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Garage Door Spring Rips Garage Apart andy 07-07-2007
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Posted by Jeff Wisnia on July 8, 2007, 12:58 am
ValveJob wrote:

<snipped>
>
>
> I've had both springs on my main door break and each time it punched
> thru the sheetrock.
>
> I heated the end with a blow torch and put a new 'end' on it and have
> had no trouble since I did the work. That tells me that when they
> originally made the springs, they must have weakened the metal more
> than I weakened the metal.
>

I've done the same thing several times and my "new end loops" never fail.

Looking at new extension springs it appears that the end loops come off
the spring with a rather sharp small radius bend.

All the breaks I've experienced occured right at that bend which looks
neat, but is an obvious stress increaser.

I make my bends with a generous radius. They don't look as great, but
they don't break.

Just my .02,

Jeff


--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*10^14 fathoms per fortnight.

Posted by John McGaw on July 7, 2007, 5:34 pm
andy@invalid.com wrote:
> One of the cables broke on my garage door. It appears that when it
> broke the spring pressure did the damage. The door track is (was)
> hung from a vertical 2x4 coming down from the ceiling. (I have an 8
> foot high door in a garage with a 9 foot ceiling). The spring was
> attached to a large eye hook in that 2x4. The spring actually
> shattered that 2x4 causing the track to become disconnected and free
> hanging. The spring was found in the rear of the garage where it
> knocked a bunch of cans of oil and other automotive chemicals all over
> the floor and a chunk of wood was ripped off one shelf. This left a
> major mess with oil on the floor.
>
> Luckily I entered the garage via the walk in door. I was shocked when
> I went in there. I first noticed the oil mess and started cussing at
> my cats, thinking they had gotten in there. But there were no cats.
> When I turned around I noticed the door track hanging free and soon
> discovered the spring on the floor.
>
> I heard these springs are dangerous, but I never knew they could do
> this much damage. I know I can fix this, and this time I intend to
> use a hardwood 2x4 or maybe a 4x4 if I can find one. However, I dont
> like the idea of walking into a garage with these springs ready to
> fly, which could cause severe injury.
>
> Is there any way to secure the spring so if something breaks, at least
> it will stay up in the air where it belongs?
> This is an older 8 foot high, 9 foot wide wooden door. It's not that
> heavy, but still needs the springs to lift it. Where I used to live
> we had a 10 foot wide fiberglass door and I could lift it without
> springs, although it was a bit of a struggle. Those springs were not
> as large (and likely not as powerful).
>
> I'm off to buy a new cable, but I wont feel safe going into the garage
> until I can find a way to make those springs safer. Placing them
> inside a steel tube (pipe) seems like one way, but how?
>
> Anyone got any tips?
>
> Thanks
>
> Andy

Proper installation of extension-style door springs calls for retainer
cables which are threaded the length of the spring. The cable is secured
to the front and rear of the rail supports (not to the spring itself)
and are usually about 3/32" - 1/8" diameter aircraft-style cable. The
idea is to keep the spring from becoming a ballistic missile should the
spring separate. I've found that every replacement spring I've bought
over the past ten years has come with the retainer cable and included
instructions on how to install them. Most likely you would be better off
replacing all of the springs at one go and installing the retainers but
you could probably buy the cable separately along with the proper clamps
to secure them and install on all the springs.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

Posted by Jacque Asse on July 7, 2007, 5:50 pm
I ran garage door cable through each of the springs, and attached the ends
to eye hooks in the studs as well as the frames. This will keep the spring
contained ... at least will limit the travel it may take.



> One of the cables broke on my garage door. It appears that when it
> broke the spring pressure did the damage. The door track is (was)
> hung from a vertical 2x4 coming down from the ceiling. (I have an 8
> foot high door in a garage with a 9 foot ceiling). The spring was
> attached to a large eye hook in that 2x4. The spring actually
> shattered that 2x4 causing the track to become disconnected and free
> hanging. The spring was found in the rear of the garage where it
> knocked a bunch of cans of oil and other automotive chemicals all over
> the floor and a chunk of wood was ripped off one shelf. This left a
> major mess with oil on the floor.
>
> Luckily I entered the garage via the walk in door. I was shocked when
> I went in there. I first noticed the oil mess and started cussing at
> my cats, thinking they had gotten in there. But there were no cats.
> When I turned around I noticed the door track hanging free and soon
> discovered the spring on the floor.
>
> I heard these springs are dangerous, but I never knew they could do
> this much damage. I know I can fix this, and this time I intend to
> use a hardwood 2x4 or maybe a 4x4 if I can find one. However, I dont
> like the idea of walking into a garage with these springs ready to
> fly, which could cause severe injury.
>
> Is there any way to secure the spring so if something breaks, at least
> it will stay up in the air where it belongs?
> This is an older 8 foot high, 9 foot wide wooden door. It's not that
> heavy, but still needs the springs to lift it. Where I used to live
> we had a 10 foot wide fiberglass door and I could lift it without
> springs, although it was a bit of a struggle. Those springs were not
> as large (and likely not as powerful).
>
> I'm off to buy a new cable, but I wont feel safe going into the garage
> until I can find a way to make those springs safer. Placing them
> inside a steel tube (pipe) seems like one way, but how?
>
> Anyone got any tips?
>
> Thanks
>
> Andy



Posted by Art on July 8, 2007, 6:02 am
Working on a garage door is incredibly dangerous. Even pros often get hurt.
Consider hiring a pro for this job. Wayne Dalton stores fix all brands in
my area and are very reasonable.

