From:Ostrander, Ohio, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted 12-13-2004 08:41 AM                  

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The other night, I was in the house reading and almost asleep and heard a loud bang. I got up and the dog was looking out the window toward the barns. It sounded like one of the heavy animals (horses, cattle, camel) had kicked something or were fighting with each other. So I got up, got my clothes on and went outside to check and make sure everybody was ok. Now the barns are about 60-100 yds from the house and the shop is about 35 yds from the house. Anyway, the dog and I went around and checked the barns and everybody was quiet. Everything seemed normal so I went back to the house. The next day, I went out to the shop for something and discovered what the "bang" was. The prowler was parked on the lift getting prepped for winter storage and directly behind the lift is one of the overhead doors. The doors in the shop are 8' high and 10' wide, insulated and quite heavy. They are opened by very large extension springs. One of the springs on the door behind the Prowler had broken and had rebounded with such force, that it broke off the other end of the spring and the snaped the safety cable and ended up on the floor directly behind the Prowler. I can only imagine what it would have done if it had hit the aluminum body work of the Prowler. As it was, the Prowler was not touched.
When I repair the door, I am going to use a much heavier safety cable and not the standard cable that came with the door. Eventually, I will probably rebuild all the doors and convert them the torsion spring system which is much safer as the spring is entirely contained on a shaft and cannot go anywhere if it breaks.
-Jim

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vipercat (Y2k Silver Cat)

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Prowler Junkie

From:Acworth , Georgia , USA
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 12-13-2004 08:47 AM                  

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I had one of those torsion springs let go while I was in the garage. Scared the crap out of me. Sounded Like a cannon going off. But your right the spring did not go anywhere. It just stayed on the shaft after it broke. Glad you Kat was unharmed. Hope it didn't scare the camel too badly :

This message has been edited by BeWare on 12-13-2004 at 08:48 AM

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Mr. Real Rod

From:Belle Plaine MN USA
Registered: May 2001
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posted 12-13-2004 09:05 AM                  

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At my old shop I had a 16 X 12 door on a garage door opener, the door was about 1/2 way up when the spring broke it bent the rail for the chain in 1/2 and tore the door opener right off the ceiling and the door slammed shut, 3 of us tried to lift the door so we could prop it open and I could not believe how heavy it was. The springs must have such tension its amazing more of them don't break.

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posted 12-13-2004 12:59 PM                    

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Garage door springs breaking are a number one cause of deaths in the garage. I forgot the number but, suffice it to say, they kill a large number of kids a year.

I'm amazed at the number of folks that never know this. I didn't till ours broke in another home about 10 years ago and came down like a guillatine blade.

If a spring breaks, just try lifting the garage door. Depending on the door, it's darn near impossible.

Most homes just have builder grade springs which can snap pretty easily. Replace them with stronger, thicker, powder coated ones and you are probably good to go for 10-15 years.

Have them checked and oiled yearly!

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Prowler Junkie

From:SUGAR LAND, TX. USA
Registered: Dec 2003
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From:Marshall,Mo.65340
Registered: Dec 2002
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From:Rochester Hills, MI USA
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 12-14-2004 07:08 PM                  

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That's what you call a "close call"!

This message has been edited by CJ on 12-14-2004 at 07:09 PM

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