Garage Door Counter-Weight Coil Spring - Steps to fix.

Factual Questions
1

Yes, I know we’ve done this one - but there are pages of results, I"m tired, and my car is trapped until I get this figured out (again).
Basic 16x7 roll-up sectional door with a single spring to provide counter weight.
Ater just busting my back turning the spring the wrong way, I want to know how to start this.
Yes, I know this is a dangerous job, I have done this before, have the right tools (1/2" steel rods, 30" long - no, not rebar, real shafts).

So, I finally get the spring tightened up and set the screws.

Why are the cables already on the pulleys on the end of the shaft. I just turned the spring several turns against the direction of the cable winding. If there was no incidental friction, the shaft would not have turned, but it did, and the cables are now flopping around.
I am working single, and cannot unwind the shaft to exactly 37 degrees, which would get the cable and the notch of the pulley aligned.
So, when I release the hold on the shaft, why are the cable ends in the notches of the pulleys?
Do I somehow glue or tape the cable ends to the pulleys before torquing the spring?

There is something very obvious and I’m too fried to think straight (as you know if you’ve read through this mess). :smack:

SUMMARY:
Where in the process of torquing the spring do the cables get attached to the pulleys, and what keeps them there while torquing the spring? No helpers available.

2

Release tension, lift door, pin it open, drive car out.

3

Maybe you can lift a 16x7 steel door on warped tracks, but a guy with a busted back cannot.

I’m trying to fix a problem, not respond to obvious observations.

Next up: yes, I can dis-assemble the door, drive out, then re-assemble.

That isn’t gonna happen either.

I’m thinking maybe the nicopress stops were jammed into the pulleys so I didn’t have this problem before.

May see If I can just use brute force to jam the pieces together.

4

Get some help to lift the door and get the car out. It shouldn’t take more than two people with ordinary strength to lift the door.

5

Time to call in a professional door company. Gert if fixed once and right. Not worth the hassle you’re going through.

6

That’s a big, heavy door (with naturally a big powerful spring) and a warped track. I’d consider calling a pro too. If the track is warped it’s ***never ***going to open & close right until you replace it.

7

I figured out the original problem - when I dis-assembled the ting to straighten what I could, is re-inserted on of the hinge rollers into the wrong tube on the hinge, causing the panel do try to deflect on one side before the other - resulting in a mis-aligined door section - causing the roller NOT on the hinge line to pop out of the track.
I have an appointment with a bankruptcy lawyer tomorrow - does that give you hint of the likelihood of “professional” help ;D ?

So - how to hook the cable, and is it done before or after the spring is wound?

8

Answer - torque spring just enough to lightly tension the cables. Set the set screws.
Moving to each end with a loose cable: use pipe wrenches and vice-grips to back off the pulley just enough tho squeeze the cable and its stop onto the pulley, start to slowly tension the cable by reversing the wrench-and-grip action.
Consume more narcotics for the back pain, update the thread as indicated.

You’re welcome!