How Do You Know What Size Spring You Need for a Garage Door?

How to Measure and Club Your Replacement Torsion Springs

Posted on December 5, 2018 by IDC Jump

Updated January 29, 2021

Providing the correct torsion or extension spring for your awarding is our number i priority. From standard springs to hard-to-find replacement springs, IDC Jump promises the right spring for your awarding. Let us friction match your requirements to the correct IDC Spring solution. The guidelines beneath assist identify the right bound, every time… Easy as 1, 2, iii, 4.

Footstep ane: Determine the Current of air Management

Look at the end of the leap to determine the wind direction. If the terminate of the bound points in the clockwise direction it is left-wound and if the end of the bound points in the counter-clockwise direction, it is right-wound. On most springs, wind direction is also indicated by the color of the winding cones and cable drums — ruby-red indicates a right-wound spring while black indicates a left-wound spring.

Sometimes this step can cause confusion. If you are not sure almost your spring'southward wind-direction, contact our team today, and nosotros would be happy to assist y'all.

Step 2: Mensurate the Wire Size

Measure the length of ten or twenty coils of the spring that needs to be replaced, using inches. Then compare that measurement to the garage door torsion spring chart below to determine the correct wire size.

Length of 10 coils (in Inches)	Length of twenty Coils (in Inches)	Wire Size
ane 1/4	2 1/2	.125
1 3/8	2 iii/4	.135
i 7/16	2 7/8	.142
1 1/2	3	.148
1 ix/16	3 one/8	.156
1 5/8	3 1/4	.162
1 1/16	3 3/8	.170
one iii/four	3 ane/two	.177
1 7/viii	3 iii/4	.187
1 15/sixteen	3 7/8	.192
ii 1/xvi	4 i/viii	.207
2 3/xvi	four 3/eight	.218
2 i/four	4 1/2	.225
2 five/16	4 v/8	.234
2 7/16	4 7/8	.243
two 1/2	5	.250
ii 5/8	five 1/iv	.262
two 3/iv	5 ane/ii	.273
2 13/16	5 5/8	.283
2 7/viii	5 3/4	.289
2 15/sixteen	5 7/viii	.295
three 1/sixteen	6 1/8	.306
3 i/viii	6 1/iv	.312
3 3/16	6 3/8	.319
3 5/16	half-dozen 5/eight	.331
3 7/16	six 7/viii	.343
3 5/viii	seven ane/8	.362
3 iii/4	7 1/ii	.375
3 15/16	7 7/viii	.393
4 1/xvi	8 1/8	.406
4 7/32	8 7/xvi	.421
4 5/16	8 5/eight	.430
4 3/eight	eight 3/four	.437
4 17/32	ix 1/16	.453
4 xi/sixteen	nine 3/8	.468
4 seven/eight	9 3/4	.490
5	10	.500
5 5/sixteen	x 5/viii	.531
v 5/eight	eleven 1/iv	.562
half dozen 1/4	12 1/2	.625

Step 3: Measure the Inside Bore

For torsion springs, measure the inside diameter to the one/16" of an inch.

Step iv: Measure the Overall Length

Mensurate the overall length of the spring to the nearest quarter inch.

For whatever additional questions, explore the remainder of the in-depth guide below, or contact our squad today.

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In-Depth Guide: How to Measure and Order Replacement Torsion Springs: Everything You Need to Know

• How to Determine Air current Direction >>
• How to Determine Wire Size >>
• How to Measure the Inside Diameter >>
• How to Measure Overall Length >>
• Data to Have To Order New Springs >>

For pretty much anyone who owns an automatic garage door, garage door springs are a vital office of daily life. Anywhere from 2 to four times each day, the garage door is activated when heading to and from work, the supermarket or places of leisure. As such, the mechanical parts that actuate a garage door are amidst the virtually utilized pieces of equipment in a typical household. Consequently, garage torsion springs tin can article of clothing out during the average length of a residential occupancy.

The overhead torsion jump prepare is the office of a garage door system that allows the door to motion upward, down and remain suspended at sure heights. With each activation, the coils are pulled out and wound support. While torsion springs are fabricated to endure such activity, over time the effects of the constant movement tin accept their cost on the leap wire. Eventually, the springs demand to be adjusted or even inverse out entirely.

How to Determine the Air current Direction of a Garage Torsion Spring

Before you contact a garage door torsion spring manufacturer, it'south important to know the direction in which a jump is wound. That mode, you lot'll know whether you lot need to replace a left-wound leap, a right-wound spring or both. In some cases, you might observe that when ane garage door torsion spring is broken — be it the left-wound or the correct-wound — the other will be nearing the end of its life cycle also.

How to Determine

Out of all the information you'll need to assemble before ordering garage door torsion springs, the easiest to determine is the wind of a given leap. Basically, the order of the springs from left to right should tell you lot everything y'all need to know.

From the within of your garage, you'll likely see two springs forth opposite sides of a bar that hangs to a higher place the garage door. On most residential doors, the 2 springs are divided past a stationary cone. Though this might seem disruptive at beginning, the left-wound jump is located to the right of the cone, while the right-wound leap is located to the left. The exception to this rule is when yous're dealing with a garage door that uses a reverse torsion organization.

