Excellent! As an ex weight lifter I thought it would be best to back up to the door, squat down and pick up the door from behind, with 6 bulging discs, one herniated, and a dysfunctional left leg for over 25 years. A sharp pain in my back and good knee told me otherwise, lol. Thanks!
We're glad there were extra warning signs before you tried to lift all of that weight, Lee! Using the tools we've described is the least painful way (both physically and time-wise) to complete this process.
I think I missed a crucial step - where is the tension on the current extension springs removed so the steel cable attached to the bottom of each side goes slack? Otherwise, the springs are still 'holding' much of the weight (I can easily lift a 120-140lb door manually when the springs are 'helping'). The springs only go slack on my door when 1 of 2 condition exist: the door is fully opened to the point the springs go slack (in the past, I've then tied the doors to the brackets using 200lb rope but for weighing, this is not safe); Or 2 , the steel cable is disengaged, ideally after the door is secured when raised enough such that the springs go slack. Perhaps the word loosening used in the summary meant removing the spring in some way? To mess with the steel cable safely, the springs cannot be 'pulling' the cable, right? I was hoping to see a trick for disengaging the steel cable while the door is lowered - but I'm not seeing it, nor imagining how unless the springs go slack. Which won't happen when the door is short of fully opened (that's the job of the springs...) Thanks for posting the lever idea - will use that as the alternative is quite dangerous as others have mentioned why.
Hi Steve! Yes, you are correct that the springs are still holding the weight of the door, even if the opener is disengaged from the door. If you go to 0:41 and watch for a little bit after that, you will see that you want to vice grip the cables to the jamb brackets that are attached to the track. This way, the cables will give you slack so that your door is not just being lifted by the springs, and you will be able to get an accurate weight measurement.
Great tutorial. I just wish I'd seen this before I weighed my door. I did it the hard way by raising it all the way, disconnecting the springs, and slowly lowering the door on to the scale.lo Fortunately only a single steel door.
We wish you were able to see this beforehand too, Joe. But, we hope that this was able to help teach you some new tips, and help you to be able to do this again in the future!
Hi jlp613! Yes, there would be issues with getting the heaviest rated extension springs. Those, as with all other extension springs, will only work with the door weight that they are weighted to work with. If the springs are too heavy, that can be dangerous to the door or to the person operating it. Getting the springs correct for the door weight is necessary for the door to work properly. Please visit our Extension Springs page at ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/sectional-garage-door-extension-springs.php to see other factors that can be looked into to size the proper springs for your door.
Since you didn't show clamping the cable with the metal door, I'm assuming that you don't have to. I did clamp the cable. do you subtract the weight of the board ? after lowering down the door i got 190 lbs.
Thanks for the video Dan.. Best tutorials on the web... There is a much easier way to do this...Unplug the motor, disengage the opener arm, lift door by hand, place the scale underneath the door. Place a pipe wrench on the torsion shaft, Jaws facing up..Then push up on the wrench, until the cables start to go slack. Read the scale.. No risk of damaging bottom seal, takes less than a minute...
Thank you for your kind comments, Dave. And thank you for suggesting another way to weigh the door. We made this video for heavier wood doors and for extension spring doors. Your suggestion works well on lighter steel doors with torsion springs. On these I use the pipe wrench or the winding bars. We show how to do this at ruclips.net/video/6YYSm1_4k0o/видео.html.
Hi Simeer! We can help you find the springs you need for your door on our site. You should check out our "Find My Spring Database" under the torsion springs page: ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/standard-torsion-springs.php#database
this saved me. I could not lift the garage door which I discovered was 140lbs by your method. thank you so
uch!!!
We're glad to help, utubeacct4me! We're glad you were able to get it weighed properly, hopefully without injuring yourself!
AWESOME training video! Great job on putting this one together! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words, Bill! We hope you were able to get your door weighed successfully! Thanks for watching.
Excellent! As an ex weight lifter I thought it would be best to back up to the door, squat down and pick up the door from behind, with 6 bulging discs, one herniated, and a dysfunctional left leg for over 25 years. A sharp pain in my back and good knee told me otherwise, lol. Thanks!
We're glad there were extra warning signs before you tried to lift all of that weight, Lee! Using the tools we've described is the least painful way (both physically and time-wise) to complete this process.
