Types Of Sectional Door Springs

Sectional doors can be considered the most convenient and practical equipment. However, their durability is determined not only by operating conditions, but also by the quality of the components used. The most important design element in garage doors is the lifting mechanism. It is based on a spring system and drives that ensure the movement of the sashes.

Classification of springs for sectional doors

If we classify by the winding direction, then the garage door spring  can be divided into left and right. In addition, there is a typology by the length of the spring itself, by the internal diameter, and also by the thickness of the rod. The most significant indicator is the number of operating cycles for which the springs are designed. In domestic conditions, a number from 15,000 to 25,000 is considered sufficient, and for industrial enterprises, an indicator of 1,000,000 may be required. Depending on the balancing side of the leaf, spring mechanisms of garage doors are divided into torsion and extension.

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What are torsion springs?

torsion springs for sectional doors  is considered a classic option and is successfully used to balance the weight of the doors in both industrial and garage structures. In such structures, the entire mass of the door leaf is compensated by twisting the spring, which is located on the shaft mechanism above the opening level. The door leaf is fixed to the shaft using cables. When the system opens, the cable is wound by the shaft, lifting the sandwich panel. When unscrewing, the sectional garage door structure is lowered.

This type of spring mechanism is preferable when the distance from the top of the opening to the ceiling level is at least 250 mm, but not more than 400 mm. This value is considered standard for the lintel in the design of sectional overhead doors. If sectional doors are used, the design of which is not standard, then the opening panel does not immediately move to the horizontal plane, but can move vertically relative to the wall surface or 60-70 centimeters above the opening.

The torsion spring mechanism is suitable for sashes up to 5 meters high and wide. The system is usually additionally equipped with a mechanism for protection against spring and cable breakage. It can be used to significantly simplify the lifting of sashes even up to 8 meters wide. The mechanism provides reliable fixation and evenly moves the left and right sides of the sandwich panels. The design of the protection against breakage is a mechanism formed by a ratchet wheel and a locking element. When the spring unwinds to a certain point, a plate with a retractable locking element fits into the groove and locks the shaft.

There are designs that additionally use an electric drive. It is mounted on a shaft mechanism, and such an improvement allows for expanded control capabilities even for gates whose area exceeds 20 sq.m.

How do extension springs work?

Extension springs are the lifting mechanisms of garage doors, which are used for doors no more than 3 m wide and no more than 2.7 m high. The lintel size should be 150 mm. Extension springs are mounted vertically and are located along the left and right guides. Sectional doors with extension springs are designed for 10,000-15,000 opening and closing cycles.

To correctly understand what distinguishes torsion springs for sectional doors from extension springs, you need to remember: the former provide lifting of sandwich panels due to twisting, and the latter due to compression.

An important design difference between the torsion mechanism and the extension springs can be considered the following point. In the torsion shaft mechanism, the right and left parts of the sandwich panels are interconnected and connected, and on the extension spring, each side works separately. Thus, if the load does not fall on the central part of the leaf, then one side can be pressed more than the other (this is especially common when a handle located on one side is used to lower the gate). In this case, a gap is formed under the gate, different in height on the left and right sides. If the device of sectional garage doors involves the installation of a drive, then this drawback can be avoided.

Why is it necessary to adjust sectional gate springs?

The long and trouble-free service life of the structure depends on the operation of absolutely every element. In particular, periodic adjustment of sectional gate springs is required, due to which good tension is achieved and sagging of cables is eliminated.

Before starting work, you need to lower the sashes, which will weaken the spring mechanism. Now you need to find the screw that secures the bracket equipped with a ratchet clutch. The screw is unscrewed with a regular Allen key, after which the lock is removed from the clutch. Screw the screw back. The purpose of these actions is to give the drum free rotation, and then wind the cable on it. You should wind until the cable sags at least, and then screw the screw into its original position. The spring mechanism will need to be slightly tightened – no more than two turns.

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The shafts should be turned simultaneously to prevent the sashes from sagging. If sagging is detected, the coupling bolts should be loosened again on the side of the defect and the shaft mechanism should be turned. After final adjustment, the bolts are tightened to ensure their secure fixation. The need to tighten or, conversely, loosen the springs may arise periodically during the operation of the gate. Timely adjustment will prevent premature wear of the structure.

Breakdowns and malfunctions in spring mechanisms of sectional doors

There are some situations that can directly indicate a malfunction of a particular mechanism. The garage door device is a single, integral structure, in which the slightest violation leads to the failure of the entire mechanism. The fact that the torsion gate springs need to be replaced may be indicated by the gate leaf not lifting. Springs tend to deform or break completely. Experts recommend contacting sectional gate maintenance and repair specialists at least once every six months if the frequency of opening and closing during one day exceeds 20.

New springs for sectional doors will also have to be purchased if the opening and lowering of sandwich panels occurs with large delays and pauses, if the structure periodically jams. Incorrect spring balancing leads to tight movement of the gate, but if the adjustment did not give a positive result, then they have become unusable and need to be replaced. This should be done as soon as possible to avoid deformation of the guides and skewing of the structure’s sashes.