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Most of us don’t know much about garage door springs; beyond that, once they break, an emergency fix will usually be required. There are several types of garage door springs available on the market.
Torquemaster springs are a type of specialty springs manufactured for Wayne Dalton doors. These springs are located inside a metal shaft located directly above the garage door. Two types exist – the Original Torquemaster and the Torquemaster Plus.
Torquemaster springs are a type of specialty springs manufactured for Wayne Dalton doors. These springs are located inside a metal shaft located directly above the garage door. Two types exist – the Original Torquemaster and the Torquemaster Plus.
The Original Torquemaster, garage door springs are familiar with older Wayne Dalton doors. These garage door springs have a rounded winding end that can be made of metal or alternatively of black, white, or clear moulded plastic. These springs are becoming increasingly uncommon since Wayne Dalton’s upgrade to the Torquemaster Plus system and, as such, will usually require a change in spring system – either to a Torquemaster Plus or a common torsion spring system.
These springs are wound with a drill and a 7/16” socket.
The Torquemaster Plus garage door springs have an octagonal winding end made exclusively of steel. They are found on most Wayne Dalton doors manufactured post-February 2007. These springs are wound using a ratcheting system and a 5/8” wrench.
Torquemaster springs used to be made of oil-tempered steel; however, recently, a switch has been made to high tensile strength music wire springs.
The springs are located in a spring tube approximately 10 inches above your garage door. Single doors have one visible winder at the right end, while double doors have two visible winders, one at each end.
Wayne Dalton Torquemaster systems use smaller cable drums than standard torsion spring systems and thus require more turns when winding.
Within the tube, Torquemaster springs self-anchor by expanding and contracting. The anchor cone locks into place, providing the needed tension to open and close the garage door. Some of the older Torquemaster garage door springs used to come with a rod within the tube; however, this part has become obsolete for most newer models. Inside the spring tube are a pair of plastic spring sleeves. These are meant to be trimmed and reused when changing your Torquemaster springs. They function primarily as a noise dampener.
Inside the tube, the winding cone connects to the gears in the winding unit. When one turns the winding cone, winding the spring, torque is transferred to the stationary cone within the tube. Torque is then transferred to the cable drums, pulling on the cables that run through the fixtures at either bottom end of the door. The combined pull provided by the cables must match the door weight – counterbalancing it.
When it comes to garage door springs, whether Torquemaster or torsion when one breaks, it is recommended to replace both; the reasoning behind this is that springs tend to be installed in pairs and if one has reached the end of their cycle life – the other one usually isn’t far behind. Replacing both springs tends to be more cost-effective than replacing them one at a time. It also ensures that you know approximately how many cycles you have left for both of them. A process is a single opening and closing of your garage door.
At Advantage Garage Doors, we recommend switching to a more conventional torsion spring system once your Torquemaster springs break. They have countless advantages, which is why we advocate for them!
Torsion springs are much easier to find during a necessary repair.
Additionally, when a torsion spring breaks – you can see it! Some damage, such as rust, which shortens the life cycle of garage door springs, is also visible before it causes extensive damage, allowing you to repair or replace it before it breaks. This makes it much simpler for you and the technician to determine the root cause of the problem. They are also easily adjustable and in our experience, last noticeably longer.
Regarding budget, torsion springs are also cheaper to replace, making them a sound investment for your garage door.