I like to wrap electrical tape on my drill bits as a visual indicator to mark the depth I want. For DYI'ers, your local home improvement store _may_ stock those struts if you don't have a handy garage door service company willing to sell parts. If you go online, you will probably have to get a multi-piece strut. Never fixed a sagging door, but I still wonder if "preloading" the strut would make things better, worse, or no real difference.
8yr tech here. Any sagging in a door is due to cracks in the panels compromising the structural integrity of the panel. Even with a strut, the panel will still have enough flex over 16’ to cause a snowball of issues in the next few years. Post-install struts are used, but they’re nothing more than a band-aid while we wait for a new panel or complete door to be delivered. You gave good instructions (count the windings before you add turns to make sure it’s not overwound already) but the last step should’ve been get a few quotes on replacement doors. Just my $0.02
Some issues that caught my attention. 1. You said the door is meant to be balanced everywhere. Not true. The drums are made to have a large radius for the last foot of travel. This destroys the balance on that last foot of travel so the door falls. It is designed this way on purpose because some people do not have an opener attached to keep the door closed. This prevents gusts of winds from walking the door open if the door is in the closed position. Some European doors do not have drums to prevent the winds from opening the door but here in America they are almost always designed that way. 2. Springs are a bit strange. They are usually rated for a bit more than 10,000 cycles at 30 quarter turns. If you add four more turns you will be decreasing the spring life by almost half! So now those springs will only be getting about 6,000 cycles. It's probably better, economically, to have the opener which theoretically is rated for about 80,000 openings to do a little more work. 3. You sure you have to pre-drill those tek screws when reusing the existing holes?
Fascinating perspective! Personally I prefer balance at the three, five, and seven foot level of the door opening. This particular garage door had practically perfect balance opening and closing. The additional strut did not really throw off much but just at the 7 ft level. And the community truly appreciates your perspective on the Springs as well. I could see that happening on a spring that's rated for 10k. Additionally if you got good tech screws you shouldn't have to pre and drill through the strut. I just did it specifically for this video. Of course the caution is not to drill all the way through the door cuz that could be really bad.
Adding more than 1/2 a turn is not worthwhile and has equal cons as pros. This is also in consideration that the springs have been installed awhile and are fatigued. Springs being excessively old is also a factor. The door is lighter from the bottom but now opens harder and puts more stress on the opener while opening after the halfway point and while closing until halfway down.
Excellent insight. Yes and reprogramming the limits and force settings will usually equalize that detail. After a certain amount of cycles the tension to the springs will ease up. The community appreciates your feedback.
@@sosgds excluding galvanized springs they will only lose about half a turn about a year or two after installation. they will always be hot at the top and increase load on the opener. of all the old springs that ive replaced on 8ft doors they only have half a turn on the paint line. if you let the customer know about this flaw its alright. it will never be the same as new springs for the added weight.
Oh wow. Then the integrity of the garage door is compromised. When considering a new garage door, look for a door that offers a thicker gauge or insulation.
I like to wrap electrical tape on my drill bits as a visual indicator to mark the depth I want.
For DYI'ers, your local home improvement store _may_ stock those struts if you don't have a handy garage door service company willing to sell parts. If you go online, you will probably have to get a multi-piece strut.
Never fixed a sagging door, but I still wonder if "preloading" the strut would make things better, worse, or no real difference.
Thanks for the feedback! The community appreciates your insight.
8yr tech here. Any sagging in a door is due to cracks in the panels compromising the structural integrity of the panel. Even with a strut, the panel will still have enough flex over 16’ to cause a snowball of issues in the next few years. Post-install struts are used, but they’re nothing more than a band-aid while we wait for a new panel or complete door to be delivered. You gave good instructions (count the windings before you add turns to make sure it’s not overwound already) but the last step should’ve been get a few quotes on replacement doors. Just my $0.02
Excellent insight! This is very helpful to the community. Thank you for your feedback. The community truly appreciates it.
Some issues that caught my attention.
1. You said the door is meant to be balanced everywhere. Not true. The drums are made to have a large radius for the last foot of travel. This destroys the balance on that last foot of travel so the door falls. It is designed this way on purpose because some people do not have an opener attached to keep the door closed. This prevents gusts of winds from walking the door open if the door is in the closed position. Some European doors do not have drums to prevent the winds from opening the door but here in America they are almost always designed that way.
2. Springs are a bit strange. They are usually rated for a bit more than 10,000 cycles at 30 quarter turns. If you add four more turns you will be decreasing the spring life by almost half! So now those springs will only be getting about 6,000 cycles. It's probably better, economically, to have the opener which theoretically is rated for about 80,000 openings to do a little more work.
3. You sure you have to pre-drill those tek screws when reusing the existing holes?
I think he only added one turn, or four quarter turns to each spring.
@@TheOnespeedbiker That's what I thought too. So he is decreasing the life of those springs by 40%.
Correct it was simply four quarter turns. In reality only applied three quarter turns in total.
Fascinating perspective!
Personally I prefer balance at the three, five, and seven foot level of the door opening. This particular garage door had practically perfect balance opening and closing. The additional strut did not really throw off much but just at the 7 ft level. And the community truly appreciates your perspective on the Springs as well. I could see that happening on a spring that's rated for 10k. Additionally if you got good tech screws you shouldn't have to pre and drill through the strut. I just did it specifically for this video. Of course the caution is not to drill all the way through the door cuz that could be really bad.
@@CheapHomeTech I'd rather have a balanced door, than worry about losing longevity, It may last longer or it might fail sooner regardless.
Adding more than 1/2 a turn is not worthwhile and has equal cons as pros. This is also in consideration that the springs have been installed awhile and are fatigued. Springs being excessively old is also a factor.
The door is lighter from the bottom but now opens harder and puts more stress on the opener while opening after the halfway point and while closing until halfway down.
Excellent insight. Yes and reprogramming the limits and force settings will usually equalize that detail. After a certain amount of cycles the tension to the springs will ease up. The community appreciates your feedback.
@@sosgds excluding galvanized springs they will only lose about half a turn about a year or two after installation. they will always be hot at the top and increase load on the opener. of all the old springs that ive replaced on 8ft doors they only have half a turn on the paint line. if you let the customer know about this flaw its alright. it will never be the same as new springs for the added weight.
@@bobman11100 Very well put. Thanks for sharing this insight. It's helpful to the community.
Those springs are so dangerous I would absolutely just deal with the balance being off, or pay a pro to adjust that part.
So I have 3 struts on my garage door and it is still sagging...
Oh wow. Then the integrity of the garage door is compromised. When considering a new garage door, look for a door that offers a thicker gauge or insulation.