Torsion Springs Vs. Extension Springs

What are garage springs? The torsion spring is under slight tension when your garage door is resting. When a downward force loads the door springs, the contact causes the spring to become elongated and stores energy. These springs are integral to a garage door's opening and closing process. Bob's Advance Garage Doors can help guide you through any garage door replacement needs.

What Are Garage Springs

Garage springs are used to lift and lower your garage door. They are made of metal and consist of a spring, torsion bar, bottom bracket, and top bracket. The spring's job is to store energy used to lift the door. The torsion bar holds the ends of the spring in place while the bottom bracket keeps it centered. The top bracket is attached to your garage door opening wall, and the garage spring connects these components. A garage door company can help you determine which spring type is best for your garage door.

Types Of Garage Door Springs

Mostly there are two types of garage door springs: extension springs and torsion springs.

What Is The Difference Between Torsion Springs and Extension Springs

The main difference between torsion and extension springs is the way they operate. Torsion springs are also known as coil-type or helical compression springs because they compress when loaded axially (in the direction of their length). On the other hand, extension springs work in the opposite direction - they extend when loaded axially.

Torsion springs are used in torsional loads where bending motion occurs at only one end of the spring, while extension springs are used in bending loads where bending motion occurs at both ends of the spring (knotting).

Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are a type of coiled spring used in applications with a twisting motion, such as vehicle suspension systems. Torsion springs are typically made from steel wire or flat metal bands that are wound into a helix shape and are attached to one end of an object. When the object is rotated, the torsion spring twists and stores energy in its coils. When the load on the spring is removed, it unwinds and releases the stored energy.

The main advantage of torsion springs over extension springs is that they can store more energy per unit length than extension springs. This makes them ideal for applications where you need to store a large amount of energy without using space. They're also not affected by temperature changes like extension springs, making them useful when you need consistent performance regardless of temperature fluctuations.

Extension Springs

An extension spring is a simple, low-cost, flexible mechanical device that can store energy and release it to produce a desired force or motion. Extension springs are more commonly used in industrial production than in the home, and they are most often used for lifting heavy loads, like garage doors.

Appearance and Location

Torsion springs are twisted in a helical arrangement, like a rope tied into a knot. They can be made from various materials, including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and brass. Torsion springs are used for applications where compactness is essential, such as in watch movements or computer hard drives.

Extension springs have a straight shape with coils wound along the length of the spring. Extension springs are used for more space applications, such as car suspensions or garage door openers.

Uses and Performance

Torsion springs store energy by twisting or rotating a spring around an axis. These springs are found in many different places, including automobile suspensions and other equipment where the energy needs to be stored in a small area. On the other hand, Extension springs store energy by extending or compressing while being stretched out. These springs are commonly used in garage doors and other similar door systems due to their ability to handle large amounts of weight while remaining flexible enough to easily move up and down.

Are Torsion Springs Better Than Extension Springs

Torsion springs have several advantages over extension springs:

Torsion springs have more applications than extension springs; they can be used in small appliances to large industrial machines.

Torsion springs are more compact than extension springs, allowing them to fit into smaller spaces and designs.

Torsion springs can provide constant torque over a wide range of motion. Extension springs tend to lose their strength as they move further from their rest position (for example, when an automobile door is opened).

Torsion springs can be easily adjusted for different loads by adjusting their length or diameter (diameter determines torque).

Bob's Advance Garage Doors

Considering all you have learned about the two types of springs for garage doors, deciding which one to install in your garage should be simple. Extension springs are a simple, no-frills system that is easy to manufacture and cost-effective. They do not require much maintenance, but they can be harsh on the environment.

Torsion springs use less energy, making them the most environmentally friendly option out of the other two. They are not as harsh on their surrounding environment, but more work goes into manufacturing these springs. Ultimately, it comes down to you deciding to work with Bob's Advance Garage Doors to determine what is most important to you when choosing which spring type to go with and your budget.

Contact us today, and we can help with your garage door spring selection.