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Re: [Shop-talk] De-coupling overhead door torsion spring

To: "shop-talk@autox.team.net" <Shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] De-coupling overhead door torsion spring
From: Scott Hall via Shop-talk <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2019 23:03:09 -0500
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: Shop-talk@autox.team.net
References: <1174481031.1901676.1571312064756@mail.yahoo.com> <58CACA63-DEAA-425F-BAB6-EE60AECC47D6@icloud.com>
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Following up on this in case someone else searches this, or when I need to
do again in ten years and have forgotten:

The torsion spring is both every bit as worthy of respect as I thought, but
also entirely user-serviceable.

The delineation for this job shouldn't be, "do I know how to do this
already/have I already done this?" but rather, "do I have the right tools
and a healthy respect for the spring(s)?"

The correct tools in this instance are two forged spring 'lever-ers' that
fit into the springs' sockets and are knurled for grip.

Use those, stand off to the side, and follow the procedure you guys
outlined for me above.  While there's plenty-enough torque to break a bone
(or depress a skull fracture) if they get moving, there's much less than I
expected--maybe less than 20 pounds.

Having said all that, I'd still pay someone to do this, and it has less to
do with the spring than the panels, rods, and tracks.  The panels on a
16-foot door are awkward, the rod the spring sits on is as well, and
adjusting the tracks to be quiet, etc. is more art than science.  It's
probably much easier on an eight-foot door, but those tracks will still be
fussy. With two people, or one person that does this for a living, it's
maybe an hour and a half.  By yourself, and you do one every fifteen
years?  Plan on a reasonably-frustrating afternoon and a 16-foot door and
its accoutrements are then a pain in the ass to haul off, even in a Super
Duty pickup. Add the spring to that and just cut a check and do something
more fun, or enjoy watching the professional take care of it for you.

So this and an alternator in a 2003 VW TDI Beetle are worth paying someone
else to do.  This because it's $395 (if you can get them out to the house)
and that's easily winning the cost/benefit hurdle and the Beetle because
the alternative is a tenuous hold on sanity or a drinking problem when
you're done.

Scott

On Thu, Oct 17, 2019, 11:49 AM Robert Nogueirao via Shop-talk <
shop-talk@autox.team.net> wrote:

> I would add, if you lock the spring clamp a few lbs of weight to the cable
> to keep I tight on the drum. If it is totally loose it difficult to get it
> to wind up on the drum correctly.
>
> Bob Nogueira
>
> On Oct 17, 2019, at 7:15 AM, DAVID MASSEY via Shop-talk <
> shop-talk@autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> Clever idea.  Just take the tension off of the cables and have at it.  But
> if it is an insulated door that is replacing an uninsulated door it will
> likely weigh more and the tension may need to be adjusted but one can cross
> that bridge when he comes to it.
>
> Dave
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
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>

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<div dir=3D"auto">Following up on this in case someone else searches this, =
or when I need to do again in ten years and have forgotten:<div dir=3D"auto=
"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">The torsion spring is both every bit as worth=
y of respect as I thought, but also entirely user-serviceable.=C2=A0=C2=A0<=
/div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">The delineation for this=
 job shouldn&#39;t be, &quot;do I know how to do this already/have I alread=
y done this?&quot; but rather, &quot;do I have the right tools and a health=
y respect for the spring(s)?&quot;</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div di=
r=3D"auto">The correct tools in this instance are two forged spring &#39;le=
ver-ers&#39; that fit into the springs&#39; sockets and are knurled for gri=
p.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Use those, stand off =
to the side, and follow the procedure you guys outlined for me above.=C2=A0=
 While there&#39;s plenty-enough torque to break a bone (or depress a skull=
 fracture) if they get moving, there&#39;s much less than I expected--maybe=
 less than 20 pounds.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Ha=
ving said all that, I&#39;d still pay someone to do this, and it has less t=
o do with the spring than the panels, rods, and tracks.=C2=A0 The panels on=
 a 16-foot door are awkward, the rod the spring sits on is as well, and adj=
usting the tracks to be quiet, etc. is more art than science.=C2=A0 It&#39;=
s probably much easier on an eight-foot door, but those tracks will still b=
e fussy. With two people, or one person that does this for a living, it&#39=
;s maybe an hour and a half.=C2=A0 By yourself, and you do one every fiftee=
n years?=C2=A0 Plan on a reasonably-frustrating afternoon and a 16-foot doo=
r and its accoutrements are then a pain in the ass to haul off, even in a S=
uper Duty pickup. Add the spring to that and just cut a check and do someth=
ing more fun, or enjoy watching the professional take care of it for you.=
=C2=A0=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">So this and=
 an alternator in a 2003 VW TDI Beetle are worth paying someone else to do.=
=C2=A0 This because it&#39;s <span class=3D"money">$395</span>=C2=A0(if you=
 can get them out to the house) and that&#39;s easily winning the cost/bene=
fit hurdle and the Beetle because the alternative is a tenuous hold on sani=
ty or a drinking problem when you&#39;re done.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"=
><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Scott</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote=
"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Oct 17, 2019, 11:49 AM Robe=
rt Nogueirao via Shop-talk &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:shop-talk@autox.team.net";>=
shop-talk@autox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail=
_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:=
1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">I would add, if you lock the spring clamp a few lbs =
of weight to the cable to keep I tight on the drum. If it is totally loose =
it difficult to get it to wind up on the drum correctly.<br><br><div dir=3D=
"ltr">Bob Nogueira=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite=
">On Oct 17, 2019, at 7:15 AM, DAVID MASSEY via Shop-talk &lt;<a href=3D"ma=
ilto:shop-talk@autox.team.net" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">shop-ta=
lk@autox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type=
=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><font size=3D"3">Clever idea.=C2=A0 Just ta=
ke the tension off of the cables and have at it.=C2=A0 But if it is an insu=
lated door that is replacing an uninsulated door it will likely weigh more =
and the tension may need to be adjusted but one can cross that bridge when =
he comes to it.</font><br>
</div>

<div> <br>
</div>

<div style=3D"clear:both"><font size=3D"4">Dave </font></div></div></blockq=
uote></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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