Left the house yesterday afternoon and the garage door seemed fine, wife called and said it wouldn't open, lucky both vehicles were outside. Got home and yep, one of the two springs was busted...

$385 for two new springs, installed. a few years back same company did the neighbors house for $250. They have done previous work, not overpriced but the Dempanic has raised the cost significantly.

On the good side, they got here in a day, do good work, test everything, adjust it all and we can open and close the door..

On the better side: You didn't have to do it yourself.

Yes, it's potentially doable. But garage door springs are one of those things that I gladly leave to the professional. Not worth the risk of getting it wrong, and getting hurt, just to save a few (hundred) bucks.

Same thing for me, last year. I had them put in the heavier springs and change out all the hinges and rollers. $500 but it comes with a 10 yr warranty. I like not having to worry about it.

Bruce

I hear ya. When those things go, there’s no way I’m able to lift the garage door without risking injuring my back. I paid $131 in January 2017 to replace the right side spring and $212 in June 2020 for the left side.

Gotta have them though.

This is one of those projects that I feel I could probably handle, but enough people I trust told me, “dude, just don’t”, that I didn’t.

Doesn't it take a specialty tool?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
On the better side: You didn't have to do it yourself.

Yes, it's potentially doable. But garage door springs are one of those things that I gladly leave to the professional. Not worth the risk of getting it wrong, and getting hurt, just to save a few (hundred) bucks.

I straight up narrowly avoided serious injury changing one out myself. It is worth every penny to have a professional with the right tools do it.

Stitches and medical care are expensive. Watch how the job is done for future problems

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Doesn't it take a specialty tool?

Yes, and you understand why, when you are watching your cheater bar come at your face 100MPH.

I saw a fella's hand that attempted to change his own garage door springs. That was the worst broken hand I have ever seen!! Everything was broken badly, and displaced. His hand will never be normal again.

Back in the bad old days I changed a lot of springs, rollers, even built up and installed whole doors in freight trailers. That said, if one broke here now, we would be on the phone to hire a door service. The big long floppy ones aren't too bad, but the ones above the door header can and will kill you. be safe.

Absolutely I'm letting the pro's from dover take over...

It's 95 degrees outside, the sun faces the door in the afternoon, two fans running, one in the window, to more ceiling fans running, he said it's the best garage he's worked in all day... Temp wise, and it's still frigging hot.

Springs are on, replaced both the torsion drums and cables as well, they are both 25 years old, the left drum was walking and you could see where it was wearing out. Cheaper than a new service call of $145....

$425 out the door so to speak, with the add on drums and cables, new thicker ones, so that should help the door run better.

Can't bitch too much, part of owning a home.

I'm guessing this is the type with the coiled spring above the garage door opening.
Yeah, I wouldn't touch those.

My aunt had the type with springs over the horizontal span of each track, looked like really long trampoline springs, with a cable running through the center. Those I could see DIY-ing.

About 6 months ago I had a spring break and go boom.

We were sitting in the living room when we heard a big Snap noise in the garage. Sure enough the spring on top of the door snapped.

Went ahead and had both springs replaced and all the rollers replaced with metal rollers with a warranty ...

Good to go now with no worries.

HRK -- I sent you a text re local garage door service guy.

Depends on your mechanical skills and how long it would take to get somebody to do the job.
I've done both types. The type that work by extension, with one on each side of the door, are pretty easy and not especially dangerous with any reasonable amount of caution and common sense.
Just do both sides and if you have two doors side by side for your spouse car, do that one too. They all have approximately the same number of cycles and that's what breaks them.
My most recent one was the other type that is coiled up across the header of the double door. That could be very dangerous if done incorrectly. The truth is that you need two short lengths of the correct size of pipe(about 18" long) to wind and unwind the coil and some basic hand tools like an adjustable wrench to use on the set screws. There are a number of videos online to show how its done and it isn't rocket science, both the technique and the proper safety precautions. Even if you don't want to attempt it yourself, just watch one and you'll see for yourself.

There are not many things around our home I would not hesitate to repair myself. Or at least consider trying. Those garage door springs are not one of them.

There is a tremendous amount of energy stored in those coiled springs.

I did an overhead garage door spring ONCE.

I couldn't really afford someone at the time...or so I thought.

I ALMOST killed myself trying to save a few bucks.

Pffft. Garage door springs are nothing. Try changing out coil springs on a car sometime.

I had to cut 5/8" off of the front passenger spring on my Mustang a few weeks ago. Had the right tool, did everything correctly, but was still scared to death the whole time. Handling a loaded spring is not for the weak at heart.

I put on my full face motorcycle helmet for the job. Live bombs is what they are.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
HRK -- I sent you a text re local garage door service guy.

Got it Thank you!