Why are we still using springs?
Why not?
Seems like there should be something better that can last longer and not kill you if you try to fix it.
How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
81–90 of 344 posts
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#82Why are we still using springs?
Did you even read the article?
Why are we still using passive, reliable mechanisms to reduce the force needed to move heavy objects?
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#83I had a teacher in high school who was blinded (I think only in one eye) trying to do this repair. You could not pay me enough money to do this repair. >This work is risky, but the risk is comparable to doing your own car repairs, or climbing on the roof of your house to clean your gutters. Notably, "unintentional fall" is the #1 cause of emergency department visits for adults [1], which is why I'd hire a professiona…
Thank you. I agree on all examples. Absolutely not worth the risk. Not even close. I wince thinking about when I changed my own oil in my 20s... Potentially throwing away so many good years, for so little gain. The car danger can be mitigated if the work is done under a professional lift.
> Potentially throwing away so many good years
How much time did you spend changing oil?? It's a 20-30 min job once you have done it coupe of time and know the ropes. I sometimes do it myself not because I want to save few bucks, but because it's sometimes faster than going somewhere.
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#84the people you pay to do it aren't going to do it any safer than you would and if they get hurt you're liable. You may as well watch some youtube, take your time, and do it yourself.
> and if they get hurt you're liable
That is about as true as you being liable for a mechanic hurting themselves working on your car or a repairman falling off the roof fixing your HVAC in that it's not true at all.
Now, if a mechanic is working on my car and my garage door spring snaps and injures them then yes, I would be liable.
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#85I had mine fail on me a few years ago. Mine was a single spring, and after researching on how to replace, I decided that I'd rather pay someone else to take the risk.
It was around $700 at the time and the installer installed two springs (side by side) to handle a failure event with one of them.
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thank you. I agree on all examples. Absolutely not worth the risk. Not even close. I wince thinking about when I changed my own oil in my 20s... Potentially throwing away so many good years, for so little gain. The car danger can be mitigated if the work is done under a professional lift.
> Potentially throwing away so many good years How much time did you spend changing oil?? It's a 20-30 min job once you have done it coupe of time and know the ropes. I sometimes do it myself not because I want to save few bucks, but because it's sometimes faster than going somewhere.
I'm assuming you're leaving out the time it takes to drive somewhere to dispose of the used oil and driving back. I grew up in the boonies, and my dad was one to dispose of oil "out back". It was such a shock the day he brought home a proper catch can to have it disposed of properly
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is pretty much zero risk if the car is either jacked correctly or put on ramps correctly. Dummies that rely on a single 1.5mm o-ring not blowing out on their hydraulic floor jacks are gambling with their life. Always operate on flat terrain, always chock the wheels, always use the parking brake, always use jack stands, always verify no movement in the vehicle by rocking it, never rely on the floor jack.
Ramps are very good. I don't know why anyone would use a jack for an oil change...
Depends on the jack. The people I know that do this use a jack and jack stands rather than just a jack. The jack is just the tool to go up/down.
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#88Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#89the people you pay to do it aren't going to do it any safer than you would and if they get hurt you're liable. You may as well watch some youtube, take your time, and do it yourself.
> if they get hurt you're liable
Don't hire that person. Hire someone with insurance. You as homeowner are really unlikely to incur any liability as long as you are not substantially directing their work. Let them be the expert doing their job.
Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)
#90I've had springs replaced in the past, and that's one of those jobs I'm perfectly willing to pay someone else to do. The cost is insignificant. I'll happily wire up my own 240V appliances, work underneath my properly supported car, etc. But garage door springs? Nah, go ahead, you do it, send me the bill.