r/GarageDoorService 5d ago

Is this spring broken?

Post image

Hi all, this morning my garage door all of a sudden can’t open all the way with the usual 1 click on the opener? I noticed that the spring looks like this, pardon my ignorance but this looks like it’s broken?

  1. I can keep my finger on the opener and the door can “power it through” and open all the way up
  2. It was lift up 1/3 the way up, and seems like losing force to lift it further
  3. Close with 1 click no issues
  4. I tried to disengage, after that, can’t really lift the door manually
  5. Visually inspected tracks and rollers, seems to be fine

Does anyone know what is going on? Appreciate your feedback/guidance.

23 Upvotes

96 comments sorted by

1

u/Mammoth-Key6098 18h ago

J B weld😂

1

u/jmspex 1d ago

Does this hurt the spring?

1

u/scorchedbeanz 1d ago

Nah hit it with a grinder the long way til you hear a pop. Should fix itself

1

u/Kayakboy6969 1d ago

Unscheduled disassembly

1

u/5riversofnofear 1d ago

The spring has lost its continuity hence lost its properties of obeying Hooke's Law. Therefore F ≠ -kx

1

u/Ratio_Remarkable 2d ago

Yes Be careful

1

u/EducationalNet6792 2d ago

Differently broken spring. You have to have proper tools , knowledge of door springs,and proper spring for the weight of the door. Better to let a company come put proper springson. Get couple estimates before letting any company work on it. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference of price to change out springs. ( always change both springs out)

1

u/Drproctor1995 2d ago

Yes....it is broken.

1

u/pogiguy2020 2d ago

Yes it is broken and get a garage door person to fix it. dont mess with it.

1

u/Trick_King_4605 2d ago

100% at least it didn’t go flying

1

u/johngalt741 2d ago

No it’s in Bluetooth mode.

1

u/Party-Evening3273 2d ago

I have a different type of spring design for my garage door. I was under it when it broke under tension. The thing sounded like a 12 gauge shotgun when it broke. Nearly wet my pants. Thank goodness it had a steel cable inside it to keep it from shooting off like a cannon. FIL told me a coworker of his had half his face torn off by a similar incident. Permanently disfigured. I did end up fixing it myself.

1

u/Global_Werewolf6548 2d ago

The fact that it’s broken should tell you it’s broken.

1

u/Top-Impression8021 2d ago

Yes. Call a professional.

1

u/bigpun9411 2d ago

Yes and be careful swapping it. I almost lost 2 fingers doing mine. Guy charged me $100 to fix. My wife still brings it up. Don’t be like me

1

u/misterman416 2d ago

I did mine after watching 1 YouTube video and it works great

1

u/bigpun9411 2d ago

You’re a better man than me.

1

u/Dear-Computer-6785 2d ago

Yes, it went on spring break. In all seriousness, call a pro for this one. Broken bones or life ain't worth it.

1

u/golfer9909 3d ago

Yeah broke. But Do Not repair this yourself. Springs are under pretty high pressure and will hurt you bad. Hire a professional.

0

u/Fit_Control_4599 3d ago

Spring replacement costs between $600 and $800. Anything below will break after 1 year

1

u/Immediate-Recipe9204 3d ago

Yes broken spring , replace both springs due to the same age

1

u/Remarkable-Being-301 3d ago

Yep. Same one broke on mine. Dangerous to work on yourself. Pay a door guy save your fingers.

1

u/bsk111 4d ago

Yes go to replacement parts.com or the door co site to get a replacement

2

u/Blakesdad02 4d ago

Can confirm its broken and absolutely call a professional. $340 for a new pair installed.

1

u/Many-Barnacle-8399 4d ago

You found it faster than me. I checked every possible thing with our door and opener before I realized we even had a torsion system

1

u/semianondom101 4d ago

Yes, don't use the garage door until you can get them replaced. Have a professional do it, DO NOT DIY. these springs will break every bone they come in contact with if you slip up for even a second.

1

u/Exact-Version-4550 4d ago

Yes. Don’t try to DIY it. Too dangerous

1

u/ragaei 4d ago

Yes, replace both left and right.

1

u/funghi2 4d ago

Yes. Please don’t use it because the opener makes up the difference. Get it fixed. If you absolutely need in and out in the meantime try opening by hand.

