Anyone ever replace your own garage door?

[Milo Bloom]

I have a two-car garage with a 35-year-old door that looks like crap, weighs approximately 17 tons and is no longer going up and down easily - it'll sometimes stop halfway and I have to coax it the rest of the way.

I'd like to buy one from Home Depot or something and just put it in myself, but I'm not sure if I can pull that off... can I use my existing rails, etc. or do I have to replace all that stuff too?

[obsidianspider]

I don't know first hand, but I've been told that you need to have a professional work with the springs as they are under a LOT of tension and if you mess it up, you could kill yourself, and that's not an exaggeration.

[Richelieu]

It's not difficult... and actually fairly safe.

you MAY be able to use your tracks, but you'd need to make sure the door was the same width, the rollers were the same, etc etc... the way we did it, my dad and I, was to place the door sections in place in the doorway, and bolt them together (and put the rollers on) so the door appeared closed...

Then... and this is slightly the not fun part, you lift the door up... Once it is up, then you can attach the springs to the door in their resting position, so there's nothing under tension. Then, close the door and poof, all done.

Where you will need to do homework is making sure the springs match the door. Balance is the key in those situations. Also, make a mental note how your springs are done beore you take your door down... so you can put them up again the same way the next time.

I'd have 2-3 people... probably a day or a weekend. I think the DIY'er could do it.

[mustang656man]

ive done it twice with 2 diff helpers and all went well,both times i bought used doors and put them up on a newly constructed shop, the 2nd one i had to ask for advice from sopmeone as it had a diff spring system that wound up above the header of the door and was a bit tricky. just go for it but ask for advice if needed. this was about 25 years ago. wes

[AMR66]

I watched the ONE guy tear down our old door and install our new Clopay door he did both in about 5 hours! It's a 2 car garage. This was an installer from the garage door place and he made it look very easy. I would not be afraid to attempt it but I think I would want 2 people. I think you get pretty good directions and a DVD if you get it from Home Depot.

[acarl1018]

[quote ]I have a two-car garage with a 35-year-old door that looks like crap, weighs approximately 17 tons and is no longer going up and down easily - it'll sometimes stop halfway and I have to coax it the rest of the way. [/quote]

Your door is probably wooden. When it rains it absorbs moisture and weighs more and the tension springs cannot provide sufficient assist to make it rise easily. You could try and adjust the springs. I will assume they are torsional (wrapped around the tube shaft that has pulleys and wires at each end). Also the rollers wear that attach to each end of the door and that can make travel when rising more difficult.

QUOTE ] I'd like to buy one from Home Depot or something and just put it in myself, but I'm not sure if I can pull that off... can I use my existing rails, etc. or do I have to replace all that stuff too?[/QUOTE]

I would replace all the door hardware and NOT use the existing tracks. Key to getting a proper installation is to make sure the tracks are exactly perpendicular to the door opening. Once installed measure the length of the diagonals from the end of the horizontal track at the ceiling back to where it curves and starts downward at the door. If the diagonal measurement for each door is exactly the same, then you have it square and perpendicular to the garage door opening.

Contrary to what others have said you should install the panels individually and stack them in the vertical position. If you have a 16 foot wide by 7 foot high opening it is very difficult to lift the door sections (no spring assist) by 2 men. If you do lift it to the horizontal position and attach the cable wires to the door and then lower it and let the weight of the door tension the springs, there is another consideration. Torsional springs when would and torque applied need to be able to expand horizontally on the shaft.

The best way is to wind the springs about 7 1/2 turns with the door closed and in the vertical position. You need the special round bars that fit snuggly in the sockets on the spring clamps. As you wind and torque the springs they are not fastened to the shaft and can expand naturally. Once wound you tighten the 2 - 3 set screws that make the spring solidly attached to the shaft.

