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On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:36:20 -0800, Don Bruder <...@sonic.net
In article <...@earthlink.com "Jack Valance" <...@usit.net
First advice: Unless you know what you're doing, dinking with the
torsion springs on a garage door is best left to a pro - Those things
can hurt you *REALLY* bad.
That said, for a while, I was a "pro" garage door hanger (in the sense
that I did it to make a living, not that I was necessarily the world's
best at it...) so I can offer you some advice - it's worth exactly what
you pay for it, use at your own risk, etc, etc, etc.
Door closed is the only possible way to do it. Try it with the door
open, and the door itself will be in the way.
Attach your cable to your door and drum. Latch the door in the down
position (A C-clamp in the track "groove" behind one of the wheels works
nicely if you don't have an "official" latch mechanism on the door - put
the frame side of the clamp on the outside of the track, and run the
"screw" side into the groove)
Now break out your ladder, and your tensioning bars (You *DO* have a
pair of tensioning bars that fit the sockets in your spring, right?
What? You don't? STOP RIGHT THERE AND CALL A REAL GARAGE DOOR GUY! DO
NOT try to improvise - unless you WANT to end up in the hospital) plus a
wrench to fit the set-bolt, and a can of spray-paint - any color, but
lighter colors usually end up being more visible.
Door still closed. Up the ladder with the spray paint and wrench. Check
that there is no tension on the spring (the bar should roll freely,
within the limits set by the cable on the drum) If you're good there,
eyeball the spring. Do you see a streak of color that looks like
somebody painted a barber-pole stripe along the spring, or is it a
straight line? If it's a straight line, proceed, ignoring the
spray-paint step, otherwise STOP - The spring is (somehow...) already
loaded at least partially. If you don't see a line at all, then make one
- just make a pass along the length of the spring that's good enough to
make you a visible line.
Now stick one of your tensioning rods in one of the holes (usually 4,
some brands have 5) in the spring fitting, and turn until you find the
set-bolt on the collar. Loosen it so that the bar spins free inside the
collar (again, within the limits set by the cable n the drum)
Now start alternating tensioning rods - put one in a low hole on the
collar, and crank it upward, away from you. Now put the other one in a
low hole, make certain it's holding the load, pull the first one out,
turn the one that's still in upward away from you to the next available
hole, and repeat the process. *DO NOT* be tempted to "cheat" by skipping
holes - Take it from someone who was hit in the wallet by making that
mistake... you *WILL* be sorry if you do. Even though it takes longer to
go hole-by-hole, it's MUCH safer that way, and you end up with fewer
flying metallic objects in the airspace of the garage (or embedded in
the door of a fancy sports car...)
You don't say how tall the opening is (which will make a difference) so
I'll just go with the usual 10 foot high opening - for an 18 foot door,
that would mean I'd start checking whether the tension was right after I
got about 8-10 turns on the spring. That's where your paint mark comes
in - as you turn the spring, the line you sprayed on will turn into a
spiral "barber-pole" stripe on the spring. Count the number of times it
"comes around to the front", and that's how many turns you have on the
spring.
When you're to the point of wanting to check and see if the tension is
right, hold the tensioning rod in place, and crank down the set-bolt.
Crank it like you mean it! Don't pussyfoot around with it! When you
release the pressure on the tensioning rod, that spring is going to want
to unwind, and if there isn't a good solid load on it (because it's
properly pinned to the bar) it's gonna come unglued on you, and you
ain't likely to enjoy what happens when it does.
Once you've got the set-bolt good and tight, come on down and try
raising the door by hand. You should be able to raise AND lower the door
with literal "fingertip" pressure, but not have it "run away" on you in
either direction - basically, the spring is there to act as a sort of
"counterweight", rendering the door effectively "weightless", not acting
as an "auto-opener".
If it works to your satisfaction, put away your gear and have a brew.
Otherwise, back up the ladder and adjust - Put a tension bar in a hole
on the collar, loosen the set-bolt, and increase/decrease the turn count
by one or two, retighten the bolt, and check it again.
Good luck...
--
Email shown is deceased. If you would like to contact me by email, please
post something that makes it obvious in this or another group you see me
posting in with a "how to contact you" address, and I'll get back to you.
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On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:27:44 -0500, Elmo <...@noSpam4U.org
I know a nine-fingered auto mechanic who can testify to that.
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On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:33:51 -0500, Jim <...@bellsouth.net
would one of you home repair people give Jack a word or two concerning
his request. Jack posted this is misc.rural and would most likely be
reading or expecting replies in misc.rural..
Jack you might want to subscribe to alt.home.repair to look for replies...