In most cases, right-wound and left-wound springs are farther distinguished past demarcation colors along the winding cones and cable drums located at the far end of each spring. For the right-wound spring, the cone and drum is colored red. For the left-wound leap, the 2 parts are colored black.

Why Does This Matter?

It's of import to know the direction of each torsion spring because this is integral to the operation of the garage door. To brand the door raise, each jump must turn in a certain direction. Likewise, the springs need to plow a certain way for the door to lower safely and steadily to the footing. If a incorrect-turning torsion leap is applied on either side, the door merely won't function properly.

When yous contact an overhead door torsion bound manufacturer to request replacements, be sure to include info nigh the air current direction of the jump or set of springs yous intend to replace. Note the side of the bar on which the spring appears, as well every bit the color along the cease parts.

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How to Decide the Wire Size on Torsion Springs

When you measure out a garage door spring, it'due south non plenty to merely take a tape mensurate and record the length from one end to the other. Yous also need to know the size of the wire itself. While this might seem difficult to comprehend, measuring the wire size is actually as easy as running a tape mensurate along the altitude between x and 20 coils. The two measurements are then correlated to a wire size nautical chart.

A lot of people would assume that wire size would more accurately exist determined with the apply of calipers or micrometers, but this is not the case. For example, if a coil has a kink, a micrometer will give you an inaccurate reading. As well, if the coils are coated with pigment forth the outside, it could crusade a slight swelling in the circumference of the spring, which would also render a caliper measurement inaccurate.

Garage Door Torsion Bound Size Nautical chart

Length of 10 coils (in Inches)	Length of twenty Coils (in Inches)	Wire Size
1 ane/iv	2 one/2	.125
one three/viii	two three/iv	.135
1 7/16	2 7/8	.142
1 1/ii	three	.148
one 9/16	3 1/eight	.156
1 v/8	3 i/iv	.162
1 1/sixteen	3 3/8	.170
1 iii/4	3 1/2	.177
ane 7/8	3 3/4	.187
1 15/16	3 7/8	.192
2 one/16	four ane/viii	.207
2 three/16	four 3/8	.218
2 ane/4	four 1/2	.225
two 5/16	4 5/8	.234
2 7/16	iv 7/8	.243
two 1/2	5	.250
2 5/8	5 1/4	.262
ii 3/4	5 1/ii	.273
2 13/16	5 5/8	.283
2 7/8	5 3/4	.289
2 fifteen/16	five 7/viii	.295
iii i/sixteen	6 one/8	.306
3 1/8	6 1/4	.312
3 iii/xvi	6 3/8	.319
three 5/16	6 5/viii	.331
three 7/16	six 7/8	.343
3 5/eight	7 1/eight	.362
3 3/4	vii one/2	.375
3 fifteen/xvi	seven 7/8	.393
iv i/xvi	8 1/8	.406
4 vii/32	8 vii/xvi	.421
4 v/16	eight 5/viii	.430
four three/8	8 3/4	.437
four 17/32	9 1/16	.453
4 xi/16	9 three/8	.468
4 7/eight	ix 3/4	.490
5	10	.500
5 5/16	x v/8	.531
five 5/viii	eleven 1/4	.562
six i/four	12 ane/ii	.625

How to Measure If the Leap Is Intact

If you're replacing a garage door torsion spring that's faulty nevertheless intact, it'southward relatively easy to make up one's mind the wire size. Outset, you lot'll want to lay the spring downwardly on a table and pull out three scraps of paper. Place one fleck betwixt two random coils, and then place a second scrap exactly x coils down the leap. Measure out the distance betwixt the 2 scraps of paper. Then, place the tertiary scrap exactly ten coils downwardly from the 2d, and measure the length from first to third fleck, between the xx coils.

Next, take the 10-coil and 20-coil measurements, and see how they correlate on the wire size chart higher up. For example, you might become measurements of ane one/4 inches between the showtime 10 coils and 2.5 inches betwixt all 20 coils. These numbers will likely correlate to one of the sizes on your manufacturer's wire chart. If non, round things off to the nearest 16th of an inch.

How to Measure If the Bound Is Broken

When you need to replace a cleaved overhead door torsion spring, the task of measuring tin be a bit trickier. Once once more, y'all'll need to set things downwards on a table and pull upwardly three scraps of paper. If one of the spring halves is long enough, you can probably measure out both the x-roll and 20-gyre lengths on that half. Follow the same steps every bit you would with an intact spring: Identify 3 scraps at 10-coil intervals — you lot'll take a scrap at curl one, 10 and 20. Measure out distances between the first and second flake also as between the get-go and third flake.

On the other manus, you might need to pull both halves of the spring together to go an accurate measurement of the two lengths. For case, on EZ-Fix springs, gaps exist between the coils. Therefore, you're unlikely to go a xx-coil measurement from one one-half of a broken jump. In a situation like this, you'll desire to identify the first two scraps on whichever side contains 10 coils, then pull it together with the other half. And then, identify the tertiary chip at the 20th curlicue and measure both distances.

