How can you tell which springs your garage door has?
Stand inside the garage with the door closed and look up.
- Torsion springs sit on a horizontal steel shaft mounted just above the top of the door opening. You'll see one or two large coils, a center bracket on the wall, and a grooved cable drum at each end of the shaft.
- Extension springs run front to back above each horizontal track, parallel to the ceiling. Each one connects to a pulley and a cable, and stretches as the door closes.
There are variations. Some doors hide the spring inside the shaft itself; Wayne Dalton's TorqueMaster system is the most familiar example. Low-headroom garages sometimes use a torsion shaft mounted toward the back of the tracks. Old one-piece tilt-up doors use their own spring hardware and are a separate case entirely.
What's the difference between torsion and extension springs?
Both kinds do the same job, counterbalancing a door that may weigh 130 pounds or several times that, so the opener and your arms only move a small fraction of its weight. They just store energy differently: torsion springs twist, extension springs stretch.
| Torsion springs | Extension springs | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | On a shaft above the door | Above each horizontal track |
| How they work | Twist as the door closes | Stretch as the door closes |
| Typical rating | Standard springs often about 10,000 cycles; high-cycle versions available | Usually about 10,000 cycles; fewer long-life options |
| Ride quality | Smooth and even, both sides lift together | Can be less even; each side balanced separately |
| When one breaks | Stays on the shaft | Can fly loose unless a safety cable runs through it |
| Space needed | Roughly a foot of headroom for a standard setup, less with low-headroom kits | Works in some tighter spaces; needs room along the tracks |
| Cost | Higher part and labor cost | Lower |
Most new residential doors ship with torsion springs. Extension springs are still common on older homes, lighter single doors and some builder-grade installations.
What are the signs of a broken garage door spring?
A spring failure is usually obvious once you know what to look for:
- A loud bang from the garage, often when nobody is using the door
- A gap in a torsion spring. The coil separates, leaving a visible space of an inch or two
- A stretched, sagging or snapped extension spring, or a spring hanging by its safety cable
- The opener lifts the door a few inches and stops, or the motor runs while the door barely moves
- The door feels extremely heavy when you try to lift it by hand
- The door rises crooked, or a cable hangs loose from its drum
- The door slams down instead of easing to the floor
If you see any of these, stop using the opener. It isn't built to lift the door's full weight, and running it can strip the drive gear or bend the top section.
Why can't a broken spring just be fixed?
A spring breaks because the steel has fatigued after thousands of cycles of twisting or stretching. There's no safe way to weld, splice or re-temper it. The repair is a new spring, and it has to be the right one: a spring that's even slightly too strong or too weak leaves the door out of balance, which strains the opener and wears the rollers, cables and bearings.
Why is spring replacement a job for professionals?
Torsion springs hold the door's weight as stored twist. To replace one, a technician locks the shaft, inserts solid steel winding bars into the winding cone and releases the tension a quarter-turn at a time, then winds the new spring back up the same way. If a bar slips or someone substitutes a screwdriver, the cone can spin with enough force to break bones. Setting the correct number of turns for the door's height and drum size takes experience.
Extension springs have their own hazards. They're under load whenever the door is down, so they're changed with the door fully open and clamped to the tracks. Without a safety cable through the spring, a break can launch the spring, its pulley or a hook across the garage.
Safety warning: Don't loosen set screws on the torsion shaft, unhook an extension spring with the door down, or disturb the cable brackets at the door's lower corners. All of these release stored spring energy. Mistakes with springs can cause broken bones, deep cuts and head injuries in a fraction of a second.
How does a technician choose the right replacement spring?
A proper spring replacement starts with measurement, not a guess.
- Identify the system: single or double torsion, extension, or an enclosed-shaft design.
- Measure the old spring: wire diameter, usually by measuring a run of coils, plus inside diameter, overall length and wind direction.
- Account for the door: weight, height, drum size and track radius. Weighing the door is the most reliable method, especially if it has had insulation, windows or a new section added.
- Choose the cycle life: a standard spring or a high-cycle design built with heavier wire and more length for the same lifting force.
- Install, wind and balance: set the tension, then test by hand that the door stays roughly in place when stopped halfway.
- Check the rest of the system: cables, drums, bearings and rollers are inspected while the springs are unloaded, then opener force and auto-reverse are tested.
On a two-spring door, both springs are normally replaced together. Some single-spring setups on heavy double doors are converted to two springs so each one works under less stress.
Should you convert from extension to torsion springs?
A conversion replaces the extension springs, pulleys and cables with a torsion shaft, bearing plates, drums, new cables and torsion springs. It costs more than replacing extension springs like for like, but it's worth considering when:
- The door itself is in good condition and you plan to keep it for years
- The door is heavy or runs unevenly from side to side
- You want contained springs and the option of high-cycle life
- There's enough headroom above the opening, or a low-headroom kit fits
It's usually not worth it on a door you're likely to replace within a few years; the keep-or-replace question deserves an answer first.
How much does garage door spring replacement cost?
Rough national figures for an everyday residential door follow. They're for budgeting, not a quote.
| Spring job | Approximate U.S. cost |
|---|---|
| Torsion springs, matched pair | Roughly $200 to $450 |
| Torsion spring, single-spring door | Roughly $150 to $300 |
| Extension spring replacement, pair with safety cables | Roughly $150 to $300 |
| High-cycle springs | Usually a moderate premium over standard |
| Extension-to-torsion conversion | Noticeably more, because of the added hardware |
What moves the price: door weight and size, one spring versus a pair, high-cycle upgrades, replacing cables, drums or bearings at the same visit, after-hours service, and local labor rates. Replacing worn cables during a spring job usually costs far less than a separate visit later, since the tension is already off. Numbers for rollers, openers and other parts are in the cost overview for other repairs.
How long will the new springs last?
That depends mostly on the cycle rating and how often you use the door. A standard 10,000-cycle spring on a door used several times a day often lasts somewhere around five to ten years. The spring lifespan guide converts cycle ratings into years and lists the habits that stretch spring life. If a spring broke on a door with a manufacturer or installer warranty, check the terms first; warranty fine print, decoded explains what's usually covered.
Who should replace a broken spring?
A trained technician, every time, whether the spring is snapped, stretched or badly rusted. Our spring replacement and conversion service handles torsion, extension and high-cycle work. A door stuck open or hanging crooked goes to emergency dispatch, day or night. To get a written estimate at no charge, drop us a line.
Key takeaways
- Torsion springs sit on a shaft above the door; extension springs stretch along the tracks.
- Broken springs are replaced, never repaired, with springs sized to the door's weight and height.
- Spring replacement is dangerous without the right training and tools; leave it to a technician.
- Replace both springs on a two-spring door, and inspect cables and drums at the same time.
- Typical U.S. cost is roughly $150 to $450, more for heavy doors, high-cycle springs or conversions.