About DDM

The video is here live!  All the steps necessary to replace garage door torsion springs on a two-spring system are given in clear, sequential steps.  Decide whether this is something you can undertake, and desire to accomplish as a DIY project.

Read and heed all safety procedures carefully!  Pause the video, and read the website instructions.

We wish you a safe and effective garage door torsion spring job!  Remember to visit our “Find My Spring Database” to learn about compatible replacements for your springs, at a higher cycle life rating.

Contact DSA Garage Doors for residential, commercial and industrial garage door and opener repairs in the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Alabama area.  24 Hour Emergency Service available.  205-907-7157

For residential, commercial and industrial garage door and opener repairs, DDM introduces and recommends our experinced affiliate, Sid Allen.

Adrian, a customer in Australia found DDM Garage Doors online while in search of garage door rollers.  With permission, I relay what he had to say after ordering and receiving the parts:

Hi Jean, Jim and Team at DDM, I received the parcel on Saturday (took about 10 days). All was in order and have installed the rollers with no problems. All up cost me about 20% of what I would have paid if purchased in Australia. Thanks to all of you for your assistance and prompt service. Will be sure to recommend you to my friends and colleagues.

 Much appreciated from a very satisfied Australian Customer!

 Regards,

 Adrian

If you’re down under, and you need parts and a good deal, do what Adrian did.  Here’s how to order; just click the hyperlink at the order page to send e-mail (the preferred way to contact us from overseas). While international shipping timing is not guaranteed, we’ll do our best to get you the parts in a timely manner.

Whether you live or work in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, or anywhere in between, have a look at rollers, hinges, cable, fasteners, and more – for residential and commercial applications – at our garage door parts page.

So you’ve seen our page on how to install garage door torsion springs…

In the process of digesting all the information, customers sometimes make an assumption that is dangerous.

When installing two springs, using two bushings or bearings sounds reasonable – it seems to make sense.  Two springs, two bushings?

Actually, using two bushings causes the stationary cones to seat improperly.  This can lead to the breaking of the cones.  Breaking cones on a spring with tension can release a massive amount of energy, possibly propelling tools or hardware with deadly force! (see the red text at our torsion spring replacement page).

If you have a slotted spring anchor bracket with a bearing/bushing, don’t add a second one.

And if you have a bracket with the bearing inside already, you don’t need a bushing or bearing.

 Sounds contradictory, but it’s based on the function of a bearing or bushing:  to protect the shaft against rubbing on the center bracket.

High Lift Kit

The number of customers calling us to help convert their garage doors to high lift track systems has grown considerably over the past year.  Our ability to process these has always benefited from the input of our great technical staff headed by owner Dan Musick.

DDM can spec kits for various dimensions of lifts, roofline pitch situations, and even commercial and vertical lifts.  By navigating through the issues garage owners face, we’ve gained a familiarity with customers’ needs and priorities in the process of assembling special lift kits.

But recently, one of our fine customers who called to spec a high lift kit made us aware of a garage forum thread online.  At this forum, participants share knowledge about where to get the best parts and prices to handle garage remodeling projects such as high lift conversions.  From this thread, we have discovered that customers have been recommending DDM enthusiastically as a source for high lift parts, to their friends and forum-mates.  For this, we are grateful.

Knowing we are known in the online community is an inspiration to continue to pursue excellence for the glory of God as we get the job done with high lift kits~

If you buy garage door torsion springs – even in the off season – remember batting averages.

Measure garage door springs using a tape measure, 10-and 20-coil counts.  Use the conversion chart at the measurement link.

Express the wire size in terms of a three-digit decimal.  .262 for example.  Do not measure one coil and use a fraction!

Now the numbers that come in for most residential garage doors are not going to be high for batting averages~ But you get the point.

When you buy garage door weatherstripping this winter season, beware of these common error issues en route to your purchase:

1. Buying enough weatherstripping for your door’s height or width.

It is best to over-order a little than to undershoot.  For example, with bottom inserts, you may need 1 foot more than the width of your door to have enough to fold over and re-insert into the channel to ensure a snug fit that will not shift from side to side.  Also, make sure that you have thick enough product to cover all the potential gaps.  Conduct a visual inspection of your door’s sealable area, and take measurements.  See #7 below for tips on this.

