Garage door springs are the powerhouse of your garage door system.¹ They are responsible for counterbalancing the door’s immense weight, making it feel light enough to be lifted manually or by an electric opener.² Over time, these springs can lose tension, causing the door to feel heavy, close too quickly, or become imbalanced.³ Knowing how to adjust garage door springs is a critical skill for any homeowner, but it’s one that requires extreme caution and a thorough understanding of the risks involved.

This guide will walk you through the process of adjusting both torsion and extension springs, covering everything from how to adjust garage door torsion springs to how to adjust garage door extension springs. We will also address the crucial topic of safety and when to call a professional.

Part 1: The Golden Rule of Spring Adjustment – Safety First

Before you even think about touching a spring, you must understand this fundamental truth: Garage door springs are under extreme tension and can cause severe, even fatal, injury if handled improperly. The forces involved are immense.

• Never Use the Wrong Tools: Do not use screwdrivers, wrenches, or pry bars to adjust torsion springs. You must use winding bars specifically designed for this purpose.
• Keep Your Hands and Body Clear: When adjusting springs, always work from the side and never have your hands or face directly in the path of the winding bar.
• Disconnect Power: Always unplug the garage door opener from the wall to prevent the door from accidentally activating.
• Balance Over Everything: The goal is always to achieve a balanced door. A well-balanced door should be able to stay in place when lifted to about the halfway point. This is the core of how to balance garage door springs.

Part 2: Adjusting Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are found on a metal rod directly above the garage door opening.⁴ They are the most common type of spring system on modern garage doors. Adjusting them is a precise and potentially dangerous task. This section covers how to tighten garage door springs and how to adjust torsion springs on garage door.

1. Secure the Door: Open the garage door completely and use C-clamps or vice grips to secure the door to the track just below the bottom roller.⁵ This prevents the door from moving.

    

2. Locate the Winding Cone: At the end of the spring is a winding cone with a series of holes.⁶ You will use these holes to insert the winding bars.

    

3. Insert the First Winding Bar: Insert the first winding bar into a hole in the cone. Hold it securely.
4. Loosen the Set Screws: Using a socket wrench, loosen the two set screws on the winding cone. These are what lock the spring to the shaft.
5. Wind the Spring: Keeping a firm grip on the first winding bar, insert the second winding bar into the next hole. Carefully and slowly use both bars to wind the spring in an upward direction. The standard rule is one full turn (360 degrees) per foot of door height. For example, an 8-foot-tall door needs 8 full turns. This is the heart of how to tension garage door springs.
6. Tighten the Set Screws: Once the desired tension is reached, hold the winding bar firmly and use the socket wrench to re-tighten the set screws. This is a critical step to ensure the tension is locked in place.
7. Test the Door: Remove the clamps and test the door’s balance. Lift the door halfway. If it stays put, the tension is correct. If it falls, it needs more tension. If it flies open, it has too much tension. Repeat the winding process as needed, making small adjustments. This answers how to set tension on garage door springs.

Part 3: Adjusting Extension Springs

Extension springs run horizontally along the tracks on either side of the door.⁷ They stretch and contract to counterbalance the door’s weight.⁸ This section will guide you on how to adjust garage door extension springs. This process is generally less dangerous than torsion springs but still requires caution.

1. Secure the Door: With the door closed, unplug the opener. Clamp the door to the track to prevent it from moving.
2. Adjust the S-Hook: The tension on extension springs is controlled by the S-hooks or clips that attach them to the support bracket. To increase tension, move the S-hook to a hole closer to the front of the garage. To decrease tension, move it to a hole further back. This is the fundamental way to adjust side-mounted garage door springs.
3. Ensure Even Tension: It is crucial to adjust both springs equally to ensure a balanced door. You must also consider how to adjust springs on garage door so that both sides are at the same tension. This also applies to how to balance a garage door with two springs.
4. Test and Fine-Tune: Once you’ve made the adjustments, remove the clamps and test the door. A properly balanced door should stay in place when lifted halfway.⁹ If one side is heavier, you may need to tighten the spring on that side. This is part of the process for how to adjust garage door springs and cables, as proper spring tension ensures the cables are taut and working correctly.

    

Part 4: The When and Why – Why You Might Need to Adjust Your Springs

Understanding the signs of an improperly tensioned spring is key to knowing when it’s time to act.

• The Door is Heavy: If the door feels heavy when you try to lift it manually, the springs have lost tension. This is your cue for how to tighten springs on a garage door.
• The Door Falls or Closes Too Quickly: This is another sign of low tension. The springs aren’t providing enough lift to counter the door’s weight.
• The Door Springs Open: If the door flies open on its own, the springs are overtensioned and need to be loosened.
• The Door is Uneven: A lopsided door indicates one spring has more or less tension than the other. This requires balancing.

This guide also applies to other brands and spring types, such as how to adjust overhead door springs. The principles are universal: safely add or remove tension to achieve a perfectly balanced door.

Conclusion

Adjusting garage door springs is a vital part of garage door maintenance that can prevent costly repairs and, more importantly, serious accidents.¹⁰ By following the correct safety procedures and understanding the principles behind both torsion and extension springs, you can successfully adjust the springs on a garage door and restore it to proper working order.

However, given the inherent danger, it is always a viable and often recommended option to call a professional. They have the expertise and the right tools to perform the task safely and efficiently, ensuring your peace of mind and the long-term health of your garage door system. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast looking for how to adjust side mounted garage door springs or just a homeowner trying to figure out what’s wrong with your door, knowing these basics is your first step toward a safer and more functional garage.