Watch out for ads in the phone book that advertise $ 29.95 service charge in
a full page ad. A well dress guy will show up and tell you you need $1000
worth of parts.



> One of the cables broke on my garage door. It appears that when it
> broke the spring pressure did the damage. The door track is (was)
> hung from a vertical 2x4 coming down from the ceiling. (I have an 8
> foot high door in a garage with a 9 foot ceiling). The spring was
> attached to a large eye hook in that 2x4. The spring actually
> shattered that 2x4 causing the track to become disconnected and free
> hanging. The spring was found in the rear of the garage where it
> knocked a bunch of cans of oil and other automotive chemicals all over
> the floor and a chunk of wood was ripped off one shelf. This left a
> major mess with oil on the floor.
>
> Luckily I entered the garage via the walk in door. I was shocked when
> I went in there. I first noticed the oil mess and started cussing at
> my cats, thinking they had gotten in there. But there were no cats.
> When I turned around I noticed the door track hanging free and soon
> discovered the spring on the floor.
>
> I heard these springs are dangerous, but I never knew they could do
> this much damage. I know I can fix this, and this time I intend to
> use a hardwood 2x4 or maybe a 4x4 if I can find one. However, I dont
> like the idea of walking into a garage with these springs ready to
> fly, which could cause severe injury.
>
> Is there any way to secure the spring so if something breaks, at least
> it will stay up in the air where it belongs?
> This is an older 8 foot high, 9 foot wide wooden door. It's not that
> heavy, but still needs the springs to lift it. Where I used to live
> we had a 10 foot wide fiberglass door and I could lift it without
> springs, although it was a bit of a struggle. Those springs were not
> as large (and likely not as powerful).
>
> I'm off to buy a new cable, but I wont feel safe going into the garage
> until I can find a way to make those springs safer. Placing them
> inside a steel tube (pipe) seems like one way, but how?
>
> Anyone got any tips?
>
> Thanks
>
> Andy



Posted by jJim McLaughlin on July 8, 2007, 10:18 am

BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT

Art wrote:

> Working on a garage door is incredibly dangerous. Even pros often get hurt.
> Consider hiring a pro for this job. Wayne Dalton stores fix all brands in
> my area and are very reasonable.
>
> Watch out for ads in the phone book that advertise $ 29.95 service charge in
> a full page ad. A well dress guy will show up and tell you you need $1000
> worth of parts.
>
>
>
>
>>One of the cables broke on my garage door. It appears that when it
>>broke the spring pressure did the damage. The door track is (was)
>>hung from a vertical 2x4 coming down from the ceiling. (I have an 8
>>foot high door in a garage with a 9 foot ceiling). The spring was
>>attached to a large eye hook in that 2x4. The spring actually
>>shattered that 2x4 causing the track to become disconnected and free
>>hanging. The spring was found in the rear of the garage where it
>>knocked a bunch of cans of oil and other automotive chemicals all over
>>the floor and a chunk of wood was ripped off one shelf. This left a
>>major mess with oil on the floor.
>>
>>Luckily I entered the garage via the walk in door. I was shocked when
>>I went in there. I first noticed the oil mess and started cussing at
>>my cats, thinking they had gotten in there. But there were no cats.
>>When I turned around I noticed the door track hanging free and soon
>>discovered the spring on the floor.
>>
>>I heard these springs are dangerous, but I never knew they could do
>>this much damage. I know I can fix this, and this time I intend to
>>use a hardwood 2x4 or maybe a 4x4 if I can find one. However, I dont
>>like the idea of walking into a garage with these springs ready to
>>fly, which could cause severe injury.
>>
>>Is there any way to secure the spring so if something breaks, at least
>>it will stay up in the air where it belongs?
>>This is an older 8 foot high, 9 foot wide wooden door. It's not that
>>heavy, but still needs the springs to lift it. Where I used to live
>>we had a 10 foot wide fiberglass door and I could lift it without
>>springs, although it was a bit of a struggle. Those springs were not
>>as large (and likely not as powerful).
>>
>>I'm off to buy a new cable, but I wont feel safe going into the garage
>>until I can find a way to make those springs safer. Placing them
>>inside a steel tube (pipe) seems like one way, but how?
>>
>>Anyone got any tips?
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>Andy
>
>
>

Page 7 of 7       << first < 1 2 3
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