The EZ-Spring system is a spring system that was designed by Ideal Door and is now sold under the Ideal
Door name and Clopay name. The EZ-Spring system was designed to make installing both extension
springs and torsion springs easier and safer. Both systems work very similarly to standard extension
springs and torsion springs.
EZ-Set Extension Springs:
Extension springs are mounted above the horizontal tracks on both sides of the garage door. The
extension springs attach at the top end to the garage door track support brackets . The other end of the
spring is attached to a pulley using a fork. A cable that attaches to the bottom bracket on the bottom
panel of each side of the garage door travels up the height of the garage door around one pulley and
then around the spring pulley. The cable then attaches to an adjustment bracket that connects to the
track braces. The springs are then adjusted by feeding the cable through the adjustment clip. The
springs counter balance the weight of the garage door making it possible to open and close the garage
The EZ-Set extension spring system uses a spring stretching mechanism that is secured to the track near
the front fixed pulley. A cable in the stretching mechanism runs through a pulley attached to the
extension spring then around the front fixed pulley and down the door to the bottom bracket where it
attaches on each side of the door. A standard drill is then attached to the spring stretching mechanism
and the cable is shortened which in turn stretches the spring, counter balancing the weight of the
garage door. If both extension springs are properly stretched, then the door will be balanced.
In all extension spring systems, standard or EZ-Set, it is highly recommended that a safety cable/ spring
containment cable be used to prevent the spring from flying loose causing serious damage to property
and serious damage even death to people and animals. The safety cable/spring containment cable is a
cable that is attached at each end to the garage door track brackets and runs through the entire length
of the extensions spring. This cable controls the spring if it breaks preventing the spring from becoming
Torsion springs are the standard in the garage door industry today. Torsion springs are a system of
springs that counter balance the weight of the garage using a spring bar/torsion tube mounted above
the header of the garage door opening on the inside of the opening. This system utilizes a center bracket
and bearing along with end bearing plates and drums and cable on each end of the spring bar/torsion
tube. This system works because the spring(s) are wound, the spring(s) provide the force to counter
balance the weight of the door. Cables are attached to the bottom brackets on the bottom of the
bottom panel/section on each side of the garage door. The cables run up the height of the garage door
and the attach to the drums that are on both ends of the spring bar/torsion tube. The cables wind
around the drums as the garage door opens, and unwind as the garage door closes. The cables and
drums do the lifting while the spring(s) provide the force. The center bracket in the system secures the
spring(s) to be wound. The spring bar/torsion tube runs through the center bracket and each end of the
spring bar/torsion tube goes through the end bearing plates, securing the spring bar/torsion tube at the
ends. The drums mount on the spring bar/torsion tube at each end and are mounted to the inside of the
end bearing plates. In regular torsion spring systems the springs are mounted at or near the center of
the garage door and can utilize one spring, two springs or multiple springs. If more than two springs are
used, then extra center brackets and bearings must also be used. The number of springs needed to
counter balance the garage door is based on the weight of the garage door and its components.
The EZ-Set torsion springs work the same way as standard torsion springs, but the application and parts
are different. The EZ-Set torsion springs do not utilize a center bracket and bearing, but do utilize a
center support for wide and or heavy garage doors. In the EZ-Set system the spring(s) do not mount in
the center of the garage door, but to the sides. They still utilize end bearing plates, but these plates are
different than the ones used in standard torsion spring systems. The EZ-Set torsion spring system uses a
different winding system. Standard torsion springs are hand wound using winding bars. EZ-Set torsion
springs are wound using a standard electric drill. The EZ-Set system uses a different type of torsion
spring as well. EZ-Set springs have a cone at one end that attaches to the spring bar/torsion tube on one
end of the spring and the other end uses a cone that is attached to spring winder. The EZ-Set also utilizes
drums and cables that attach at both ends of the spring bar/torsion tube to the inside of the end bearing
plates. Rather than hand winding the spring(s), in the EZ-Set system a standard electric drill is attached
to the spring winder. The drill is then used to wind the springs to counter balance the weight of the
garage door. The EZ-Set system typically only uses one spring that is mounted on the left side of the
garage door, but you can order and install a second spring and spring winder that can be mounted on
the right side of the garage door as well.
The EZ-Set systems do provide an alternative to standard extension and torsion spring systems, but they
do have their own set of problems and limitations. In the extension spring system, you are depending on
an additional moving part to stretch the spring. The spring stretching mechanism can fail as well as the
spring, and using a drill to stretch the spring provides the added possibility of over stretching the spring.
The EZ-Set torsion spring system has limitations in the amount of weight the springs can lift and do not
provide options for more than two spring being used. There is also the added spring winder that can fail
as well as the spring. This spring winder is another moving part that will require maintenance and
eventual replacement. The use of an electric drill also brings up the issue of over winding the spring that
can cause premature failure and make the door too hot when opening.
It is my opinion that the EZ-Set system will work on smaller lighter doors, but a standard torsion spring
system is still a better choice. Installation of either system should only be done by a trained garage door
technician, and I believe the additional moving parts and limitations to weight on the EZ-Set systems
make it a less desirable choice. There will be added expense to an EZ-Set system as it requires the spring
stretching mechanism on extension springs and the spring winder on torsion springs.
