Like Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups, 2 torsion springs are better than one.
We’re half kidding — but having a second torsion spring on your garage door does make it much safer. With only one spring holding up your door, if it breaks — the whole thing comes crashing down with a bang. And since garage doors can weigh hundreds of pounds — that’s a serious safety risk.
Plus, a second torsion spring limits wear and tear on your spring — since you’ve got 2 springs to do the heavy lifting. So if you buy 2 torsion springs at 40,000 cycle springs, you’ll pay less than you will for one 60,000 cycle spring — and you’ll get more cycles for your money.
So if you already need to replace one torsion spring on your garage door, why not add a second? Here’s how to do it.
A Step by Step Guide to Adding a Second Garage Door Spring
The first step is to unplug your garage door opener and disengage it from the door. Next, use a vice grip to hold the door in place. Then unwind the stationary cones from the shaft and bracket so there is no longer any tension applied to the spring.
Mark the shaft and cable drums so you’ll know where they’ll need to be when you replace them. Loosen the drums. Slide the shaft out of one end of the bearing plates. Remove the broken spring. Slide in the new spring and be sure it has the same wind. Reinsert the shaft into the end bearing plate.
Slide the second spring on the shaft and do the same thing.
Finally, wind both springs. Secure the screws back on the shaft. Re-engage your garage door opener.
Of course garage door springs are very dangerous. If you aren’t comfortable DIYing this project, feel free to give us a call. We’d be happy to help you install a second spring. We offer emergency garage door repair to the Elk Grove, California area.