Garage door help

Last Saturday the tension spring broke. Today my brotherinlaw came over and we replaced the spring with an identicle one. When we hooked up the opener chain it keeps jumping off the sprocket on the opener. Any ideas why? Tried tight tension, loose tension. We are stumped

Where you tighten it up, with the cinch nuts…. make sure it is not twisted, in other words, it runs parallel the whole way. Only thing other than not enough/too much tension, that I can come up with.

big G

Yea we took the twist out of the chain.

You can try moving the sprocket on top of the opener, up and down, with like a screwdriver….it shouldn’t move. If it does, then it is probably bushings/spacers inside. Not sure what model, but I just put a new worm driven gear in my brothers opener like 2 weeks ago. Not too hard to do.

big G

Maybe I’m understanding this wrong. Did you wind up the spring? You can have all the chain tension on the opener and if the spring isn’t helping lift up the door the chain will jump off.

THe spring is wound and we can lift the door with little resistance. My broinlaw has done these before and says the tension on the door is right

Did the sprocket get damaged when the old spring broke? Does the tooth profile look wore down on the drive side? Maybe a new sprocket is needed.

This may sound odd, but release the door from the opener and try cycling the opener to see if the chain jumps off then. BigG said the check the bushings, how about the sprocket, maybe a tooth or two is missing or badly worn. Doesn’t seem to make sense that the opener doesn’t work after replacing a broken spring.

You are correct, the door should open with little effort when the spring is tensioned correctly.

The sprocket looks good. Without the chain on everything runs smooth. Constant speed and level. Put the chain on with the door unlatched and it throws it off.

Eric, I’d look that chain over with a fine tooth comb so to speak ,that chain must be bad

Checked every link all looks good.

So you hooked up the chain, left the door unhooked from the opener, and cycled the unit and the chain still fell off. The best I could guess is the shaft that holds the sprocket is not in line, but maybe it cannot be seen by simply looking at it. When the spring broke, it must have pulled on the opener in such a way something got sprung somewhere along the way and is causing your problem.

Even with the door down when the spring broke?

Call my father in law. He has been in the business for 30 years. Tell him Chad sent you and ask if you will do it as a side job. His name is Barry. 612-209-2344

Chad

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Even with the door down when the spring broke?

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Crazy things happen when those springs let go. Last time I had one break, Jesse Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota. Very possible that it could have torqued something and got it out of alignment.

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Last time I had one break, Jesse Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota.

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PALAeeese! Everyone go out and check your springs NOW!!

RedLab,
I had a similar issue with my garage door during the last cold snap. One of my springs broke and the chain on my opener broke. I hired a guy to fix the spring and fix my opener. It broke on a Wed night. The first guy to get back to me was scheduled to fix it on the next Tues. He fixed the spring but told my the opener might be able to be repaired by replacing a link in the chain. I spent Tues night searching Fleet Farm for a replacement link. I bought a bike chain that had the right sized link. I finally got everything back together (first time chain had a twist). I thought the tension seemed right. Second time lifting the door, the chain came off. Put it back together and it seemed like it was not smooth between the chain and drive sprocket. After messing around for 2 hours, I called the garage door guy back and told him I wanted him back the next day to put in a new opener. 180.00 at Menards. 100.00 to install. I never realized how much I appreciated a garage door with an opener.

I also got to replace my wifes car battery when she got to park outside during that week.

Thanks for all the advice guys Looks like we are going to get a new one. Its on the wifes side so i am in no hurry. My truck doesnt fit in the garage and is outside all the time. Guess she will just have to get her outside and open it by hand for a while

around my house it would be now not later it is’t worth the hassel! wifes can make live miserable . Like it’s ok[not]
Stan

if you DIY’ers want some interesting reading, peruse thru this garage door parts site. Regarding the over the door torsion springs, by varying the spring wire diameter and length, you can easily double or triple the life (# of cycles) that the springs will last. I got tired of constantly relpacing springs on my old heavy wooden door, and got a set made that are really lasting much longer than the old ones.
http://ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/torsion-spring-prices.php?act=list&sort=lift&id=B&height=7

HRG

Its already miserable so she might as well get some excercise out of it

You are not going to get a birthday present on Thursday if you keep talking like that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I know it’s early but it’s better then forgetting. Also just in case the garage door gets you before then or her!!!

Thanks I may need it