Garage Door Springs Ready to Break?

rberq · By: **rberq** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:38 pm

My overhead garage door is solid wood and is very heavy. The counterbalance springs do not stretch evenly. About in the middle of each one, when the door is closed, three or four coils are stretched out a lot more than the rest of the coils. Is this normal? Are the springs getting ready to fail? I have had broken springs a couple times before, and it's all I can do to raise the door with only one spring helping me.

009to090 · By: **009to090** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:46 pm

As long as you have the saftey cable running thru the center of the spring, your safe. Two springs pulling from the back of the rails is alot safer anyway. The single Torsion spring was always dangerous. If it broke, the noise would make you piss your pants! :shock:

Go ahead and replace that stretched-out spring when you get a chance. Home Depot and Lowes usually have them in stock.

JB Sparks · By: **JB Sparks** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:48 pm

More importantly, if the springs break while your around the door it could kill ya. The springs should stretch evenly they should also have a safety cable running through the springs in case they do break.

rberq · By: **rberq** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:58 pm

There are no safety cables, I just looked. Which really ticks me off, because the last set of springs were installed by a professional garage door company.

JB Sparks · By: **JB Sparks** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:09 pm

I can't remember what I paid for a set of springs but I don't they are all that expensive, I would say change them out and while your at it put in the safety cables, It's worth the piece-of-mind.

whistlenut · By: **whistlenut** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:14 pm

If you have an ex-wife, you could hold a re-union to resolve unfinished emotional issues in your garage. You know where this is going, so all I can say is fix them immediately, it could be you underneath the door! Think you're rugged? Try bench pressing a wooden door off your chest after it just flattened you.
If it is a torsion bar spring at least you won't get killed by it, but single coil springs on each side with no safety cable will shorten you years on this planet. Amazing that codes allow the spring setup without safety cables in them.
This is not funny, call tomorrow, or block off the area ....unless you have a need for a 'meeting'. :shock:

djackman · By: **djackman** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:16 pm

Must be "spring" season - one of mine let go yesterday!

Just FYI the color code at the end of the spring isn't always accurate. Mine had white (110lb) springs, the replacement springs were too strong. Stepped down to blue (90lb) and they were marginal (too weak). Home Depot doesn't have tan (100lb) springs. Garage door store had the 100lb springs. Counter guy told me that prior to 1989 each mfg used their own color coding.

Comparing the wire diameter, the new tan springs have the same diameter as the old white springs.

crazy4coal · By: **crazy4coal** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:18 pm

You SHOULD replace both springs at the same time and adjust them so you can lift the door with one finger. Springs should be adjusted and the rollers lubed once a year.

JB Sparks · By: **JB Sparks** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:21 pm

whistlenut wrote:If you have an ex-wife, you could hold a re-union to resolve unfinished emotional issues in your garage

whistlenut · By: **whistlenut** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:24 pm

Did I hit a sensitive nerve somewhere? Is that a 'Been there, done that' moment for you? :shock:

009to090 · By: **009to090** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:26 pm

Open your door, and leave the car outside, if you can, and leave the door open for safety's sake, until you can replace the springs and get safety cables installed.
Mine has a warning label too.......

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I still have a door with the old Torsion spring. Still working after 40 years, but I'll replace it when we can.

whistlenut · By: **whistlenut** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:40 pm

What about all the wild animals looking for a winter home? The homeless? Skunks wander by my back yard every night.
I do like torsion bars best...and they are a challenge to adjust perfectly. Great potential for lost skin when the 1/2" exyension flys away, or the punch, or long bolt, or other ill-advised substitutes for the adjustment tools. :mad:

rberq · By: **rberq** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:52 pm

Thanks for all the replies. It's off to Lowe's tomorrow morning for new springs. The problem is, I don't know just how much the door weighs. My best guess, remembering lifting it with one spring broken, is 200 to 220 pounds.

Poconoeagle · By: **Poconoeagle** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:55 pm

thats what they make bathroom scales for!!!!

whistlenut · By: **whistlenut** On: Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:01 pm

Whoa momma! That is what happens when you wife asks for something shiny that goes zero to 200 instantly for her birthday, and you deliver a brand new............bathroom scale to her parking spot in front of the garage.............and THEN the fighting starts................ :shock:

Garage Door Springs Ready to Break?

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