How to Replace a Garage Door Spring in Australia: DIY Guide

A snapped garage door spring brings your door to a halt. You may hear a bang; now the door is dead weight, the opener strains, and the car is stuck. The opener can burn out if you force it. Springs store dangerous energy—so guesswork is not an option.

Good news: with the right tools, accurate measurements, and method, a capable DIYer can replace torsion or extension springs and restore smooth operation. This guide puts safety first, helps you decide if DIY is right for you, and, if so, shows how to complete the job correctly and confidently.

You’ll learn to identify your door and spring type common in Australia (sectional torsion, tilt extension, roller), measure and order quality Australian parts with the right cycle rating, prep the workspace, release tension, fit and wind springs, balance the door, set the opener, and handle costs, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Step 1. Decide if DIY is right for you (safety first)

Springs are under high tension; mistakes can cause severe injury and damage. If your spring has snapped, don’t operate the door or the opener. Only proceed to replace a garage door spring if you’re confident with tools, can follow procedure precisely, and have the correct gear. Prefer not to DIY? In Australia, professional garage door spring replacement typically costs around $400–$600, which buys speed, safety, and a properly balanced door.

• DIY is realistic if: you have solid mechanical skills, proper winding bars, PPE, a helper, and a standard sectional door with accessible torsion/extension hardware.
• Hire a pro if: you lack winding bars or PPE, the door is very heavy/double-width, cables are frayed or off drums, components are bent or rusted, clearance is tight, or you have a roller door with enclosed springs.

Step 2. Identify your door and spring type (sectional torsion, tilt extension, roller)

Correct identification dictates parts, tools, and the safe method to replace a garage door spring. Look at how the door moves and where the springs sit. If you can’t clearly see the springs—or the door type—stop and reassess before ordering anything.

• Sectional (torsion): Multi‑panel door on horizontal tracks. A steel shaft runs above the opening with drums at each end and exposed torsion springs on the shaft.
• Tilt (extension): One solid panel on pivot arms. Long extension springs run along the sides/top connected to hinge arms.
• Roller: Corrugated curtain rolls into a barrel. Springs are enclosed inside the barrel; DIY spring work is uncommon—usually a pro job.

Step 3. Gather the correct tools and safety gear

Before you touch the door, assemble the right kit. The right tools turn a high‑tension job into a controlled procedure; the wrong ones invite injury. If you don’t have proper winding bars and PPE, do not attempt to replace a garage door spring—hire a technician.

• Winding bars (pair): Correct diameter to fit your torsion cones—non‑negotiable.
• Spanners and ratchet set: For brackets and hardware (9/16" is commonly used).
• Allen/hex keys: To loosen/tighten spring set‑screws.
• Measuring tape/ruler: For coil counts and spring measurements.
• Silicone-based lubricant: To reduce friction on springs and moving parts.
• Safety glasses and sturdy gloves: Essential protection around high tension.

Step 4. Measure your existing spring accurately

Getting the numbers right is what lets you order the correct parts and safely replace a garage door spring the first time. Work with the door secured and tension released. For torsion springs, you need inside diameter, wire size, overall length, and wind direction. For tilt/extension springs, record the relaxed length, wire thickness, and hook type. Avoid calipers on wire; use a coil count.

• Secure first: Clamp the door and disconnect power; never measure a live spring.
• Inside diameter (ID): Often stamped on the cone (e.g., 50 mm). Note it.
• Wire size: Measure the length of 20 coils, then calculate wire size = length ÷ 20.
• Overall length: Measure the spring body only (coil to coil), not cones.
• Wind direction: Left‑wind sits on the left of the centre bracket; right‑wind on the right.
• Photos and stamps: Photograph cone stamps/colour marks to match supplier charts.
• Roller doors: Springs are enclosed—don’t measure; this is typically a professional task.

Step 5. Choose cycle rating and order quality parts in Australia

With the measurements in hand, choose springs rated for how often you use the door. Standard springs are about 10,000 cycles (roughly seven years at four cycles/day), while higher‑cycle options (e.g., 20,000) suit busy households and can last longer; quality NZ‑made torsion springs are noted for durability up to 15 years. Always replace both springs on a sectional door and match ID, wire size, length, and wind exactly.

• Cycle rating: Pick 20k+ if usage is high.
• Quality: Choose reputable AU suppliers; corrosion‑resistant steel.
• Spec match: ID, wire size, length, wind must match.
• Pairs: Replace both springs together for balance.
• Aftercare: Use silicone-based lubricant for longevity.

