Removing an Up and Over garage door

[markf]

Hi,

I need to take out a standard up-and-over garage door. Is there a best way (i.e. safe way) of doing this in terms of where to start?

Do you just unbolot the door from the frame when it is in the closed position, or should the door by removed from the spring setup first?

Thanks

 

[IanDB]

There's probably a far safer way of doing things than the following method but I had to replace the wire on the door before it snapped as it was fraying.

With the door shut, I pulled the wire outwards to put more tension on the spring and then used a pair of mole grips to clamp the top rod to prevent the spring from rotating it back.

I then removed the wire from its catch on the door and fixed it to a piece of wood to form a T-handle. You take the tension on the wood and get a willing volunteer to remove the mole grips, ease off and you release the tension out of the spring. Once the tension is off the spring the other wire becomes loose.

It was all a bit of an unknown quantity and I don't like stored energy devices like big springs however it worked.

I don't know how they do it for real. As I say, a bit dangerous and not a job for the faint hearted or lightweight (!)

 

[masona]

All up & over door come with a safely locking device. Depending on the type, you pull the cable at the top slightly and should be able to put a nail or pin into slot hole after you have line it up then release the cable again to take the tension off.

It is very dangerous to do it any other way !

 

[markf]

Thanks guys.

Like you Ian I get very anxious about stored energy in large springs - I have seen large springs under load go and well.......it aint pretty.

Masona, could you eloborate on the location of the wire at all?

Cheers

 

[masona]

Do you know what the manufacter make is ?

 

[markf]

No idea. Gardage has been standing some 30 years and according to a neighbour the door was installed about 20 years ago, so all before we moved in.

 

[masona]

Okay, have a look at the door handle, sometime it's written on there or have a close look on the spring tension somewhere.

 

[markf]

OK back from work now.

The door handle states 'Henderson Door Gear' and uses a long torsion spring over the top of the garage door itself.

To each end of the spring is a grooved cone and just before each cone is a collar with what appears to be holes in it.

Each wire is taught from the spring to the stops at the side of the door.

Does this help?

 

[masona]

See this.

 

[markf]

It does. Thanks for the assistance

 

[IanDB]

That's interesting - I'll try it myself next time!! Better than mole grips by far.