Anyone ever have garage door spring break?

Yes, it does sound like a canon going off and i cant blame you for nearly soiling yourself. Very dangerous if you are close to it.We have an electric door opener now and got away from both the springs on the sides and replaced by a overhead spring.

If it's an overhead spring you are better off getting a pro to install it. Side spring and cable are just about as bad. There's a lot more involved than just replacing the spring.

Electraglide said:

If it's an overhead spring you are better off getting a pro to install it. Side spring and cable are just about as bad. There's a lot more involved than just replacing the spring.

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It is overhead. I quickly ruled out doing it myself.
Actually, it might be time to replace the works with a new insulated door and top row with windows (workshop space)

I had that happened when I first moved in to my house about 24 years ago. I got quotes for someone coming to replace it. Then I simply did it my self. From what I remember it was very simple and lasted till the day I replaced the garage door about 2 years ago.

It happened to my father-in-law and being the stubborn German he was he had to replace it himself. Being the good son-in-law I was I offered to help him. Never again. Even he said never again. It's not a complicated job but there's a lot of energy stored in the spring and one slip and it could kill you. The pros have the tools and the know how.

GuitarT said:

It happened to my father-in-law and being the stubborn German he was he had to replace it himself. Being the good son-in-law I was I offered to help him. Never again. Even he said never again. It's not a complicated job but there's a lot of energy stored in the spring and one slip and it could kill you. The pros have the tools and the know how.

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I worked for a company that made and installed overhead garage doors. A lot of their business was fixing doors that people would replace the springs on and try to fix the doors themselves.

I have a friend in the garage door business and he reiterates what some others have said about the danger, especially of overhead springs. Unless you are very competent and know (really know) what you are doing, please don't touch it.

The replacement part is not so bad. Putting the preload on it is the tricky/dangerous part.

jb welder said:

Putting the preload on it is the tricky/dangerous part.

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Been there ,done that...survived.B#(*

Springs are calibrated to the weight of the door and hardware so it's easy getting the wrong spring or springs. Usually if the spring breaks the door has to be completly reset....not an easy job.

Scotty said:

Today I nearly soiled me shorts as my garage door spring broke closed as the door closed behind me. It sounded like a gunshot and like something big and heavy fell down (sounded similar to the time I accidentally knocked over my drill press)

The spring must have gotten brittle over time.

Has this ever happened to any of you?

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Yep.

I DIY about 80% of stuff that comes up.
But I'll always remember my Ukrainian uncle in Edmonton who lost part of a finger fixing a garage door spring....I guess the door fixed him.

I can do many things, but this is one I'm not messing with. All it takes is one of the tension rods to come out of the socket and then I've got a spring unravelling right in front of my face with a lot of energy

No thank you

I've seen a lot more spring breaks on larger commercial doors than I have a residential garage doors, but yeah it's fairly exciting alright.

I was standing beside a 16ft wide x 24ft high wooden commercial door once when the cables snapped and it free-fell to the closed position. It bounced back up about 6ft when it hit the floor, destroyed the bottom 2 panels, people from neighboring businesses came running to see what "exploded". That was a rush.

Scotty said:

Today I nearly soiled me shorts as my garage door spring broke closed as the door closed behind me. It sounded like a gunshot and like something big and heavy fell down (sounded similar to the time I accidentally knocked over my drill press)

The spring must have gotten brittle over time.

Has this ever happened to any of you?

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Yup. Just moved into my house and it broke the morning of my first day at a new job.. couldnt get the truck out as the door is several hundred pounds.

Cost a couple hundred to get a guy out asap. Its amazing how much those things are loaded, serious energy stored there.

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Scotty said:

It is overhead. I quickly ruled out doing it myself.
Actually, it might be time to replace the works with a new insulated door and top row with windows (workshop space)

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The pro said you can just sawzall holes and install RV windows if you want to do it on the cheap.

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TheYanChamp said:

The pro said you can just sawzall holes and install RV windows if you want to do it on the cheap.

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Thanks for the idea. It's a wooden door which is still a good shape. I have clad the inside with 2 inch Styrofoam SM. Works pretty good to keep it from subzero. ( rest of the garage is insulated and drywalled)

I'd like the windows for two reasons, one for letting in natural daylight, and two, for letting fluorescent light through when the door is up. I'm often out there working with the door open in good weather after dark. Would keep the front half a little brighter.


That totally sucks about the new job. Hopefully your new employer was understanding. Talk about bad timing

That was a couple years ago, it just wasn't a great first impression!

Yeah, I'd like to add windows for the same reason. I have lots of lights, but it never enough when you're wrenching/welding away.