Step 6. Prepare the door, opener, and workspace

Preparation turns a high‑tension job into a controlled procedure. Before you replace a garage door spring, switch the opener off at the GPO, pull the emergency release to disengage it, ensure the door is fully down and cannot move, clear the floor, set bright lighting, wear gloves/eye protection, keep kids and pets out, and place a “do not operate” note on the wall button.

• Clamp both tracks just above the bottom rollers; place the ladder to the side of the torsion cones.
• Mark the shaft, drums and cables with a paint line; lay out winding bars, spanners, hex keys, tape, silicone lube, and take reference photos.

Step 7. Secure the door and safely release spring tension

This is the most critical part of the job. If you’re not fully confident, stop and hire a technician. To safely replace a garage door spring on a sectional door, you must control the stored energy with proper winding bars—never screwdrivers.

1. Verify the door is fully down, opener unplugged, and both tracks clamped above the bottom rollers.
2. Insert a winding bar fully into the winding cone. Keep a firm grip.
3. Loosen the cone’s set‑screws slowly while holding the bar; expect the spring to push.
4. Step the tension down in controlled 1/4‑turn increments: insert the second bar, rotate, remove the first, and repeat until the spring is fully relaxed.
5. Repeat on the other spring if fitted.

Notes:

• Tilt/extension springs: only proceed if tension can be safely relieved per manufacturer instructions and a safety cable is present; otherwise, hire a pro.
• Roller doors: springs are enclosed—do not release; this is typically professional work.

Step 8. Remove the old springs and inspect cables, drums, and bearings

With all tension fully released and the door secured, you can dismantle the torsion hardware. Work methodically and keep your reference marks visible so reassembly is straightforward when you replace a garage door spring.

1. Loosen the spring cone set‑screws at the centre bracket and slide the springs inwards off the anchor.
2. Unhook the lift cables from the bottom brackets; keep them tidy and out of the drums.
3. Loosen drum set‑screws, slide drums inwards, and withdraw the shaft with springs.
4. Remove springs, centre bearing, and set the shaft on trestles.

• Cables: Check for fraying, kinks, flat spots, or stretched ends.
• Drums: Look for cracks, worn/dirty grooves, and damaged set‑screw flats.
• Shaft: Inspect for scoring or mushroomed flats where set‑screws bite.
• Bearings/plates: Spin centre and end bearings; replace if rough or loose. Check anchor and end bearing plates for cracks or elongated holes.
• Clean-up: Degrease shaft/drum grooves and apply a light silicone‑based lubricant to bearings only before reassembly.

Step 9. Install the new springs and hardware in the right orientation

Correct orientation is non‑negotiable when you replace a garage door spring. Use your photos and marks to mirror the original layout and respect left/right wind and colour coding. Work methodically so the shaft, bearings, drums and cables go back exactly as they came off.

1. Slide each new spring onto the shaft with the stationary cone to the centre bracket and the winding cone towards the drum.
2. Refit the centre bearing and hang the shaft back into the end bearings.
3. Position left/right drums on their correct sides; align to your paint marks.
4. Route lift cables exactly as before; seat them fully in the drum grooves with no crossovers.
5. Lightly snug drum and cone set‑screws onto the shaft flats; don’t fully tighten until after tensioning.
6. Check clearances, ensure cables are taut and true, and re‑confirm left/right wind placement before proceeding.

Step 10. Wind torsion springs to specification and set set-screws

This is the precision stage that makes or breaks a garage door spring replacement. Use only proper winding bars and follow the spring’s marked wind direction. As a rule of thumb, wind in controlled 1/4‑turns to a count based on door height: Quarter‑turns = door height (inches) ÷ 3 (e.g., a 7' door needs 28 quarter‑turns). Never guess—count every turn and keep full control of the cone.

1. Seat a winding bar fully in the cone; keep a second bar ready. Add 1/4‑turns to the required count, alternating bars so one bar is always loaded.
2. Keep your face and body to the side of the cone; maintain a firm grip and stable footing.
3. As tension builds, ensure lift cables stay seated in drum grooves and are equally taut.
4. When at spec, tighten the spring cone set‑screws onto the shaft flats; snug firmly without stripping.
5. Lightly tension and align both drums to your marks, then firmly tighten their set‑screws, confirming cables remain seated and even.

If anything feels wrong—binding, uneven cables, slipping cones—stop and reassess before you replace a garage door spring any further.

Step 11. Balance the door and fine-tune cable tension

When you replace a garage door spring, correct balance is the proof you’ve got it right and it protects the opener. Keep the door in manual. Hold the door firmly; then remove the track clamps to test movement under control. Use the half‑open test: at chest height the door should hold position. If it drifts, fine‑tune spring tension and cable alignment before reconnecting the opener.

