Replies

1. 
   junkhound | Nov 13, 2009 01:15am | #1

   I gotten a few free, all the hardware there. 

   Take a look on craigslist. 

   The ones I got free were where the guys who installed the new ones wanted $40 to $80 to haul the old ones off.  

2. 
   DanH | Nov 13, 2009 04:20am | #2

   You can buy all the individual pieces as repair parts, but likely better (cheaper) to buy a used door. (Heck, probably cheaper to buy a new door.) Ideal would be one that the wife drove through or some such -- still fairly new (though maybe a few parts bent up).

   A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
3. 
   fingersandtoes | Nov 13, 2009 05:40am | #3

   There was a really good thread on this about a year ago complete with pictures. Worth a search.

1. 
   Waters | Nov 13, 2009 07:07pm | #4

   Dang!
   I did search to no avail.
   I'll try again, knowing it's here.Thanks,
   Pat 

1. 
   fingersandtoes | Nov 13, 2009 10:58pm | #5

   As I remember it came down to two camps. The make the whole thing side and the add a wood skin to a cheap door side. The only caution was not to monkey with the spring yourself.

1. 
   mikeroop | Nov 14, 2009 02:29am | #6

   whats not to monkey with? two bars and your good to go. make sure the bars are fully inserted before you crank. one full turn for every foot of hieght. Bingo!

1. 
   pixburd | Nov 14, 2009 02:41am | #7

   <<one full turn for every foot of height>>Mike, is that some "rule of thumb" or is that an industry standard?I thought the door spring had to match the weight of the door.

2. 
   Clewless1 | Nov 14, 2009 04:24am | #9

   Yeah, it seems to me that the spring 'sproing' tension has something to do w/ the weight of the door. e.g. an uninsulated hollow light weight metal door vs. an insulated door w/ an interior finish.

3. 
   mikeroop | Nov 14, 2009 05:30am | #11

   well its prob a rule of thumb

   just what i was taught by a couple different installers and it has worked everytime for me.

   I believe the springs are already packaged with the door according to wieght. so thats how the rule of thumb works out.

   try it next time we always run a red crayon down the spring before we began to turn it that way you know how many full turns you have.

4. 
   fingersandtoes | Nov 14, 2009 04:19am | #8

   Don't know much about them at all. Just remembering what was said. Of all the houses I've built or worked on, I've only had four put in over the years and obviously didn't pay any attention. I do remember the installer leaving a red label on the spring warning me to stay away or be maimed. But then if I listened to all those kinds of warnings, think of all the fun I would have missed.

4. 
   Clewless1 | Nov 14, 2009 04:28am | #10

   Like a couple have said ... you should be able to get one nearly free from someone who has replaced or removed one. Since you are in Eugene ... maybe also check e.g. the 'rebuild-it center' there is a BIG one in Portland. Hood River has one, too. That is just the kind of thing that they may have. Put a thing on Craig's list, too or do a search there. I'd exhaust those options before springing for new hardware. Then google how to install ... the key being the spring sproing thingy that has all the ominous warning labels on it.