How to Fix a Torsion

Determine if the door needs more or less tension by opening and closing the door. If it is moving more slowly than it should, the tension may need to be loosened. If the door appears to be moving too quickly, than the springs may need to be tightened.

Allow the garage door to go down all the way in the closed position. Attach a C clamp onto each one of the tracks above the last roller wheel to prevent the door from opening while you are completing the repair. Wear eye protection and gloves, since the fixture will be under tension while you make adjustments.

Look for the tension collar found at the base of each torsion spring. The collar will have three openings, four arms and a set screw.

Push an adjusting rod into one of the openings in the tension spring's collar. The rod will enable you to maintain the collar's movement while you are adjusting the spring's tension.

Loosen the set screw with a screwdriver while you are holding the adjusting rod still. Avoid moving the collar until the screw is loose.

Turn the collar in the reverse direction that the cable pulleys are operating if you need to decrease the tension. Twist the collar in the same direction as the pulleys operate to increase the tension on the torsion springs. Only turn the collar one-quarter rotation at a time.

Detach the clamps and operate the door. Make any necessary adjustments at this time.