1. If the door sinks, add 1/4 turn to each spring; if it rises, remove 1/4 turn—adjust evenly.
2. Keep cables equal: loosen the drum on the slack side, pull cable snug in the grooves, then re‑tighten on the shaft flat.
3. Hand‑cycle fully up and down 2–3 times, ensuring cables stay seated and tension remains even.
4. Recheck cone and drum set‑screws and your alignment marks; rectify any creep before proceeding.

Step 12. Reconnect the opener and set limits and safety forces

With the door balanced in manual, you can safely bring the opener back online. This step ensures the motor only “assists” a correctly balanced door and that safety systems (limits, photo-eyes, and force) protect people and property after you replace a garage door spring.

1. Re-engage the trolley: Pull the release cord toward the opener and run a cycle to latch.
2. Set travel limits: Adjust open/close limits so the door seals firmly without overdriving.
3. Set safety force: Start low; the door must reverse on floor contact.
4. Test photo-eyes: Block the beam; the door must not close.
5. Run 2–3 full cycles: Listen for strain and re-check cable seating.

Step 13. Lubricate moving parts and conduct final safety checks

You’re nearly there. A light lube and a thorough once‑over will keep things smooth and safe after you replace a garage door spring. Use silicone-based lubricant to cut friction and resist rust, then confirm every fastener and cable is exactly where it should be before daily use.

• Lubricate lightly: Spray silicone lube on torsion spring coils, hinges, steel rollers and bearings; wipe excess.
• Tighten and verify: Recheck cone and drum set‑screws, centre anchor bolts and end bearing plate fixings.
• Cable seating: Ensure cables sit fully in drum grooves with equal tension; no frays or kinks.
• Hand-cycle: Lift and lower manually 2–3 times; listen for scraping or binding.
• Balance test: Door should hold at half height; add/remove 1/4 turn evenly if needed.
• Opener safety: Re‑run limits and reversal/photo‑eye tests; the motor should assist, not strain.
• Final look: Confirm your shaft/drum alignment marks haven’t crept.

Step 14. Costs, timing, and when to hire a professional in Australia

In Australia, having a technician replace a garage door spring typically costs $400–$600 for a sectional door (Centurion Garage Doors). Some providers cite $200–$300, and complex jobs can exceed $700. Most callouts take about 1–3 hours. DIY may cut labour costs when you replace a garage door spring, but the safety risk is significant and correct parts/specs are critical.

• Hire a pro if: you have a double/extra‑heavy door or limited headroom.
• Roller doors: springs are enclosed—generally a professional job.
• Hardware damage: frayed cables, bent tracks/drums, cracked plates.
• No proper tools/PPE: especially no winding bars.
• Time/peace of mind: want warranty, correct balance, and quick turnaround.

Step 15. Maintenance schedule and tips to extend spring life

A little care goes a long way. Regular maintenance keeps the door balanced, protects the opener, and delays the need to replace a garage door spring. Most standard springs are rated around 10,000 cycles; higher‑cycle options last longer, but only if you keep friction and rust in check.

• Lubricate 3–4x per year: Light silicone-based spray on spring coils, hinges and bearings.
• Seasonal balance check: Pull release; lift halfway. If it drops or rises, re‑tension evenly.
• Inspect visually monthly: Look for rust, gaps in coils, frayed cables, drum groove wear.
• Keep tracks clean: Wipe debris; don’t deform rails.
• Avoid strain: Don’t use the opener if a spring snaps.
• Annual service: Book a pro check and re‑tension if usage is high.

Step 16. Troubleshooting common issues after replacement

After you replace a garage door spring, fix issues in manual mode before daily use. Keep the opener unplugged, clamps handy, and make one change at a time, testing after each adjustment.

• Half‑height test fails: Add or remove 1/4 turn per spring, evenly.
• Slack/off‑drum cable or crooked door: Clamp, reseat cable in drum grooves, align drums to your marks, tighten on shaft flats, then re‑balance.
• Opener strains or reverses: Re‑balance first; reset travel limits/force and realign photo‑eyes.
• Still heavy or floats after correct turns: Re‑check measurements—wrong ID/wire/length means ordering the correct pair.

If you can’t maintain safe control with winding bars, stop and call a professional.

Final tips and next steps

That’s it—you’ve replaced a garage door spring and restored balance. If anything felt unsafe or the door fails the half‑open test, stop and call a technician. Keep quarterly lubrication, seasonal balance checks, and consider higher‑cycle springs next time. If the door is rusted, dented or out of spec, upgrading may be smarter—Australian‑made sectional or roller doors with efficient openers run quieter and longer. Ready to upgrade or need parts and advice? Visit DoorSupply to configure a made‑to‑measure solution and get support.