How to Fix an Unbalanced Garage Door

Garage doors use two different types of spring systems to balance the doors' weight, which make it less difficult to open and close them. Some garage doors have springs on a torsion bar above the top of the door while others have springs that stretch on each side of the doors. Fixing an unbalanced garage door requires adjusting the spring tension. If your garage door has torsion bar springs, the adjustments must be done by a professional. However, most homeowners can make adjustments to stretch spring-operated garage doors.

Vise grips (2)
Stepladder

Instructions

- 1
  Open the garage door halfway and hold it momentarily. Release the door and observe whether it goes up or down. If the door closes, more tension is required. If the door raises, the tension needs to be reduced.
- 2
  Pull the door open completely and clamp a pair of vise grips onto the door track with the handles under the bottom door roller. Repeat for the opposite side of the door.
- 3
  Position a stepladder on one side of the door, under the overhead door track. Look for the pulley in front of the door spring and follow the cable around the pulley to the clip and S-hook attached to the track.
- 4
  Pull the cable in front of the spring pulley to provide slack at the clip and S-hook. Hold the cable with one hand and unhook the S-clip from the hole in the overhead track.
- 5
  Reposition the S-hook into the next hole closer to the door opening if more tension is necessary. If you need less tension, reposition the S-hook into the next hole pointed away from the door opening. Insert the S-hook into the appropriate hole and slowly release the tension on the cable.
- 6
  Repeat the process for the opposite side of the garage door. Once you adjust both springs, remove the vise grips and test the door balance again. Continue making adjustments as necessary.

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