Garage Door Open Spring Just Broke - Was Very Scared! - Page 2

Baba · 07-13-2014, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comrando

Ach!

If OSHA had inspected your garage you would have run a cable through the center of that spring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorhead

That's why there is supposed to be a safety cable that runs through the spring to keep it contained if it breaks.

Please implement this ASAP. If anyone had been standing in your garage when this happened and the spring had hit one's head, it would be "lights out" and, if fortunate, those lights might come back on, dim as they might be. Your Camaro would be the least of your problems. SAFETY always comes first.

SS PANTHER · 07-13-2014, 07:43 AM

Time for a roll up.

kaly · 07-13-2014, 10:26 AM

Mine was about the same age when it went and was clearly installed before you needed the safety cable. If one side went, the other one is going soon.

Muscle Car Lover · 07-13-2014, 10:35 AM

Hey all. In the light I can see that yes there are retainer cables through the springs. No damage to car! I will have a guy here tomorrow or Tuesday to get repaired. Busted spring:

Tenring · 07-13-2014, 10:44 AM

Be sure to secure up that dam ladder also...............

motorhead · 07-13-2014, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muscle Car Lover

Hey all. In the light I can see that yes there are retainer cables through the springs. No damage to car! I will have a guy here tomorrow or Tuesday to get repaired. Busted spring:

That's different. I have never seen a door spring installed in that manner.

rockrau · 07-13-2014, 10:58 AM

It has happened to me twice in the 10 yrs.! Reminds me of a Kinks song; I woke up in a panic like someone fired a gun....

Rockhead · 07-13-2014, 11:11 AM

Bin to that party also. 2:00 am middle of a thunderstorm and it set the car alarm off. Just missed my IROC . Talk about luck.

Ryanbabz71 · 07-13-2014, 12:13 PM

I have a torsion spring on the shaft the top of the garage. Mine broke (10 yrs old ) a few wks ago. Had em come out fixed then 2 wks later the cables attached to the door came off so I had to redo everything. Nerve racking winding the spring 29 1/4 turns but after doing one it's not bad

Ryan

BlueStreakHouTX · 07-13-2014, 01:28 PM

Happened to me twice so far in 15 years (door is original to the house and 25 years old).. left side broke first 10 years ago, replaced it, then right side broke about a month ago.. both in the middle of the night???? when second one broke I knew what it was, so wasnt worried, but next day I had to call a neighbor to help me get the door raised, I had insulated it and it was way too heavy.

BTW, if you dont lubricate all your hinges and tracks once a year DO IT: while youre at it, go spray WD40 on both springs to lubricate them, soak them down GOOD.... the rust creates friction and contributes to the failure. (guy who installed my spring told me this)

Muscle Car Lover · 07-13-2014, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comrando

If the cable was secured on each end the spring would have not fallen.
Maybe the springs came with the cable and the installer didn't secure them.

You all see a lot!

There was a cable through the spring, all in the garage have them. I guess the force of the spring snapping (it was certainly LOUD enough) broke the braided steel wire. That is a bit on the scary side.

So let me be the example of what not to do; folks get your springs checked out and make sure they have the latest safety applications installed. Forget about the cars, if someone was near that thing last night they would have been really hurt, badly I think. Glad nothing happened.

I have a garage door specialist coming tomorrow to redo all the springs with torsion springs and to install all the safety catches. Don't wait, make sure yours is done correct.

Bulldog3071 · 07-13-2014, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueStreakHouTX

Happened to me twice so far in 15 years (door is original to the house and 25 years old).. left side broke first 10 years ago, replaced it, then right side broke about a month ago.. both in the middle of the night???? when second one broke I knew what it was, so wasnt worried, but next day I had to call a neighbor to help me get the door raised, I had insulated it and it was way too heavy.

BTW, if you dont lubricate all your hinges and tracks once a year DO IT: while youre at it, go spray WD40 on both springs to lubricate them, soak them down GOOD.... the rust creates friction and contributes to the failure. (guy who installed my spring told me this)

Surprised they did not replace both at the same time, when mine broke I had them replace both and the tech said that's what they usually do

Fastcat3 · 07-13-2014, 07:14 PM

My home was built in 2001 and in 2005 I brought home a new corvette. The second day I had it, after going someplace I returned home and something just told me to leave it in the driveway. Went in the house and about five minutes later I hear this tremendous crash and the garage door was closed. Long story short, can't remember what the problem was, garage repaired by a professional. Lesson learned was to never park half in and half out of the garage. I see people do that all the time. Also I don't stand under the area where it closes.

