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How to Tension Your Commercial Roll-Up Door [The Easy Way]

Nov 16, 2020

Have you noticed your roll-up door becoming increasingly difficult to operate? Whether it's getting harder to open or harder to close, there's a good chance it's time to adjust your door's spring tension. After all, adjusting this tension when needed is key to maintaining and prolonging the life of your commercial roll-up door. 

While adjusting tension and maintaining springs can seem like a tedious and daunting task, it doesn't have to be. When you invest in a commercial door that comes standard with enclosed factory lubricated springs and a cam-action spring tension holding device, tensioning your door has never been easier.


Janus mandates rolling sheet door product installation by trained rolling door technicians and future maintenance by experienced/qualified personnel. It is mandatory that all Janus International door technicians and other technicians, installers and future maintenance staff comply fully with all safety information, procedures, and instructions contained in the Janus Operation and Maintenance Manual. To Download the Operation and Maintenance Manual, CLICK HERE>>>


Cam-Action Spring Tension Holding Device

The cam-action spring tension holding device allows quick, easy and equal tension adjustment on all springs simultaneously from one end of the door. The cam tensioner bites into the axle helping to eliminate the unwanted spinning of the axle during the initial spring loading adjustment process.

For commercial Models 1000 and 1100, a ratchet tension holding device is used. This device also offers a simpler method of tensioning while more accurately fine tuning all the springs on the door at the same time.

 

Cam-Action Spring Tension Holding Device

Cam action spring tension holding device for commercial roll-up door

 

Door Springs

No more routinely maintaining and greasing your springs to reduce friction, avoid corrosion and increase longevity - they're sustainable! During production, each spring is coated with a generous amount of grease that penetrates the innermost pores of the spring with additives, displacing moisture and preventing the formation of rust and corrosion. In addition, this process relieves the friction created between spring coils, thereby providing a smoother door operation. Finally, the spring and axle assembly are enclosed in a tube to protect them from factors that could affect it's cycle life. 

 

Enclosed Factory Lubricated Springs

Enclosed factory lubricated springs inside roll-up door

 

Checking Operation and Balance

To check the operation of your commercial roll-up door, lower and raise the door's curtain a couple of times to test it's balance. If the door is easy to close but hard to open, spring tension should be increased. If the door is easy to open but hard to close, spring tension should be decreased. 

To adjust spring tension, qualified personnel should loosen all of the set screws in the tensioner and axle support at both ends of the door. At the tensioner end, they'll place a pipe wrench around the end of the axle so that pulling down on the pipe wrench will rotate that axle to increase spring tension. 

 

Decreasing Spring Tension

The door is easy to open but hard to close.

To decrease spring tension, qualified personnel should momentarily pull down on the pipe wrench and then lift the spring roll pin on the tensioner's knurled wheel. Then, Gently let up on the pipe wrench, allowing the axle to rotate to reduce the tension. While holding the new tension, qualified personnel should release the tensioner spring roll pin. The tensioner will now grip the axle and hold the new tension setting. 

 

Increasing Spring Tension

The door is easy to close but hard to open.

To increase spring tension, qualified personnel should pull down on the pipe wrench. The tensioner will automatically grip the axle and hold the new tension setting. They should make sure all brackets are square with the door before tightening the set screws. Finally, qualified personnel should tighten all head set screws in the tensioner and axle support at both ends of the door. 

Once complete, qualified personnel can remove the pipe wrench and test the operation of the door again to ensure it's balanced operation. If tension happens to still be off, the steps above should be repeated until the door easily opens and closes. 

 

Operating your doors with optimal spring tension is essential for  maintaining and prolonging the life of your commercial roll-up doors because it saves them from unnecessary force, wear and tear. When you purchase commercial doors with enclosed factory lubricated springs and the cam action spring tension holding device, you can adjust and maintain springs easier than ever before.

 

Takeaways: 

  • The cam-action spring tension holding device allows quick, easy and equal tension adjustment on all springs simultaneously from one end of the door.
  • With enclosed factory lubricated springs, you can wave goodbye to tedious and daunting maintenance to reduce friction, avoid rust and corrosion and increase longevity. 
  • Operating and maintaining your commercial roll-up door has never been so easy.
Two Blue Commercial Roll-up Doors Installed on Building

Have Questions?

Check out our installation instructions for more information on setting the spring tension of your commercial roll-up door.

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