Help Troubleshooting Torsion Spring Garage Door

[anon4458]

My garage door is a single torsion spring system. Torsion spring broke and I bought a replacement spring, same inner diameter and spring thickness, only 2 inches shorter than the original (32" vs 34"). The issue I'm having is when the garage door is open all the way, there isn't enough tension from the spring to keep the cable taut on each drum so the cables become loose. To remedy this, I added more turns to the torsion spring until the cables remained taut while the door is open. Only problem with this is that the garage door shoots up by itself and the garage door opener has trouble keeping the door closed. I've tried many different number of turns but it's either the cable becomes loose or the garage door is unbalanced. Last resort is to buy another spring with the same length. Any advice?

[TJR]

You now have WAY too much spring. I know 2" are nothing, but here it's a lot. The spring is for a heavier door.

[Lone Star Charles]

Agree with TJR - you now have too much spring. However, if you truly do have the same inner diameter and the same wire size, then shortening the length by 2" should have given less than a ten percent increase in force. It sounds like you got more than that. Are you sure that the I.D. and wire dia. are the same? I have attached a link to a very helpful page that I have used to select the proper torsion spring. All you need to know is a few details about the door and you can select the correct spring easily.

Standard Garage Door Torsion Springs

[Beaver-Overhead]

spring lock

My garage door is a single torsion spring system. Torsion spring broke and I bought a replacement spring, same inner diameter and spring thickness, only 2 inches shorter than the original (32" vs 34"). The issue I'm having is when the garage door is open all the way, there isn't enough tension from the spring to keep the cable taut on each drum so the cables become loose. To remedy this, I added more turns to the torsion spring until the cables remained taut while the door is open. Only problem with this is that the garage door shoots up by itself and the garage door opener has trouble keeping the door closed. I've tried many different number of turns but it's either the cable becomes loose or the garage door is unbalanced. Last resort is to buy another spring with the same length. Any advice?

I have to ask a simple question when you wound the spring was the door up or down? you can replace the spring with the door up however you should stretch the spring along the tube so the spring doesnt compress upon it self. Its allways easyer and makes a better working door if you wind with the door down,

[gilbdoor]

The spring you bought will work if you add 10 lbs. to the lower portion of the door in the form of reinforcing struts or angle iron. The door will then be balanced correctly. Preferably, the weight should be added to the second from the bottom section of the door.