This maintenance project is an important one. If you keep your garage door balanced, it will put a lot less strain on all its parts and should keep working trouble-free for years. An out-of-balance garage door can close too quickly and might be a hazard for kids and pets.

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What You'll Need
Skill Scale
Easy

Time Required
You should be able to make all necessary adjustments in little more than an hour. Tools
6-foot stepladder
Carpenter's level
Steps
Steps 1 - 5 of 5
1
Step One

Start with the door about 3 feet above the ground. Move it up and down until you find a place where the door stays when you let go. If that point is more than 4 feet or less than 3 feet above the ground, you'll need to balance the door.

Step Two

Make sure you adjust the door while it's open. This takes the pressure off the door springs. Put a ladder under the door to make sure it won't close accidentally while you're working on it.


Make sure the spring is completely free of tension, then remove it from the track hanger. If the door was closing too quickly, move the spring to the next higher hole on the bracket. If it was opening too quickly, move it to the next lower hole. Move both springs, and retest the balance.

Step Four

Close the door, and check with a level to make sure the door comes down evenly on both sides. If it doesn't, adjust the spring tension on each side of the door until it does.

Step Five

To make fine adjustments, try adjusting the lifting cable instead of the spring. The cable is attached to the door and runs to an S-hook that attaches to the track support. With the door propped open, take the S-hook out of the support, and tighten or loosen the cable as needed.

Steps 1 - 5 of 5