I have a 16 foot wide by 7 foot high garage door opening. Several years ago one of the 2 torsional springs broke. I was able to remove the old spring, take it to a garage door installer retail facility. A new spring was cut from existing spring material by matching the wire diameter and the overall length of the springs. The retailer loaned me the proper size bars so that I could safely wind and tension the springs once installed. If you have the proper size bars for winding you can do it safely. The hazard occurs when someone tries to use other size bars such as metal punches. If it is not the proper size then the bar will slip from the socket on the spring and serious injury can occur.

[Jay_H_237]

Originally Posted by obsidianspider

I don't know first hand, but I've been told that you need to have a professional work with the springs as they are under a LOT of tension and if you mess it up, you could kill yourself, and that's not an exaggeration.

You're thinking of the torsion springs, not the extension ones that are more common on older doors. The extension ones aren't hard to work with and with the door fully raised more tension is gone, you just have to push the door farther back on the track to relieve all tension.

The torsion springs you need pipes to wind/unwind and you have to be very careful you don't let it get away.

[09Frank65]

If your old door has torsion springs be careful. They can be nasty. When I did our old door, I reached up as high as I could and cut the cable to the torsion spring. The spring unwound rather rapidly and noisily but aside from a change of drawers, no harm done.

After that it's just a matter of disassembling the old door in place.

If you have linear springs, then as someone mentioned, remove the springs and let the door go. Don't even try to catch it and lower it. It's trash anyway, so it's not worth getting hurt.

Use new tracks. It's not worth trying to save the old ones.

Assemble the new door in place, raise it and then install the springs.

Leave your guide cables long, thread them through the center of the springs and fasten the end to the rearmost mount. Then if a spring breaks the pieces won't go flying.

[imnutz]

I've been in the garage door biz for over 32 years - I'm sure you can do the install, it's much easier than restoring a Mustang! Two pieces of advice - don't buy extension spring doors, pay a little extra for torsion springs, and like most other things, it is usually a get what you pay for adventure (stay away from WD - poor quality and don't let them talk you into their torque master system), Clopay makes a decent reidential door, as does Raynor and Overhead. PM me if you take the plunge and need some help or advice. Oh, and in most cases it is better and easier to use all new track and hardware that comes with the new door.

[Laurie_S]

I'm also looking at replacing my garage door, which is original to the 1980-built house. However, it will be done as part of a garage remodeling, including raising the ceiling and installing a lift. I've been told that I will need a rollup garage door. Can you give me any advice about the best types of those?

[TheShagg]

You better know what you are doing, and think about what might happen each step of the way if you screw up, so that you can avoid all that might happen.

Respect those springs! They could get you killed!

Not a good job for someone to go about without a full working knowledge and plan before they start.

[joe69]

That's one thing I've always hired done.

Joe

[wayne50f1]

No big deal installing your own if your handie with a few basic tools and follow directions fully. Ive done a couple of my own without issues. I WOULD NOT TOUCH A TORSION SPRING SYSTEM... THAT SPRING IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR AVERAGE DIY.

[malarson]

If you buy a new door, it will come with all new hardware, tracks, rollers, etc. I installed one on my new garage and replaced the one on my old garage by myself. The new door will come with complete instructions. Completely remove the old door, section by section, starting at the top. If you have torsion springs, there are 2 set screws that hold them to the rod. Carefully loosen these a little at a time and the spring will start to move a bit, step back and drink a beer and wait for them to let loose, they will unwind themselves on the rod, they are captured and aren't going anywhere. Again, be careful, don't touch the spring, etc. The dangerous part is winding them up, it's not that hard, but.......the new springs have a winding mechanism on the end that takes the danger out of it, you simply hook up an electric drill or a rachet and wind them up, there is a stripe on the spring that lets you know when it's wound properly. It will probabaly take most of a day to do it. Also, the new door won't come with the braces to hook the rear of the track to the ceiling, you will have to but the bracing seperate, or use your old ones.

[Milo Bloom]

Thanks everyone for all the advice and info. I'll have to look at the systems closer before I decide if I can pull it off myself...