You'll need to release the tension in the torsion spring before you begin working on the garage door. Start by clamping adjustable locking pliers onto the torsion spring shaft and wedging the pliers against the header wall above the door. Insert a steel rod into one of the holes in the spring winding cone, which has four holes used for loosening and tightening. Hold tightly to the rod, and loosen the setscrews holding the winding cone in place. Use the steel rods to loosen the spring one-quarter turn at a time. Alternate the two rods, using one to hold the cone steady and the other to turn the cone after the first rod is removed. After the tension has been released, disconnect the existing garage-door opener from the door. Begin removing the door panels. Start at the top panel, and remove the hinges connected to the panel below (Image 1). Be careful when dealing with glass. Disconnect the track by unscrewing or unbolting it from the doorframe. If you're planning to replace your automatic door opener, remove the opener's track from above (Image 2) and remove the opener (Image 3).
Begin installing your new door. If you're installing a two-car garage door, place a reinforcing bar on the top panel to prevent the door from bowing in the center. Be sure the bar is centered on the panel. Drill pilot holes (Image 1), and secure the bar with screws. Attach hinges to the top of each panel (Image 2). Many new doors come with pilot holes drilled by the manufacturer. Attach axle supports to the bottom of the bottom panel and to the top of the top panel. Place the bottom panel into the door opening. Hold the panel upright by driving a nail into the wall next to the panel and bending it over to hold the panel in place (Image 3). Make sure it's level before attaching the next panel. Attach the next panel on top of the first one. Make sure the groove of the upper panel rests on the ridge of the lower panel. Repeat the process until all the panels are in place. The final panel should extend 1" or so past the top of the door opening. From inside the garage, secure the top half of each hinge to the panel above (Image 1).
Place the wheeled axles into the side hinges and the top and bottom axle supports. Begin installing the track by attaching brackets to the vertical track pieces. Check your instruction manual to be sure you're installing the brackets in the correct places. After attaching the brackets, place them against the wall, and make sure the wheels lie properly in the track (Image 2). Attach the door cable to the hook on the bottom panel axle support before attaching the bottom bracket to the wall (Image 3). Assemble the pieces to support the spring assembly, and attach them to the track (Image 1). Check the instruction manual to make sure you're installing the assembly in the correct place. Rest the curved portion of the track on the vertical piece you installed earlier (Image 2), and attach the other end to the ceiling bracket (Image 3). Use the same ceiling supports that were used with the old door. Attach the horizontal track to the vertical track on the door. Don't tighten the bolts firmly until you're sure the door fits properly and lines up smoothly.
Drill a hole through the horizontal track to line up with the vertical track. Use the holes in the vertical track to determine where to drill the hole. Bolt the tracks together. Be sure to use the correct size bolt: if the head is too big, it will obstruct the track. Locate the center of the opening, and mark it on the door header. You will attach the support for the spring there later. Attach the spring anchors to the springs (Image 1), then attach the spring locking cone. The locking cone must be on securely: it keeps the spring from popping loose under high tension. Bolt the two springs securely to the main header bracket (Image 2). Slide the torsion rod into the holes in the side header brackets (Image 1). Make sure the rod is secure, then attach the pulleys to each end of the rod. Secure the center header bracket to the center mark on the header (Image 2). You'll probably need to lift the center of the assembly to get it level before attaching it.
Bring the cable up from below, and attach it to the pulley wheel on both sides (Image 1). Turn the wheel so the slack is pulled tight over the pulley from the door side. Slide the wheel to the header bracket, and tighten it securely (Image 2). Tighten a pair of locking pliers to the rod on the outside of the bracket. This will prevent the rod from turning when you begin to tighten the springs. Snap a chalk line across the springs. This will help you know how many times you've turned the springs when you begin tightening. Use the steel rods to tighten the spring by reversing the loosening procedure you used on the old door. Check your owner's manual to determine how many turns are required to tighten the spring. Look at the chalk line to confirm how many turns you've made. When you reach the appropriate tension, tighten the bolts in the anchor to lock it in place, and remove the pliers from the torsion rod. Home > Do-It-Yourself Instructions > Extension Spring Pulley Replacement
Extension Spring Pulley Replacement One major cause of failure for garage doors using extension springs is that the pulleys wear out. Usually the ball bearings break down, causing the pulley to scrape against the track angle, or the rivets fail and the pulley splits as in the picture above, causing the door cable to stick. When the owner of this garage door called us she said, "The garage door opens part way and stops." This is one of many symptoms caused by worn pulleys. This particular door would not sit evenly on the garage floor. When we tried to open it the garage door jammed. Generally, when pulleys fail, the garage door does not open and close properly. The garage door closes part way and reopens. The door binds and sticks, and scraping sounds often accompany the other symptoms. Some times the first symptom is a frayed or broken cable, or a dangling extension spring, or a dent in the car. In my 30 years servicing garage doors I have found these symptoms to be some of the more challenging for do-it-yourselfers to diagnose.
At our parts page you will find a variety of pulleys you can purchase for your garage door. On this door, 3-inch pulleys equivalent to our PU-30S were replaced with our PU-30H, which is rated to last twice as long. Since all the pulleys in the extension spring system are used approximiately the same amount each time the garage door opens and closes, we recommend that you replace all four pulleys - this will save you time and reduce shipping costs. 3. Open the garage door. If you try to lift the garage door from the middle of the door, it will probably open a little and stick. The door will likely also be uneven. 4. When a pulley is worn the corner of the garage door will often catch on the broken pulley, preventing the door from opening. 5. To open the garage door you will probably need to move to the side of the door with the worn pulley. Lift the door, being careful to keep the top section from catching on the broken pulley. You may have to reposition yourself so this does not happen.
