When you plan new garage door installation, there are many important decisions to make. Since the spring system plays a major role in the operation of the door, you should take the time to learn about your two options and their pros and cons. Start by using this detailed comparison between torsion and extension springs.
Operation and Performance
Even though both spring systems are responsible for balancing the door and enabling its opening, they have very different designs. If you opt for a torsion spring system, you will have a metal shaft over the door which the spring is mounted on. There is a drum at each end of the shaft and a lift cable attached to the bottom of the door goes over each drum. During installation, the spring is wound to hold an amount of energy matching the weight of the door. During opening, this energy is released through unwinding and applied to the drums and then to the cables..jpg "Comparing Torsion and Extension Springs")
The extension springs, on the other hand, always come in a pair. They are installed above the horizontal tracks and have safety cables running through them. The back end of each spring is held by a fixed bolt while the front one is connected to a pulley. There are actually two pulleys on each side of the door and the lift cables run over them. The springs are stretched and loaded with energy when the door is closed. They contract and apply the energy to the pulleys and cables during opening.
You can expect smoother performance from torsion springs because of their way of operation (winding and unwinding rather than extending and contracting). With them, the risk of the door having trouble to open or to keep closed is lower. This is because the amount of energy which they hold can be adjusted. This is not the case with their extension counterparts.
Strength and Durability
It is important to note that the strength of each spring depends on its specific make. Generally, the bigger the steel wire size is the stronger the component will be. At the same time, there are considerable differences in the cycle lives of the different types of springs. The cycle life is an estimate of how many cycles the component can perform before breaking. There is one opening and one closing in a single cycle.
The standard for torsion springs is 10,000 cycles, but there are models with 15,000 and 20,000 cycles respectively. For extension springs, the average is 5,000 cycles and the maximum is 10,000 cycles. Hence, with the same level of use, torsion springs can last longer compared to extension ones.
Maintenance Requirements
Both types of springs should be tested at least twice a year to find out how well they balance the door. While the torsion ones can be accurately adjusted if the door isn’t balanced, the extension ones may need replacement to ensure the normal operation of the unit. The extension springs don’t require any special care. The torsion ones need lubrication. It allows them to work smoothly and more quietly and helps to lower their rate of wearing.