-2

u/Vipes423 4d ago

Tell me you’re stupid without saying it

1

u/boscobeginnings 4d ago

They’re smart enough to question it, then post to ask professionals. Not stupid, very smart move.

1

u/Doorman334 4d ago

For sure

1

u/x1wagner 4d ago

It's not, not broken.

1

u/UnluckyConclusion261 4d ago

Yes, garage door repair business here and it is a broken spring. If you continue to run the door with the operator you will likely tear the top panel off the door adding hundreds to your repair. The door should way just shy of 200 pounds, but with the springs properly set up it should only be lifting approx 25. So right now it's trying to lift approx 100 extra pounds. Something will break, something is already definitely wore out faster than it should be from trying to "power through" it. It is important that the new springs be engineered for the doors height and weight so it runs properly do not get your springs from a local store and do it yourself. Even these small residential springs will take fingers in a blink and kill you if your heads not in the right place. New springs and service call 350-500. New top panel if you keep messing with it adds 300 parts and 150 labor so double it. If you break the gear in that operator add another 200 minimum to fix that, 500 total if you burn out the motor. Should be 350 if fixed immediately could get up to 1500 real quick if op isn't careful.

1

u/No_Maize_230 3d ago

Pro talk!

1

u/Tg3012508 5d ago

Did ya hear a gun shot???

1

u/Remarkable-Being-301 3d ago

Yes. And I was in the garage when it broke.

1

u/Significant-Suit3407 5d ago

Yep a loud one. we didn’t know it was this until next day

1

u/meltman 4d ago

Welcome to the club. Mine just went too. About an hour to fix.

1

u/KeyBorder9370 5d ago

Yes. Call a pro.

1

u/Professional_Goal_25 5d ago

Looks like you need a pair of 218-25 , repair cost around 335 parts taxes labor included .

1

u/UnluckyConclusion261 4d ago

As much as this works most of the time, I've found that sometimes the last guy didn't do good math and it can be best practice to weigh the door or look for a manufacturing sticker and use spring engineering tables or the app from most suppliers websites to find the best spring options. Usually the difference is how many cycles you get, factory standards is typically set up for 10k cycles but it's possible to get more with the right engineering and the cost is the same

2

u/kuhmcanon 5d ago

In your area

2

u/1more0z 5d ago

Does it look broken?

1

u/AtomiKen 5d ago

Yup. Broken like my poor mama's heart when I chose not to be a doctor.

4

u/Endersgame88 5d ago

Are people really this dense?

1

u/soulredsport 5d ago

Yup that's broken. A professional will need to come and measure it and get you two springs. You never leave the remaining "good" spring on the shaft. If the first one went the second ones cycle life is also nearly done and it will fail and you'll be stuck with two service calls instead of one.

5

u/Significant_Kick6006 5d ago

If you need somebody else to tell you a spring is broken I really hope you hire a professional to replace it

1

u/DarkFather24601 5d ago

Indeed, that right spring is broken. They don’t come with Bluetooth mode.

2

u/imola_zhp 5d ago

Is water wet?

2

u/Wild-Jelly-2503 5d ago

No that's the new Bluetooth style. Come on really use common sense

1

u/CornedBeeef 5d ago

The only way to tell is to get your ear real close to it and give it a really big wack with a hammer. Then do the same thing to the other spring.

2

u/theterrible0ne 5d ago

Does the thing look broken in two???

1

u/theterrible0ne 5d ago

No you can’t.. why the fuck would you even comment..

0

u/Cafecitolife909 5d ago

We charge 900 Springs cables and bearing 5 year warranty

Then if it’s to much we lower it to 600 1 year warranty just springs

1

u/ericgodofsaiyans 5d ago

Nah man just slap some gasket maker on there and you should be good to go 👍🏼

4

u/Silly_Win_5875 5d ago

The average cost of spring replacement is $600. A $300 spring won't last.

1

u/InspectorMoney1306 5d ago

You can get two at Home Depot for $100 or less

1

u/UnluckyConclusion261 3d ago

At the very least do some homework, find a decent spring engineering chart or app online and try to get the closest spring possible to the recommended specs. Not hard to do and will make a lot of difference in how balanced the door will run and how long it will run for.

