I've got one big heavy door with torsion springs to lift it. Looks like this:
Last time I closed it, the cable on the right snapped, which seems to have doubled the tension on the cable on the left. I've got it latched, but it seems like now I've got a bit of a time bomb on my hands since there's increased tension on the remaining cable, and I can't open it.
How do I fix this without hurting myself or the door? Is this just a "call a pro, pay the money" scenario? Thanks!
call a pro, pay the money
It can be done, but the potential for serious personal injury exists. I once replaced a spring that broke (all by itself, while the door was closed and I was upstairs in the room over it--felt like an explosion) with the help of my neighbor, who had some experience with these.
You'll need to replace the cable and also know how many turns of the spring are required to match the tension in the other side. I'd be inclined to call a pro. Might be the best money you ever spent.
I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. My dad taught construction trades for 30+ years. He rebuilt engines. He built his own massive portable log-splitter. He did pretty much everything himself and was never intimidated by a job, even a risky one. At school, he was incredibly cautious. At home, well, let's just say "Non-OSHA approved" methods were normal.
The one thing he never messed with: garage springs.
I do it often. That said. Call a pro.*
* of course this being GRM, and there are guys that can change springs on struts etc.. it can be done if you understand the whole process, 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... so... in other words... call a pro.
OBTW, it looks like a heavy door. There is some chance they were originally installed with the wrong springs. Might need to change both springs. Just saying. YMMV
When some 18 year old kid drives up, and does it in ten minutes with a few hand tools. You'll kick yourself, but your significant other will breathe a sigh of relief. 
Yes. All good recommendations. I agree.
Got it. Garage door springs are the wu-tang clan.
I’ve done it myself several times, but last week, I called a pro and paid the money.
Garage door springs are scary E36 M3.
I've done it myself, and I've called the repairman. The repairman got the job done in a fraction of the time it would have taken me, and the price was surprisingly inexpensive.
I had a spring break last week. Called a pro. He showed up in less than two hours. Less than an hour after that I had two new springs, cables adjusted, up and down travel adjusted, light beam adjusted, everything lubed and still had all ten of my fingers. $169. Well worth it. The only thing I didn't like is he stuck a stick-on business card on the wall next to the door switch. One of those with good glue like a price tag.
I grew up installing and fixing garage doors with my dad. It's what he did for a living. I could tell you how to do it, but I'm not gonna. If I explain it poorly or you misunderstand my instructions you can very easily get really berkeleyed up really quickly. Just pay a pro. The door mans gotta eat too.
In reply to Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) :
Second on replace both springs. The door guy suggested I do it when one broke. I cheaped out and had to have him come back ( another service call) and replaced the second one when it brke some time later.
Our new house had springs and when one broke my neighbor door guy suggested take it all out replace it. Not a problem since.
We've got huge ones on the overhead doors at work. When they break, it sounds like a bomb went off in the shop. Sometimes there is flying shrapnel even.
Guy came by, looked at it, and is off to order parts. Said "you do NOT want to be in here if that other cable breaks."
We have a rule in my house where we compare the cost of hiring a job out to the deductible on the health insurance. We hired out the spring repair last winter.
Woody said:I’ve done it myself several times, but last week, I called a pro and paid the money.
Garage door springs are scary E36 M3.
This from a man that runs into burning buildings for a living!
The noise my spring made when it broke (I was in another part of the house) totally assured me that calling a pro was the correct action.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:Guy came by, looked at it, and is off to order parts. Said "you do NOT want to be in here if that other cable breaks."
Couldn't he have put a winding bar in to hold the springs so if it let loose it doesn't go anywhere? I just replaced both my torsions and if you can understand physics it's not more dangerous than 90% of WWGRMD.
In reply to Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) :
Probably- he's actually out there working now, the quote was pretty reasonable and I'm working from home so if I tilt my head at just the right angle I can see this as saving me just as much money as DIYing it. I haven't heard any especially loud noises yet so presumably it's going fine.
Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:Guy came by, looked at it, and is off to order parts. Said "you do NOT want to be in here if that other cable breaks."
Couldn't he have put a winding bar in to hold the springs so if it let loose it doesn't go anywhere? I just replaced both my torsions and if you can understand physics it's not more dangerous than 90% of WWGRMD.
This 100%...I bet he's unwinding the springs right now, confident that he's scared you enough to call him to do the work next time too.
I did a garage door with my dad when I was a young man...it was one of those times you could tell dad was scared, and nothing scared dad. So you knew... Anyway, paying the man was the right move here.
As per the other thread, these garage door guys aren't as bad as the plumbers, yet.
Searched for this thread to see what the general consensus was for this. Guess I'll man up and schedule a tech
We broke a garage door spring a few months ago and also paid the nice man. We replaced both springs while he was here. I want to say it was like $250 for the entire job.
Also, did you know that you're supposed to regularly lube the garage door springs? I admit, I did not.
A friend has a overhead door that uses tension springs to help lift it.
They are supposed to have a cable running through them so that if they break the spring doesn't go flying off.
In his case when he had the door installed the "guy" didn't install the cables.
Last summer when one spring broke a piece of spring about 20 lbs went flying around his garage.
He was in there at the time.
He was lucky that the spring hit nothing of value.
Of course his car was stuck in the garage until he could get it fixed as he couldn't lift the door without it.
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