Garage Door Spring Winding Direction Guideline

Is the winding direction of your garage door spring important? This is a very common question when replacing garage door springs. The torsion springs installed on doors allow easier twisting. It makes opening and closing your garage door less strenuous. When you twist the springs, they store mechanical energy. Opening and closing of the springs make it deteriorate faster than conventional doors. That means you must keep on replacing them every now and then.

You need to do thorough research when selecting a garage spring to ensure you get the best spring. You may be stuck on what to consider to make the final call on the kind of spring you want. We will answer your question here. So, read on to find all that and much more.

Consider Before Garage Door Spring Winding Direction

There is such huge pool of heavy-duty torsion springs in the market. So, guessing the correct spring will not be a good idea. You need to have a thorough understanding of the spring and where it is correctly applied. Here are the factors to consider when selecting the right spring for your garage door.

1. Spring configuration

There are two types of torsion spring configurations. We have single spring configurations and dual spring configurations. So, to know the best configuration you need to look at the stationary cone and bracket. This is the fixed location that keeps the spring-tensioned. If this location is on the left or right side of the torsion spring, you must choose a single spring arrangement. If the case is in the middle, you will opt for a dual spring setup. Spring configuration is one of the other core factors to consider when choosing a spring.

2. Winding of the spring

The winding of the spring is another crucial consideration. People get perplexed by the differences between a right and left-hand torsion spring. On contrary, it is easy to discern the winding type of the garage door spring. To help you figure it out easily here is the enigma. The winding springs on the right hand are normally wound in a clockwise motion. As a result of this, their wire ends on the right side. But the left-hand winding spring is normally wound in an anticlockwise motion. Where does the wire end? You guessed right; the wire ends on the left side. When you are on the front, it is not easy to tell which side the wind is blowing. But, from the end of the spring, you can easily discern.

3. Door weight

Another important factor when selecting garage door springs is the door weight. You will find several springs bearing different weight capacities. So, you will need to have knowledge of your garage door weight. It will be easier for you to do a good selection if you have the know-how of the door weight.

The above are just a few aspects to consider when selecting your best garage door spring for your needs. If you need more information, you can visit a torsion spring manufacturer specialist. There you will get extra information about the springs. This will definitely give you more considerations to take when doing your selection. Manufacturers have expertise in creating right and left wind torsion springs.

Steps to Properly Install The Torsion Springs

Spring installation needs you to be careful when doing it. This is because the Torsion springs are very dangerous when handled improperly. You should not attempt to do it if you are not experienced. Otherwise, if you have to here are the steps for you to follow;

1. Prepare your door frame before any other process.
2. You will then assemble the torsion spring into a spring tube.
3. Attach the mounting plates to the frame of the garage door.
4. You will then attach the assemble torsion to the mounting plates
5. Install the torsion springs and wilding bars.
6. Adjust torsion springs with winding bars.
7. After that, test the door functionality to check if the installation is properly done.
8. If there are any adjustments that you can do, please do at this step.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

How do you determine the winding direction of the garage door spring?

You can find this information in the owner’s manual. You can also determine it by yourself by simply doing an inspection even when it is a damaged spring. The cue is the order of the spring from left to right. The location of the right wound spring is normally located to the left of the cone. The left-wound to the right. The springs should be having colored markings near the end. Left-wound is normally indicated by black color. The right wound is normally indicated by a red color. 

Why does wind matter?

Each garage door spring must revolve in a certain direction for the door to open. Similarly, they should also turn in the opposite direction for the door to close too. If the door is wrongly wound, that is the placement of the spring on either any side or both sides, it will not function. You will have to lock it into whichever position it is most of the time.

How do you determine the wire size?

When determining the size of a torsion spring, the length alone is insufficient. You need to be aware of the wore size. This is, even more, easier to accomplish than it appears first. You simply need to count the coils. The entire length is then divided by the coil count and compared to most of the wire charts. 

How do you measure a broken spring?

The paper-scrap measuring method is one of the strategies for measuring broken. You can also use the method to measure corroded springs. How it works is pretty simple. You only need to measure the overall length of three bits of the paper and the gaps between the coils. You can also contact your manufacturer or a local garage door repair firm.

Bottom Line

Should you find concern about the winding direction of your garage door spring before you shop? Now you have the answer from the above content. To avoid wastage, make sure that you are shopping for the proper torsion spring. This should fit both the door and its height. Also, make sure that the door is in good functioning order and you can clean it. The insulation should be in a good condition with weather stripping already cleaned. Otherwise, you should not get any trouble when doing the installation. Always consult an expert for assistance.