door. Inside of each torsion spring, however, is another spring with a smaller inside diameter. The duplex spring system supplies extra torque, and thus lift, from the torsion springs without needing the extra space on the shaft as with a wider garage door system.
The triplex system functions very similarly to the duplex system. In this setup, there are two springs inside the outer spring.
The mixed system, as you guessed, features a combination of the linear system and the duplex/triplex system. Mixed systems use more than one set of duplex or triplex springs on each half of the garage door. This becomes an option for installers when the garage door shaft measures long enough to accommodate multiple springs. If one of these garage doors weighs very heavy, it is sometimes a better option to have multiple pairs of duplex springs sets on the garage door.
Users of the duplex and triplex systems, however, often find it difficult to detect a possible broken inner spring.
Since commercial, industrial doors tend to weigh more, the torsion springs used in these settings usually have a larger inside diameter and wire size than residential torsion springs. While the springs on many doors use shafts with a 1" outside diameter, some doors instead use a 1-1/4" outside diameter shaft. These shafts are only used with bearings, cable drums, and winding cones with 1-1/4" openings for the shaft. Heavier doors often use a solid shaft, while lighter doors tend to use hollow shafts. Some solid shafts are keyed, giving a groove along the length of the shaft that, when coupled with a shaft key, can help keep the cable drums from spinning loose.
Does your commercial door use standard torsion springs? Go to our Commercial and Industrial Torsion Springs page to learn more and to order new springs for your garage. Also, if you have a more common residential garage door spring, you can try searching for your spring in our Find My Spring Database™. For information on how to measure your spring, please see our How to Measure Torsion Springs tutorial.
Steel Rolling Door Torsion Springs
Steel rolling doors are not made of sections like most garage doors. Instead, they join together by interlocking slats, which allow the door a greater range of mobility as it opens. With the extra mobility available, the rising garage door wraps securely around a barrel.
Secured inside the barrel is a torsion spring. The spring counterbalances the door weight to make the door easier to operate. The barrel remains closed on both ends, so you cannot see the springs inside. While many doors only have one spring, some heavier steel rolling doors use multiple springs to balance the extra door weight.
The barrel comes equipped with two head plates, located on each side. Two pieces of shaft pass through a bearing in the head plates and into the barrel. Inside the barrel, idler brackets support the shafts. Pins or screws fasten these brackets to the barrel.
The shaft supports the torsion springs. One of the idler brackets serves as a spring anchor bracket to anchor the torsion spring. The other end of the spring typically has a cone that is secured to the shaft with set screws, though some springs have a special loop at the end that is secured to the barrel with a rod.
One side of the steel rolling door has a winding unit. A piece of angle above the winding wheel is secured to the head plate. This supports a bolt that rests inside the winder to anchor the shaft. You can adjust the spring tension by inserting a winding bar in another hole in the winding wheel, pulling down on the bar, and removing the bolt to free the wheel and shaft to turn. Spring tension is added by winding down on the winding wheel. A sprocket assembly connects to the shaft on the other side of the barrel. Installers typically attach an opener or a chain hoist to this assembly to operate the door.
Do you have a steel rolling garage door? Go to our Steel Rolling Door Torsion Springs page to learn more and to order new springs for your garage.
Self-Storage Roll-up Door Springs
Self-storage roll-up doors operate in a manner similar to steel rolling doors. You'll find these doors at self-storage locations. They are also called mini-warehouse doors and one-piece curtain doors, and they vary widely in width and height.
Manufacturers roll mini-warehouse doors from a single piece of steel. While steel rolling doors use interlocking slats to form the curtain, mini-warehouse doors use single-piece curtains. As the door opens, the curtain wraps around the drums, which are secured to the shaft. Because of this, roll-up doors can be called one-piece curtain doors or steel rolling doors.
Spaced along the axle are circular drums. These parts help to support the curtain as the door opens. The torsion springs secure to the outer-most drum with a bolt as pictured. Typically two torsion springs balance each door with one each end of the shaft.
The other end of the torsion spring secures to the door bracket just to the outside of the door. The axle passes through this bracket, through the middle of the torsion spring, and through the drums.
Some manufacturers, such as Janus International and Trac-Rite, make doors with a special tension adjustment wheel, while doors by other manufacturers such as DCBI do not have this special adjustment tool. Typically, the springs on rollup doors without tension adjusters are visible when the door is open. Those with tension adjusters tend to have a steel wrapping around the drums, hiding the springs from view.
Garage Door Extension Springs
Garage door extension springs are usually mounted along the sides of the garage door or above the horizontal tracks. Extension springs stretch and contract as the door operates to counterbalance the weight of the door.
Most residential garage doors only have two extension springs - one on each side of the door. Commercial doors, however, as well as some residential doors, often have multiple springs installed on each side.
Extension springs have either open loops, closed loops, or clipped ends to secure the spring to the garage track hang, pulley, pivot pin, frame, or tension adjusting bolt.
Sectional Garage Door Extension Springs
Sectional garage door extension springs are the more common type of extension springs installed here in the United States. These springs stretch above and parallel to the horizontal tracks on each side. They counterbalance the garage door by pulling on the cables. As the door closes, the door weight is transferred from the tracks to the cables, and the door it gets heavier, but the springs are also stretching and pulling against the cables to balance the door and make it easier to operate.
Residential garages almost always utilize two springs, one on each side of the door. One end of each spring usually connects to an open-eye bolt. This bolt usually fastens to the angle iron that holds to track or to a beam in the garage frame.
A pulley typically attaches to the other end of the extension spring with the help of a pulley fork. One end of the cable that goes over this pulley is attached to a cable adjustment clip. An S-hook attaches to this clip, as well as to the horizontal track. The other end of this cable rolls over a second pulley and down to the bottom fixture on the bottom section of the garage door.
Do you have sectional garage door extension springs? Go to our Sectional Garage Door Extension Springs page to learn more and to order new springs.
Commercial and industrial overhead doors have an extension setup very similar to residential garage doors. On heavier doors, there may be a special kit that connects the ends of multiple extension springs. This allows two or more springs to be stretched simultaneously on each side of the garage door.
Not all commercial and industrial garage doors have this setup installed. Some still just use one extension spring on each side. For the most part, though, the rest of the system functions the same as with residential doors. Pulleys supply lift in both types, though commercial pulleys tend to be a lot stronger and capable of lifting heavier doors without premature breakage.
Do you have sectional garage door extension springs? Go to our Sectional Garage Door Extension Springs page to learn more and to order new springs for your garage.
One-Piece Garage Door Extension Springs
Just as the name implies, One-piece garage doors operate as one large piece. When the door opens, the top moves inside of the garage, usually on tracks, while the bottom of the door rises outside of the garage. Extension springs pull against a pivot pin or a connecting point to counterbalance the weight of the door.
Since the bottom of the door moves both toward the inside and outside of the garage, weatherstripping this type of door is not feasible. As a result, one-piece garage doors are more popular in climates less prone to harsh weather.
One-piece garage door systems use extension springs to counterbalance the door. These doors typically use one or two extension springs on each side of the door, for a total of 2 or 4 springs on the door.
The bottom of the spring is secured to an adjusting bolt, which is fastened to a door jamb bracket. The top of the spring has a loop or a clip positioned over a large pivot pin or bolt. The springs stretch upward, nearly perpendicular to the garage floor. The other end of the spring attaches to a lever arm. The lever arm is attached to the garage door. As you open the door, the extension spring shortens and loses some of its stretch.
Do you have one-piece garage door extension springs? Go to our One-Piece Single Panel Garage Door Extension Springs page to learn more and to order new springs for your garage.