6. Once you raise the door, you can wedge it open with a board as shown. You can also use a broom stick, or you can prop a ladder under the middle of the door. 8. Another way to hold the door open while working is to reengage the trolley. On Genie screw drive openers pull the trolley arm back toward the opener. This locks the trolley into the drawbar assembly. If you have a Sears, Chamberlain or LiftMaster opener, you will need to plug in the power cord, run the trolley to the open position and reengage the opener trolley. Make sure you unplug the power to the opener again. 9. Let's return to the broken pulley. This pulley was worn out to the point that it was splitting apart. 10. Remove the cable clip from the S-hook. Since we have already raised the garage door, the extension springs will be loose enough for the cable clip to come off of the S-hook. If these are damaged, you can purchase them from our parts list. 11. Remove the cable from the pulley as shown. 12. Loosen the nut and the bolt that hold the pulley to the track.
13. Remove the nut from the bolt. 14. Take the worn pulley off of the track and remove the bolt. 15. Insert the bolt in the new pulley. 16. Place the new pulley back on the track. Finger tighten the nut on the bolt. 17. Secure the bolt. 18. Move to the other pulley on this side of the garage door. 19. Loosen the nut from the bolt on this pulley. 20. Remove the nut from this assembly. 21. You may need a screw driver to assist in the loosening of the cable and the removal of the bolt. 22. Once you remove the bolt, keep the cable on the old pulley and keep the pulley fork in its present orientation. If you rotate the cable or the pulley fork, the pulley will rotate as the extension spring expands and contracts when you open and close the garage door. 23. Swap the old pulley with the new pulley. 24. Place the new pulley in the pulley fork. 25. Insert the bolt in the new pulley, keeping the cable on the pulley as shown. 26. Place the nut on the bolt, and finger tighten the nut.
27. Secure the pulley to the pulley fork by tightening the nut and the bolt. 28. You are now ready to attach the cable clip to the S-hook. Pull the cable that goes on the pulley attached to the extension spring. You may need to lift the spring to raise it above the track where it normally sits. 29. Place the cable clip on the S-hook. 30. If the cable is not taut and the spring sags below the track as shown, you will need to shorten the length of the cable. This is a sign that the extension spring is fatiguing and has lost some of its strength. You may want to consider replacing your extension springs, as they may only last a few more years. Even if the spring is not sagging, you may want to consider following these steps for threading the cable through the cable clip. This method of securing the cable to the cable clip has never failed for me. 31. In order to shorten the length of cable, remove the cable clip from the S-hook. Pull on the cable near the cable clip.
32. Pull on the cable until the cable is tight (but not stretching the extension spring) and the spring rests on top of the track. 33. Measure the distance from the cable clip to the S-hook on the track. 34. Relax the tension on the cable. Re-measure this distance and place a vise grip on the cable. 35. Remove the cable from the cable clip as shown. 36. Make a U with the cable as shown. The vise grip should be touching the bottom of the cable clip. 37. Slide the end of the cable through the side of the U as shown. 38. Pull the cable tight. 39. Slide the end of the cable through the middle hole so that the new portion of cable is inside the loop formed in the previous steps. 40. Remove the vise grip. Insert the cable in the bottom hole where the vise grip just sat. 41. Pull the cable tight. 42. Run the cable back through the pulley near the extension spring as shown. 43. Reinstall the cable clip on the S-hook, making sure that the cable still runs around the stationary pulley.
44. At this point, you are finished replacing the pulleys. Thread the remaining cable through the outside of the track. This will keep the cable from damaging the garage door as it opens and closes. If you cut off the excess cable, you may need new cables the next time you replace your extension springs. 45. Move to the other side of the garage door and repeat this process. Remove the old stationary pulley. 46. Install the new stationary pulley. 47. Remove the old pulley attached to the extension spring. As before, do not rotate the pulley fork or the cable. 48. Install the new pulley. 49. Again, you will need to shorten the cable by the same amount as on the other side. This will cause each extension spring to lift the same force on each side of the garage door, allowing it to rise smoothly and evenly. 50. Reinstall the cable clip on the S-hook, making sure that the cable still runs around the stationary pulley. 52. Remove the vise grip from the track, and lower it a few inches.
At this point we had to go to the other side and remove the board that was also supporting the door. We also disengaged the opener. The vise grip was positioned there for safety to keep the door from dropping and slamming onto the floor if something had been overlooked in the repair process. 53. If the garage door stays open, remove the vise grip from the track . 54. Check the strength of the extension springs. When it is open half-way, it should not move. When it is opened most of the way, it should stay or pull itself up the remainder of the way. When the garage door is almost closed it should stay or drop to the floor. 55. Check to see if the door is level. The door should be sealed to the floor all along the bottom. 56. If one side of the door is too high, you will need to shorten that spring. In this case, the right extension spring was too strong. Place a vise grip just below the roller on the side that is too strong as shown. 57. Rather than adjusting the cable in the cable clip, you can move the S-hook to a hole that is closer to the garage door.