Post Repair Problem -- Safety Cales Jumping Drums

[Derdiedas]

I've replaced my broken garage door torsion spring (one spring system), rewound my safety cables (in surprisingly good condition) on the drums...and all appears good until I open the garage door. When the travel of the door is approx 80% open and the last panel starts to make the turn from horizontal to vertical in the tracks...the safety cables lose tautness and unravel. I've redone the whole install twice and the same thing happens. I even increased my spring turns to 8 winds on a 7' door, no difference. I've triple checked everything...the cables are taught with the door in the down position...yes, the cables come up the backside of the pulley...no a drum isn't on backwards.
Question: with the door in the 'almost-up' position, what is keeping taughtness on the cables? Because as I see it, when the door reaches that height, the distance from the bottom of the cable (at the bottom door anchor point) to the pulley lessens in distance. Therefore, the cable will lose taughtness.

**the cables were secured to the drums before the spring was tightened.
**I used vise grips on the shaft to prevent the shaft from turning.
**The door was in the down, locked position while doing all procedures, and clamped down.
**When the spring broke the door was in the down position, no damage, cables fell off drums then.
**Yes, I'm extremely careful with all safety gear.
**No I don't denigrate professionals...I can't afford the repair by a pro just yet.
Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Lone Star Charles]

Sounds like something is binding on the shaft, cable drums, or spring. Eight full turns when winding a torsion spring should be plenty (7½ turns is normal). Check out this tutorial Single Torsion Spring Replacement There are other tutorials on that site that you should find helpful as well. If you could post some pictures, it would help us diagnose. Let us know if this helps.

Did you use the correct spring? Did you replace the original spring with the correct "hand" (right vs. left)?

[Derdiedas]

Appreciate the input. The spring was as close as I could measure from the original. Left wind, 1 3/4" inside diameter, .25 wire diameter, 30" long. Since I have a 2nd door with it's own system which appears to have the same spring as the failed door...I measured the 2nd door spring normally wound, and the new spring on the failed door is within 1/2" _compared to the 2nd door spring also wound to about 7 turns.
One thing I did notice is that the center shaft does wobble a bit...noticed that when I had the spring off...didn't know if it was significant. The drums turn normally while the door is going up and down, so as I see it, the shaft appears to stop turning when the door has reached the height I mentioned. So I 'think' the cables are coming off because the spring is out of tension by then. Here's the nutty part...when I unlatch the door it wants to raise all by itself with no help from me. At the halfway point the door rests and does not go down with gravity.
This is a 5-section wood door weighing about 120 pounds. The door is 7' and of single car width. Any further input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[TJR]

Wrong size spring, what color is the winding cone, what side of the center spring bracket is the spring standing inside the garage and looking at the door, center spring bracket twist and lock up the torsion tube, cable drum opposite side of the spring catching on flag bracket and/or end bearing bracket.

[Lone Star Charles]

Sounds like your spring is too strong. I calculate that your spring will lift a 165 pound door.

Always measure your springs in the unwound state.

The door should balance at any level. It should not raise all by itself when unlatched. It should balance when raised 20", 40", 60", or at any position from opened to closed.

When ordering springs, the most important information is the weight of the door and the lift height.

Based on the information that you gave, I calculate a 1 3/4" I.D. X 0.234 wire dia. X 30" spring. If you want one that will last a little longer, use a 1 3/4 I.D. X 0.250 X 40.75" spring.

Let us know if you have any more questions. And also let us know how you make out on this.

[Derdiedas]

Yep, I measured the old broken spring after it was off the shaft, carefully pressed back together...right about 30" in length. Yep, it's left wind, no doubt. But my question is kind of a theory question...if the spring I installed is too strong, why does the shaft stop at the top of the door travel if I have the necessary winds on the spring? Shouldn't the door continue opening all the way even if the spring is 'too strong?' Exactly what force causes a door to fully open?
Thanks for the responses very much. I've gotta get my next spring order correct. The shipping cost of the first spring really doesn't make it worth returning. One note about three different online spring order places is that they seemed uninterested in doing business or answering any questions...especially DDM. Any suggestions on a order house with decent prices?

[Lone Star Charles]

If you have truly wound your spring 8 full turns, you should not have any slack develop on the lift cable (assuming you have 4 inch drums). There must be something binding in the torsion shaft, shaft bearings, spring, or cable drums. Perhaps if you could post some pictures.

I have always used DDM for orders. Dan is the owner there and is a great person to work with.

[Derdiedas]

Thanks for all the input. Turned out I had ordered the wrong spring size online...which I will not do again. Finally found a local door seller who matched my broken spring. Carefully installed it, with all safety protection, and the cables stayed on the drums normally. BTW...a third attempt to order from DDM was again unsuccessful. They are too busy to make sure you're ordering the correct spring, and want to get off the phone asap. I gather they think the caller is a professional door tech. I took a lot of looking to find a local seller. Problem fixed. Thanks again very much.

[Scarhole]

Did you stretch the spring 1in after winding an before tightening set screws to shaft.
I'd bet your sprin is binding on its self before it fully travels.

As your spring goes up the the spring tension decreases.
The bearing that's not right an tweaked could slow the shaft an loose the cables.
Straighten the shaft an align bearrings lube them.

good luck man