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On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:21:36 -0700, Tony Hwang <...@shaw.ca
With proper tool and door down, start from about 30 turns. and door
should be in neutral state. It should move up/down easy with one hand
push/pull. Hwew one cable snapped during summer(TG, not in winter) and I
went thru replacing cables, rewinding springs, brackets and learned how
to do it.
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On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:10:19 -0500, Tony <...@gmail.com
If you don't know which way to turn the spring, it sounds as if your
knowledge in this type of work is very limited. Add to that, tightening
a coil spring like that can be very dangerous. A good number of people
end up with a bloody door and a trip to the emergency room. I suggest
you hire a pro.
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On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:56:52 -0800 (PST), Thomas <...@yahoo.com
Bingo. If you do not have the correct tools for this you will more
than likely become injured.
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On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:49:07 -0600, "Jack Valance" <...@usit.net
I got 2 2' 1 1/2 smooth rounds for this. I just got to know about the
perticulars.. I'm cut back 3days a week and I sure ain't got $75 to pay
somebody.
Hell it can't be rocket science,
Acutally I found a guy at work who use to do this, he is coming over
Thursday and do it.. Gonna give him $40 to do it.
Fact I found 3/4 craftsman opener, 2 remotes and a key pad on craigs list
for $40 bucks.. Really don't need that much hp a 1/2 ought to do.
Guy got his house repossed and he is gutting it selling about eveything he
can
See now I done spent $80 bucks I aint got.. I got to sell something to get
at least $40
Boys if you ain't hit hard times you lucky. Folks around these parts are
hurting.. Mill closed down 6 months ago.
Folks about now are scrambleing to make ends.
I'm acutally lucky I still got a job and insurance. I got a daughter in Med
school. Yea I been living over my means for years and it has about caught
up.
Your used to putting in 60hrs a week for the last 15 years and now 36...
Sundays was double time and it has been gone a year..
My damn Obama check ain't come in yet.
Serioulsy
Thanks for the answers
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On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:27:32 -0500, Tony <...@gmail.com
Glad you found someone with experience. Seriously, I feel better now.
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Anonymous Wrote:
On Nov 10, 11:27 am, Tony <...@gmail.com
I hope he has homeowner's insurance to cover it in case it turns out
the guy from work is the one that gets injured. If you hire a real
door company and make sure they are insured, you're pretty much off
the hook if they get hurt or killed.
I do lots of my own work myself. I draw the line when it comes to
getting some other uninsured amature involved, particularly having
them do something that is known to be potentially dangerous
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On Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:56:26 -0500, Jim <...@bellsouth.net
pretty sad how this thread went from someone asking how to do something
to concerns over issues of liabilities.
I still enjoy the imaginary illusions of this once having been a nation
of people who took responsibility for their own actions.
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On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:56:02 -0500, Elmo <...@noSpam4U.org
Sad indeed. Even worse is how having insurance can be its own liability.
A friend works for a court reporting service and while I can never be
told the details of some of the depositions that are taken, I do get to
hear some appalling stories which all too often involve a person who
ends up as the plaintiff in a lawsuit against a friend or relative because
an insurance company wants to get someone else to pay for the bills from
an event that they had agreed to provide coverage for.
--
The world began without the human race and will certainly end without it.
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On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:53:21 -0800 (PST), Linda Hungerford <...@earthlink.net
On Nov 11, 5:56 pm, Jim <...@bellsouth.net
Having one of the deeper pockets in this group, I can assure you that
responsibilities for one's actions, as well as station in life, are
fading very quickly.
Even those that want to work have to be monitored in person, it
seems. I can get more done by myself, some days, than the three
people put together that are supposedly working for me. Complacency,
Peter Principle, sloth.... I dunno what it is.
Anyway, back to garage doors. The springs on mine are fine. But
somebody moved a microwave stand under the track,which I did not see
from the house door, and I lowered the door onto it (automatic/
motorized garage door). Being in a growling mood at the time, I
pushed the issue. End result has been the breaking of the windows in
the top panel of the door, as well as fracture of the top 2x4/header
(dunno the terminology). Need to get this fixed in the next few
weeks, so I can lower this North facing door and keep the house warmer
this winter.
never a dull moment.....
Linda H.
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On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:28:59 -0800 (PST), JIMMIE <...@YAHOO.COM
On Nov 12, 9:53 am, Linda Hungerford <...@earthlink.netwrote:
Replace the top panel. Mine broke like that because Sears installed
the opener wrong. It took maybe 30 minutes for the guys to replace
it.Cant help with the cost info Sears paid for it.
Jimmie
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On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:31:42 -0600, AL <...@hamiltoncom.net
Exactly how did you come to this conclusion?
BTW, you posted across no less than 3 groups so you've covered a lot
more territory than "this group" with your opinion.
AL
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