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Man this stinks

Mongo1958

Junior Member
I was ready to hop on the bike for a nice ride on a sunny day with a temp of 69 Deg F when BOOM. I ran out to the garage and everything looked OK. I wondered what the source of the big bang was. I hit the button to lift the garage door and it did not go up. I trouble shot the door to find a broken spring (This door has internal springs). I can lift the door by hand but it's like curling 100 pounds. Needless to say I did not go on the ride. I went to Home Depot and Lowes. SIGH! They never have what's in my house! I found a place on line but I need to call them to translate the part numbers on the door. Grumble, Grumble, Grumble....Money, Money, Money!:newsmile042:
 
they might as well be for the price they cost for the thin metal things. least if they were hd might be better made
 
I've had that happen once Mongo, but mine are ordinary springs and even Home Cheapo had them. Be carefull stringing those springs, the can beat you up if you don't watch it. Don't know how yours are done, but I bought me a set of cable crimpers on mine. Still came out cheaper than calling a Garage door guy.
 
Is there not a local garage door supplier that could help you?......
 
the springs need to be lubed once a year, I didn't know that at first and after both sides broke(2 different times) I now spray some WD 40 on em' once a year.
I went to a door company like dbmg suggested and parts were reasonably priced.
 
Definitely wakes you up when the spring lets loose - had one go at our last house where our bedroom was pretty much above garage. I thought someone shot our house & there was shrapnel everywhere...good thing it didn't take-out any of your vehicles.
 
I am not exactly "Joe Handyman" but through the years I have replaced oh, probably a half dozen springs. All I can say is be very careful when messing with them. When the door is closed they are fully extended and if one of them babies ever lets loose and his you or an onlooker, the outcome could be dire.
I didn't know that they should be lubricated with WD40. Seems like cheap insurance for preventive maintenance!! I'll have to give it a try.
 
One day Last year I went out to the garage to get the bike. I pushed the door opener button, the door shuddered, and stopped. I went in and found the spring laying on the floor between the rear fender of the car and the bike. The looped end of the spring had snapped, releasing the spring, which sling shotted across the garage snapping the safety cable like a piece of string. Amazingly, the spring didn't hit either my new car or the bike!

I had the garage door guy come replace both springs. While he was there he found the rollers on the door where all pretty worn. The door is 9 years old.
While he was replacing them with much better quality ones, he told me to never, ever, try to lubricate door rollers with WD40. Claimed that he had seen hundreds of rollers that had WD40 used on them fail.
 
I used to pretend that I was Indiana Jones with my garage door. Not very smart, I know. I guess I am lucky to have not become a darwin award :D
 
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