Other Wire Size Information to Know

Wire size tin exist hard to make up one's mind on rusty coils, which could throw off measurements taken by a caliper or micrometer. The chief trouble here is that rust tin cause wires to expand so compress, which results in an altered size from anything on the size chart of the average garage torsion springs manufacturer. When corrosion does occur, however, it tends to be along the outside, rather than in between the winding coils. Therefore, the paper-scrap measuring technique really is the near foolproof method for measuring wire size.

As a standard deed of precaution, no coils should exist touched while the torsion spring is still on the bars above your garage door. Safely remove the jump or spring halves that need to exist replaced, and do all handling on a flat surface. Also, don't straight bear on the ready screws or whatever of the bolts to the stationary cone.

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How to Measure the Inside Diameter (ID) of a Torsion Leap

Earlier you contact an overhead door torsion spring manufacturer for replacement springs, you'll need to know the bore of the springs that currently need to be replaced. On many garage door spring sets, this is the easiest chore of all, because you often don't take to brand whatsoever measurements. If you cheque the winding or stationary cone, you might run into a number like ane.75 or two.0. In the case of the former, the spring would have a 1 3/four-inch diameter. With the latter, the spring would have a 2-inch diameter.

If no such number appears to be listed on the spring components, you'll need to take a uncomplicated measurement past hand. With the spring placed down on a apartment surface, run a ruler or measuring tape along the within diameter of the spring. The resulting measurement is the diameter of the leap. For case, if the ruler reads 1 3/4″ across the hole inside the coils, the wire has a diameter of 1 3/four inches.

How to Measure the Overall Length of a Torsion Spring

The most of import measurement of all on a torsion bound is the overall length from one end to the other. The length of a torsion spring is integral to its winding capacity. If you lot have a large garage door, for case, you lot can't take an undersized spring and wait to become the needed lifting and lowering ability. Just put, torsion spring length is one of the key aspects to the unique power of automatic garage doors.

The task of measuring the length of a torsion spring is perhaps the easiest of all the tasks discussed here, considering it involves no special tricks or unique understandings. Basically, you run a tape measure forth the length of a spring, and accept down the number of inches. Therefore, if your tape mensurate indicates that a torsion spring is 36 inches from ane end to the other, that's a 36-inch — or 3 pes — torsion spring.

How to Measure If the Jump Is Intact

If you lot accept a torsion spring that's intact yet faulty, lay it down on a table and run a tape measure out from i end to the other. Starting time at the starting time scroll on i end and extend the measuring device to the final coil. Don't include the end cone itself, but do include any coils contained with the cone. Write down the number of inches and provide this data to a trusty garage door torsion spring manufacturer.

How to Mensurate If the Leap Is Broken

When a garage door torsion spring breaks in half, both parts must be pulled together on a flat surface to get a proper measurement of the length. Merely place the 2 broken ends into identify with i another, then pull a tape mensurate across the total length. If you have trouble belongings the spring halves together during this chore, shove one of the far ends of the spring against a wall while running the record mensurate.

Some homeowners wonder why information technology'south not advisable to measure out the individual lengths of partial springs and add together the total measurements together. While it might seem like an easier method, you could really end up more confused — or with an inaccurate sum — by trying to add partial measurements together. There could always be a quarter–inch that's missed in one of the measurements, or a faulty measurement of the ringlet length at the points where the wire has cleaved.

Other Length Information to Know

Torsion springs cannot exist measured while agile. When a garage door is in movement, for instance, each spring grows past a unmarried coil in length for every turn. Therefore, a spring on an open garage door — even if just partially open — will non lend itself to accurate measurements.

Information to Have on Hand When Ordering New Springs

When you contact a garage door torsion spring manufacturer to order new springs, it'south important to take all the authentic info on hand to ensure your new springs volition friction match the ones needing to be replaced.

Information Needed:

• Length
• Inside Diameter
• Wire Size
• Wind Direction

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You need to have proper measurements of the length, diameter, wire size and wind management of each jump that needs to be inverse out. That way, the torsion spring sales representative tin can aid you in finding springs that will perfectly fit your garage door organization.

Become New Garage Torsion Springs From IDC Spring

In the time you occupy a given household, you're bound to need repairs at some point to the mechanisms of your garage door. Whether yous need to replace the left spring, right leap or both, it's of import to know how to assemble useful data and then you can find the right replacements. Fifty-fifty if yous've never handled tasks like this earlier, the learning feel can exist invaluable because it prepares you for problems that might arise in the hereafter with your garage door torsion system.

At IDC Leap, nosotros aid occupants of residential and commercial properties observe suitable torsion springs for garages of various sizes. Our commitment to client satisfaction has been recognized by 17 of the height 25 manufacturers in the garage door industry, who now use the states as their vendor. To larn more than most what nosotros tin offer for your garage door, have a look at our torsion springs product pages and contact the states today.

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Source: https://idcspring.com/measure-order-torsion-springs/

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