Author Topic: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!  (Read 1392 times)

NC TRACKRAT

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Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« on: October 05, 2021, 09:00:06 AM »
deathsled's dissertation on garages and leaves reminded me of my close call with death last week.  I had the garage door open and released from the opener mechanism while working outside.  As I re-entered the garage, I pulled down on the door to lower it.  All of a sudden, I heard this loud "bang" and the door came crashing down, narrowly missing my head.  Had I been under the door, I wouldn't be around writing this.  The torsion spring had broken!  Fortunately, I got a very capable repairman over the next day.  He informed me that  torsion springs are good for maybe 10-12 years at best.  I'd hate to think of the potential damage if the spring were to break while a car was underneath.  If your torsion spring is old and your garage door is getting somewhat heavier than normal to lift manually, it might be a good time to get that spring replaced.
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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2021, 10:23:50 AM »
Torsion bar are the ones that twirl and make tension? Correct? I had the other type at my parents house where my 67 was. The cheap builder did not put safety wire within the springs and it broke and crashed down on the top of the rear passenger quarter, damaging it. 1424 has a ton of history, I would buy it back in a second!
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rhjanes

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2021, 11:01:44 AM »
Glad you are OK.  Our attached garage door recently broke one of the wind-up type of springs.  The nice thing about them is they usually don't go a flying like the old expanding ones did.  While the garage door guy was here, I asked him about the life of them.  He said about 10 years BUT that is considering 2 to 4 cycles per day.  Reason I asked him was my 30 year old shop doors, original springs on them!  But he said the cycle is the issue.  So opening the shop door once a month means those springs could last, as they have, decades. 
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deathsled

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2021, 11:14:51 AM »
Wow! That is intense! I am looking into this issue now and thank you for the knowledge.
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mark p

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2021, 01:05:22 PM »
thanks for the info
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TA Coupe

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2021, 01:34:51 PM »
My garage door guy told me to spray them with lubricant once in a while because there's a lot of friction. I use a garage door chain spray lube on mine every once in a while.

Roy
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rhjanes

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2021, 06:06:32 PM »
My garage door guy told me to spray them with lubricant once in a while because there's a lot of friction. I use a garage door chain spray lube on mine every once in a while.

Roy
Yes to this.  I use a silicone.  they also took off the spray nozzle and went to work spraying all the joints on the door they were working on.  they said to do both every 6 months.  Make that door a LOT quieter!
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Don Johnston

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2021, 06:39:34 PM »
I do my door springs, hinges and cables at least twice a year with proper door lubricant (petroleum based)  LPS 1 or CRC 656/556 are good as well.  Most garage door installers have a house brand that they will sell you that is private labelled but the same type.  Keeps out corrosion and prevents sticky system from door failing to open.  No problems in over a dozen years on sectional at home and rollup at warehouse.  Did service on tilt up at old home garage for about 25 years until side tension springs failed too often.  Did not like that type of system for safety reasons, especially when the springs broke.  Even with the inner safety chain, they were not what I liked. 8)

TA Coupe

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Re: Speaking of garages...Safety Alert!
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2021, 01:27:29 AM »
I spray everything also and I have a door opener that mounts to the side of the garage door with a battery backup. Much cleaner than the old style where it hangs out in the middle of the garage. I can also open it and close it with my phone.

         Roy
If it starts it's streetable.
Overkill is just enough.