BlueStreakHouTX · 07-13-2014, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulldog3071

Surprised they did not replace both at the same time, when mine broke I had them replace both and the tech said that's what they usually do

Well, I asked about replacing both, and the tech that installed the broken LH side spring 10 years ago said as long as the RH spring was still visibly good and he released tension on the old RH spring and re-tensioned them both to be exactly the same it was OK... and it was OK for 10 years.

But a torsion rod runs through both mine, so not worried about them damaging my cars.... whew.

07-13-2014, 10:35 AM	#18
Muscle Car Lover Drives: 2014 2SS M6 "CHRISTINE" Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Boston Metro North Posts: 2,916 View My Garage	Hey all. In the light I can see that yes there are retainer cables through the springs. No damage to car! I will have a guy here tomorrow or Tuesday to get repaired. Busted spring: Attached Images __________________ "But, House Mormont remembers. The North remembers! We know no King but the King of the North whose name is Stark. I don't care if he's a bastard. Ned Stark's blood runs through his veins. He's my king–from this day until his last day." Mods: ARH headers and hi flow cats, VMAX ported throttle body, CAI air intake, Slowhawk Performance tuning

07-13-2014, 10:58 AM	#21
rockrau Drives: 2010 2ss red LS3 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: perkasie pa Posts: 541	It has happened to me twice in the 10 yrs.! Reminds me of a Kinks song; I woke up in a panic like someone fired a gun.... __________________ Pedders Pace Car Kit with ZL1 sway bar conversion & camber bolt kit.Lowered 1.5". 1LE tires & wheels. CAI air intake. Anvil CF rear spoiler.MGW shifter. 1 7/8" Kooks LT headers & HF cats.V-Max ported TB. Tuned.

07-13-2014, 11:11 AM	#22
Rockhead Hoser. Drives: 2018 Z06 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Greatest Country in the world. Posts: 1,104	Bin to that party also. 2:00 am middle of a thunderstorm and it set the car alarm off. Just missed my IROC . Talk about luck. __________________ Speed is a substitute for clearance.

07-13-2014, 12:13 PM	#23
Ryanbabz71 Drives: 2021 ZL1 1LE Satin Steel Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Brownsburg, Indiana Posts: 6,380 View My Garage	I have a torsion spring on the shaft the top of the garage. Mine broke (10 yrs old ) a few wks ago. Had em come out fixed then 2 wks later the cables attached to the door came off so I had to redo everything. Nerve racking winding the spring 29 1/4 turns but after doing one it's not bad Ryan __________________ Ryan 2021 ZL1 1LE Satin Steel Metallic Build Page: https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=632481

07-13-2014, 07:43 AM	#16
SS PANTHER Drives: 2013 SS Supercharged Convertible Join Date: May 2013 Location: SoCal Posts: 2,713	Time for a roll up.

07-13-2014, 10:26 AM	#17
kaly Drives: 2017 Camaro 2SS. 2013 Camaro 2LT/RS Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 40 View My Garage	Mine was about the same age when it went and was clearly installed before you needed the safety cable. If one side went, the other one is going soon.

07-13-2014, 10:44 AM	#19
Tenring Drives: 2015 SS/RS M6 Commemorative Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Arizona Posts: 2,217	Be sure to secure up that dam ladder also...............

07-13-2014, 01:28 PM	#24
BlueStreakHouTX Drives: 2012 Camaro 2SS RS IOM Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Spring Texas Posts: 230 View My Garage	Happened to me twice so far in 15 years (door is original to the house and 25 years old).. left side broke first 10 years ago, replaced it, then right side broke about a month ago.. both in the middle of the night???? when second one broke I knew what it was, so wasnt worried, but next day I had to call a neighbor to help me get the door raised, I had insulated it and it was way too heavy. BTW, if you dont lubricate all your hinges and tracks once a year DO IT: while youre at it, go spray WD40 on both springs to lubricate them, soak them down GOOD.... the rust creates friction and contributes to the failure. (guy who installed my spring told me this)

07-13-2014, 07:14 PM	#27
Fastcat3 Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS manual tranny Join Date: May 2014 Location: Tampabay Posts: 93	My home was built in 2001 and in 2005 I brought home a new corvette. The second day I had it, after going someplace I returned home and something just told me to leave it in the driveway. Went in the house and about five minutes later I hear this tremendous crash and the garage door was closed. Long story short, can't remember what the problem was, garage repaired by a professional. Lesson learned was to never park half in and half out of the garage. I see people do that all the time. Also I don't stand under the area where it closes.