2.  Ordering the corresponding sizes of inserts for retainers.

For top and side weatherstripping, standard retainer goes with standard inserts, and large retainer goes with large inserts.

3.  Ordering non-matching inserts for your retainer type

Bottom “T” U-shaped astragal goes with bottom retainer with double, 1/4″ “T” shaped channels.  Bead shaped astragal goes with bead retainers.  Certain door makes such as Wayne Dalton have their own “D” shape style ends.  Clopay door often uses a connection where both ends of the insert fit into a single groove, with the insert material shaped like the picture below.  Single “T” shaped retainers take bulb seal (pictured above), which flattens from an “O” shape to form the seal.

4. Ordering commercial product for a residential application and vice versa.

2″ PVC stop molding is the most popular residential top and side seal.  We carry several colors, and two shades of brown.  (Call us in any case you want brown PVC).  Commercial product commonly mounts to angle located on the inside of the door, and hence the word “angle” comes in with commercial top and side seals.

5. Ordering seal with inserts.

If you order a “bottom seal,” you have the surface for fastening to the door, and the rubber or vinyl seal as well.  It is not necessary to order inserts if you have a bottom seal product.

6.  Ordering appropriate width of a bottom insert

If your door is 2″ thick, you’d be best off with 4″ wide insert.  If 1 3/8″ thick, go with 3″.  General rule of thumb is at least 2x the door’s width for the insert width.

7.  Underestimating the level of weather sealing needed for your climate and conditions

Synthetic rubber products are generally better for sealing and durability than vinyl.  Extremely cold, coastal, and storm-prone regions need special care and high-durability products.  If you have any doubt about a particular product’s coverage area, take pictures of the area(s) needed to seal, and include tape measure readings in the pic.  Often,  narrative content helps too.  Tell us about your total door area, and thickness of door, jamb and header material, and any other details, and contact us.  We will review the situation and make recommendations as necessary.

In any case, it is the aim of DDM Garage Doors to put the right products in our customers’ hands the first time, at a great price, leading to energy savings and peace of mind about the garage door this winter and always!

DDM makes it easier to buy garage door springs.

We’ve flow-charted and rounded up all the information needed to take you from square one on springs – to a completed order.

Through this page, you’ll learn how to tell what spring system you have, how to determine wind, wire size, inside diameter, and spring length.  You will get frequently asked questions answered, learn the industry’s specifications and standards, and contact information if your particular spring situation needs specialized attention.

High lift or vertical lift?  The answer is up to you.

I receive numerous calls every week from customers who want to raise the lift of their garage doors.  Here are some considerations:

You may want a vertical lift system if your garage has at least the door’s height plus 18″ of room above your door’s original height AND…

a. You don’t mind changing to a shaft-mounted opener.

b. You want to lift high-profile vehicles to head height or greater using a floor jack

c. You have high shelves of items nearby in a garage or warehouse

d. You want a high lift greater than  54″, and find cost savings on your kit over a commercial high lift (call us to price the kit and springs).

e. You simply want the track system completely out of the way in your garage area.

Best candidates for a regular high lift are those who

a. Have shorter, often residential garage ceilings

b. Don’t mind having a shaft-mounted opener

c. Need the track system out of the way for lower car jack systems

d. Want to save money over a vertical lift system

e. Dislike having serviceable parts very high in the garage

Whatever you choose, give me a call at 1-800-383-9548 to discuss your garage door lift situation, and we can work it out for you.

Remember, 2″ vertical track for 7′ high doors measures 6’4″, or76″.  If you are measuring track radius, this is the point where the level goes.

You need order only one 7′  track if one is damaged.  7′ vertical track is adaptable for your left or right side, as you are standing inside the garage. Let us know which side you need 7′ track for.

Holes for mounting jamb brackets have already been drilled.

Custom drilling on raw track can be done at an additional fee.