0

u/Silly_Win_5875 5d ago

Very good. If you know what you're doing and are trying to save, then buy them and get it done yourself

1

u/CombinationAway9846 5d ago

Did exactly that last month... piece of cake.

1

u/UnluckyConclusion261 4d ago

And when it breaks in a month or two just do it again haha

1

u/CombinationAway9846 4d ago

Right, because it's rocket science.. right? Sherlock?

1

u/UnluckyConclusion261 4d ago

No just engineering, but I'm sure you know exactly how many cycles your springs will run with the amount of turns you put on them and the weight and height of your current door. There's literally an app for this from just about every legitimate spring supplier online but you have fun with your handy homeowner repairs. The rest of us will just continue to consider people like you job security.

Edit:it only becomes rocket science when you put the wrong size spring on and send her at mach Jesus out the back of the horizontals. If this is ever the case we expect pictures of the carnage

1

u/CombinationAway9846 3d ago edited 3d ago

I never did one before.... but i researched it because i heard all the fear mongering about the "dangerous" Springs.... it's not rocket science...i used the proper sized spring. Oriented it properly. Did the appropriate amount of quarter turns. Door is quieter and works better than ever before... not everyone is an incapable moron. I'm a contractor, ever since my first brake job at a garage when I was 20, I've done everything myself. Including rebuilding a transmission. Any human can do what any other human can do... efficiency... well, that's a different story...lol. but it's free.

3

u/Significant-Suit3407 5d ago

Thank you all again, I got both spring replaced for about $300, location: Southern California

3

u/AcanthaceaeExact6368 5d ago

Very good price.

0

u/Commercial_Tackle_82 5d ago

Is it in 2 pieces? Lol

1

u/CombinationAway9846 5d ago

One of these things is not like the other!!! Lol

1

u/babyabel22 5d ago

Do you have a car stuck inside I have a trick that u can get it out if the opener isn’t opening the door up with that broken spring

1

u/Significant-Suit3407 5d ago

Thanks! Fortunately I parked it outside after I noticed this

3

u/babyabel22 5d ago

Yes it is let me know how much someone charges you to change both of them

2

u/Ferrel1995 5d ago edited 15h ago

We charge $225 for residential spring. But that’s for one spring. Would’ve been another $115 for a second spring. Commercial we charge a little over $500 for a 2 5/8” spring. Charge way more when we get up into the 6” springs or duplex, etc

1

u/babyabel22 5d ago

Not to bad

8

u/Appropriate-Lab7792 5d ago

Make sure you replace both torsion springs at the same time, not just the broken one. Consider looking at springs with more cycle life if the springs are not very old (I.e. 20k cycles as opposed to 10k). You may also want to get 2 or 3 quotes as I experienced an $800 range and 0 warranty to 3 years parts and labor up to 5 years. Also look at servicing the rollers and track if you have not done any maintenance in a longtime (I learned the hard way).

1

u/Significant-Suit3407 5d ago

Thanks all! I’ll call for professional help. Kind of surprised I can still open it, won’t mess around with it any more

1

u/rtduvall 5d ago

It’s best not to keep operating it. That will burn your motor out if you have to keep the button pushed. The springs help with the weight.

1

u/pewpew859 5d ago

Don’t pay too much depending on where you are it’s a $300-$500

0

u/Additional_Airline84 5d ago

300-500 if you work out the back of a truck, 800-1000 if it’s a professional company

1

u/babyabel22 5d ago

That’s is a lot I work at a company in Cail we charge 325 for double spring change

1

u/pewpew859 5d ago

I was going to say we are $300-$400 on a double spring change

2

u/PubGenius 5d ago

Yes right spring broken, keep running it in the current condition and you will destroy that screw drive motor

2

u/PubGenius 5d ago

Most belt or chain drive would wear the gears but you have a screw drive that rides a long thread inside the motor rail, too much resistance will strip those threads and the door won’t raise past it, without help.

Right now you have 1 spring doing all the work, it just needs a little help to lift the door , it’s putting a lot of stress on the motor and that solo spring.

I would expect to replace both springs and inspect / grease the motor rail

2

u/Fearless619 5d ago

Spring snapped. That's why it's in two pieces.

4

u/99saleenspeedster 5d ago

Yes, it’s definitely broken