Considering how bad things could have gone in the event of a mistake, that number is cheap.

Yeah, some things are worth paying for. With parts being an issue I'm glad they were able to fix it so quickly.

I just had to adjust a 14ft door and a 7ft door with the coiled springs above the doors. After viewing YouTube I got it the first try, while you need to pay attention I found it not to be to dangerous

quote:

Originally posted by sjp:
I just had to adjust a 14ft door and a 7ft door with the coiled springs above the doors. After viewing YouTube I got it the first try, while you need to pay attention I found it not to be to dangerous

Agreed. Treat it like a gun - always assume a spring is under load until absolutely, positively sure that it isn't. Check one more time after that. Having the right tools at-hand before starting the job is a must.

About 2 years ago one of my springs broke. I was standing in the garage and just pushed the opener when it broke. Needed a clear pair of undies after it happened. Sounded like a gunshot.

Lived in this house since 83, so over time I have had many repair opportunities.

3rd time for these springs I opted for the HD high cycle springs. Also, I live near the coast so we get salt air. Long ago I decided to never again use the cables that come with the doors, the cables from the springs to the bottom of the door. They rust.

Went to OSH and got stainless cables and fittings. Perfect - no rust after 10 years.

You couldn't pay me enough to work with coil springs.

quote:

Originally posted by Watergoat:
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.

. And the ones above the door, put some lubricant of some kind on them every year around winter time. They can get rust on them and seize up, and break.

I did mine last month myself just takes a couple of bars to get the spring in tension. if you pay attention to what you are doing it's not difficult to do.

I just replaced a spring on my overhead door in the barn. My cuz has an account at Service Spring Corp who makes them in our area. Spring with 2 cones $36. Put it on myself.

quote:

Originally posted by Underdog:

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.

^^This. I do a lot of home repair myself, but this work gets subbed out to my garage door guy.

I guess we got a good deal. The local door guy was here in a couple hours and did both for about $160-180. Sure made quite the noise when one broke.

In my years at GM I changed hundreds of door springs, although most of them were a bit larger then your average home garage door springs.
Always change both springs when one gives way. The second one is going to be weaker then the new ones, insures smoother operation of the door. I also once (or twice) a year lightly oil the springs to prevent rust and reduce friction. If you have a lot of dust on them brush them off first before oiling. Don't pour on so much oil that they are dripping wet. I use old motor oil from my mower.

And yes, if you don't know what you are doing hire it out! I have reached the age that I will hire it out if I ever need springs replaced in the future.

I have had 2 springs break and luckily both broke at the very end of the spring where the loop is. I made a loop out of 5/16” cable and cable clamps and was working fine when we sold the home several years later.