I just used this technique on my steel garage door. Worked like a charm. I felt like Ed Leedskalnin in his Coral Castle...sort of.
+Nicknamed Sin Glad to hear our technique helped. Best wishes.
Thank you for your excellent video tutorial.
You're welcome, and thank you for your kind words.
I think I missed a crucial step - where is the tension on the current extension springs removed so the steel cable attached to the bottom of each side goes slack? Otherwise, the springs are still 'holding' much of the weight (I can easily lift a 120-140lb door manually when the springs are 'helping'). The springs only go slack on my door when 1 of 2 condition exist: the door is fully opened to the point the springs go slack (in the past, I've then tied the doors to the brackets using 200lb rope but for weighing, this is not safe); Or 2 , the steel cable is disengaged, ideally after the door is secured when raised enough such that the springs go slack. Perhaps the word loosening used in the summary meant removing the spring in some way? To mess with the steel cable safely, the springs cannot be 'pulling' the cable, right?
I was hoping to see a trick for disengaging the steel cable while the door is lowered - but I'm not seeing it, nor imagining how unless the springs go slack. Which won't happen when the door is short of fully opened (that's the job of the springs...)
Thanks for posting the lever idea - will use that as the alternative is quite dangerous as others have mentioned why.
Hi Steve! Yes, you are correct that the springs are still holding the weight of the door, even if the opener is disengaged from the door. If you go to 0:41 and watch for a little bit after that, you will see that you want to vice grip the cables to the jamb brackets that are attached to the track. This way, the cables will give you slack so that your door is not just being lifted by the springs, and you will be able to get an accurate weight measurement.
Great tutorial. I just wish I'd seen this before I weighed my door. I did it the hard way by raising it all the way, disconnecting the springs, and slowly lowering the door on to the scale.lo
Fortunately only a single steel door.
We wish you were able to see this beforehand too, Joe. But, we hope that this was able to help teach you some new tips, and help you to be able to do this again in the future!
Would there be an issue if you didn't weigh the door and just got the heaviest rated extension springs?
Hi jlp613! Yes, there would be issues with getting the heaviest rated extension springs. Those, as with all other extension springs, will only work with the door weight that they are weighted to work with. If the springs are too heavy, that can be dangerous to the door or to the person operating it. Getting the springs correct for the door weight is necessary for the door to work properly. Please visit our Extension Springs page at ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/sectional-garage-door-extension-springs.php to see other factors that can be looked into to size the proper springs for your door.
@@DDMGarageDoors Great thanks
@@johnp82 Of course! We're happy to help.
Since you didn't show clamping the cable with the metal door, I'm assuming that you don't have to. I did clamp the cable. do you subtract the weight of the board ? after lowering down the door i got 190 lbs.
Yes, cashmanmoney, you definitely want to subtract that extra weight in order to get an accurate weight for the door.
good video
Thank you, Diamond G.!
Thanks for the video Dan.. Best tutorials on the web...
There is a much easier way to do this...Unplug the motor, disengage the opener arm, lift door by hand, place the scale underneath the door.
Place a pipe wrench on the torsion shaft, Jaws facing up..Then push up on the wrench, until the cables start to go slack. Read the scale..
No risk of damaging bottom seal, takes less than a minute...
Thank you for your kind comments, Dave. And thank you for suggesting another way to weigh the door. We made this video for heavier wood doors and for extension spring doors. Your suggestion works well on lighter steel doors with torsion springs. On these I use the pipe wrench or the winding bars. We show how to do this at ruclips.net/video/6YYSm1_4k0o/видео.html.
Thank you very usefull.
We're glad you think so, Gaetan!
Hi so may was 180 lb so how many lb the spring have to be
Hi Simeer! We can help you find the springs you need for your door on our site. You should check out our "Find My Spring Database" under the torsion springs page: ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/standard-torsion-springs.php#database
guess I'll have to buy a scale.
Sorry, Ra. Yes, we recommend that you use an analog bathroom scale if you are going to size your springs based on your door weight.
Still waitin on that music...
Hi Christian! We hope you like the music, and that you found this video to be helpful in getting your door weighed!
Nice of you to make these garage door instructional videos. Good job, thanks.
Thanks for the kind words! Blessings!