Overhead Door Torsion Spring Question

We typically use the garage as a means of entry into the house.  Had to scramble to find house keys

DON'T scroll down if you are squeamish. 

Timely thread.

Both my brother and I have changed springs on our garage doors. Yesterday his smaller door broke. The side bracket partially broke and the door would not open. 

He went to unwind the spring and the bracket completely broke through and he got caught in the middle. Broken arm, stitches in two different places ... garage door still broken. 

Looks like I cannot upload pics, I really wanted to to drive the point across.

You can get away with it if you think through what you are doing, but other things can also break. He wasnt counting on material fatigue or any of that. 

PAY. 

call a pro, pay the money*

*unless it's more expensive then hospital bills.

You guys made up my mind, just waiting for the call back

Dieselboss15 said:

call a pro, pay the money*

*unless it's more expensive then hospital bills.

My brother's door is still broken ...

I'll spare you guys the pictures, but a[prox 5 weeks ago my father came to my new shop to help me remove 2 garage doors and their associated hardware. At the end of the day, the only thing we ended up removing was 1/2 of his pinky finger on his left hand. Yep, gone, but he is healing nicely otherwise. 
 

PAY TO HAVE GARAGE DOOR SPRINGS WORKED ON!!!!!!!

Shout out to the guy yesterday, he came a little late but he got held up at a previous install.  Took him 25 minutes to install 2 new torsion springs, align and lube everything up.  Door runs smoother and quieter than ever.  Money well spent for sure

In reply to Placemotorsports :

I am glad you decided to call a pro. 

Good call on getting a pro. My wife called me today to inform me that the cables on her garage door broke. She video called me and the door was up. I was like how the hell did it go up if the cables are broken? Turns out one of them is hanging on by a thread. I told her to get the hell out of there. Unfortunately the place I like to use doesn't have an opening til Monday. Good thing her truck was already outside.

Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) said:

Take your time, use the correct tools, don't slip up during the unloading and loading of the springs, never have any part of your body in the line of fire if anything slips...

Quoting for emphasis! Those berkeleyers are scary when they slip!!!!

I had dad help me tension up the doors when I built my new workshop.... One of the clamps didn't get adequately tightened..... It held while the door was up, but the second I started pulling it down the axle slipped.... Not berkeleying cool!! 

Nothing damaged, noone got hurt, but damn there is a lot of stored energy and it's scary when it releases suddenly and without warning. 

Do your research, know what you're getting into and doing, if there's any doubt, call the pro's. Our simple mistake could have been a very costly one.

In reply to Placemotorsports :

Our experience was exactly the same. 

I tightened one once and it slipped out of my hand, the rod I used went most the way thru the 2x header.

The homeowner called someone to fix it and it cost like....75$. its worth it

I will say if they are both broken with no tension on them so they have already released the evil I wouldn't hesitate to DIY new drums, cables, and EZ set torsion springs.  The kind you just stand aside and let the drill, a worm gear, and ability to count the times the colored stripe candy canes.  At my local Home center that is the only kind you can buy anymore.  There is minimal danger with those.

I've done 7 doors worth of torsion springs, 4 of those had 2 springs per door.  The last door on my property a "Pro" did.   But I had to adjust the cables because the door never opened straight.   

For those thinking about diy https://ddmgaragedoors.com/

I got my highlift parts from them and the tech support was great. Highly recommend using them for even just a replacement. 
 

Good point above from David on oiling the springs. I never did it before I replaced mine.