TimEllershaw
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 01:47 PM |
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That's not a garage door.... thats a ballista !
Just a warning to anybody who is thinking of repairing their up-and-over style garage door : Don't !
Just move house instead, it'll be a lot less hassle.
One of the cables broke on my door. "Not a problem" I thought, just stick a new one on. These cables are attached to a big spring across
the top of the door, and help lift the door and keep it straight as you open it. Cables are v.cheap on the bay - £5 for a set, "Jobs a
good'un" .....
Some things I learned on Friday night when trying to replace the cable:
1: Garage doors are heavy when you don't have the spring connected to help you lift it. If you manage to lift it above about waist height you
have done well. If you lift it above your waist, but don't have something ready to rest it on you're screwed; There is no way your going
to be able to hold it op one-handed while you move the ladder/workmate/chair into place to take the weight.
2: that spring has a LOT of energy stored in it.
3: if you lift the door with only one cable attached it will come off the rails and leave you standing holding a big sheet of steel over your head,
wobbling uncontrolably.
4. If you are not careful when re-tensioning the spring it will throw the allen key you are using on it, past your left ear at high speed as it
uncoils. In some cases it will throw tools the full length of the garage and embed them in the wooden door at the other end.
5: Anything thrown across the garage by the spinning spring will be lost forever in the jungle of "stuff" that lives in your garage.
6. As the spring is releasing all its energy and uncoiling madly, your shiny new cable will wrap itself around anything within a 10 foot radius,
knotting, kinking and wedging itself solid and rendering the whole door immovable. This is particularly important if you can't then get out of
the garage.
What a fun evening!
Tim.
[Edited on 20/6/2011 by TimEllershaw]
http://www.teenagecancertrust.org/
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Humbug
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 01:52 PM |
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Been there, done that, got the cuts and bruises! I have managed to change the cables and cones on 2 up-and-over pressed metal doors and, like you say,
there are lots of forces to be reckoned with, plus it is bloody awkward getting to some of the fixings while trying to hold the door in place and make
sure that the spring doesn't get dislodged!. I have a collection of massive old screwdrivers, bar thingies that used to come with tube sockets
(or whatever they are called), allen keys and a large pot of grease. The grease seems to be particularly important once you've got the b@57@rd
cables on and the spring tensioned - it seems to keep the cables on the grooves better.
...and, relax!
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Hammerhead
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 02:02 PM |
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don't they have pubs round your way?
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James
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 02:10 PM |
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The one thing I don't like about up-and over door is the amount of 'roof space' they take.. and how they block the light from any
strip lights you have above.
The old lady opposite my parents place has just had an electric roller type fitted. Seems to be the best of all worlds. I'm pretty sure she told
me it only cost £250.
Cheers,
James
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Jasper
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 02:22 PM |
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Been there, done that too!!
I paid a local garage repair guy £40 to fix mine, worth every penny 
£250 James, if that is true get me their number - I've been quoted £450 to replace my up and over one with the same again from two different
companies.
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
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Davedew
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 02:30 PM |
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Mine did the same thing. Didn't even attempt to fix it. Bought a roller type & fitted it myself with the father in law.
Got it off the net delivered for about £350.00. Easy as to fit, 10 bolts I seem to remember. Now I can have shelves on the wall right up to the door
to store the junk on instead of the floor!!
[Edited on 20/6/11 by Davedew]
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James
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 03:12 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
Been there, done that too!!
I paid a local garage repair guy £40 to fix mine, worth every penny
£250 James, if that is true get me their number - I've been quoted £450 to replace my up and over one with the same again from two different
companies.
Maybe I've got that wrong then. But it did seem good value with the remotes and safety cutout/sensor too. Next time I'm there at a
reasonable time of day I'll ask.
Where I keep the Locost as an even worse option for storage than an up-and-over. It's got a side-slide. By which I mean it hangs from a runner
and slides round to the side of the garage. This mean you lose a good 8ft or so of garage wall space! 
James
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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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zilspeed
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 04:48 PM |
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Not a job for the inexperienced unless you know what you're doing.
I used to do garage doors a long time ago.
If I may papraphrase an old phrase used to describe changing front coil springs on a Jag XJ6.
"It's like trying to back an angry Rhinoceros into a horsebox - blindfold."
Best avoided if you haven't done it and don't appreciate that you can - quite genuinely - lose an eye.
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will121
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 05:00 PM |
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i repaired mine about 3 years ago when only one cable broke, it was a struggle but managed it, this time both broke tried again, no hope so found on
ebay for £25 a 5 year old door that someone was taking out complete with frame to do a garage conversion, managed to contact him to leave it all
asembled and tensioned in frame so just fitted the whole thing 8 screws later job done.
p.s. ive still not found the spanner i took the old one out with!
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ashg
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 05:34 PM |
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we did my dads about 10 years back i recall it having a little device either end that locked the spring in place so you could get the old cones off
once you wrapped the new string round the cone you then took it down to the middle bearing where it was a bit short. you then put a screwdriver in
the hole in the spring undid the spring locking device while holding the screwdriver and turn it to give enough slack in the string to get it over the
bearing. i don't recall it being that painful
Anything With Tits or Wheels Will cost you MONEY!!
Haynes Roadster (Finished)
Exocet (Finished & Sold)
New Project (Started)
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 05:48 PM |
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Just got a 500 quid hendersons door for free from freegle
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macc man
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 05:52 PM |
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Like a lot of jobs there is a knack to it. Have done a couple in my time but I would not attempt it on my own.
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bob tatt
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 07:02 PM |
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that made me laugh out loud now the wife and kids think im weird, tried to do my late dads a couple of yeard ago soon on the phone to the repair
company spring went mental and twisted everything up. £ 45 later and it was sorted same day never again...
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Xtreme Kermit
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 08:40 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by James
The one thing I don't like about up-and over door is the amount of 'roof space' they take.. and how they block the light from any
strip lights you have above.
The old lady opposite my parents place has just had an electric roller type fitted. Seems to be the best of all worlds. I'm pretty sure she told
me it only cost £250.
Cheers,
James
I just got quoted 1800 smackers for a double roller... Sounds like a fair amount of Mark up in there somewhere...
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 08:51 PM |
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I built my own garage door, used one of those springs to operate it. Easy. Read the instructions supplied with the new cones and cables I got from
eBay. Don't know what all the fuss is about. 
There's a knack to it, that makes it easy and safe. Didn't have any issues, and I had to take it apart several times till I got it working
properly with my DIY door.
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 20/6/11 at 09:52 PM |
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Your post made me smile Tim.
As a few guys above have mentioned, it happened to me when I was still living with the parents...
Total PITA!!!
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TheGiantTribble
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| posted on 23/6/13 at 08:48 PM |
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Yup they can go wrong big time
Only item I ever sold where we would insist that people read the instructions rather than ignoring as per usual with instructions.
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dhutch
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| posted on 24/6/13 at 04:36 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
Not a job for the inexperienced unless you know what you're doing.
Urrm, yes....
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 24/6/13 at 05:48 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by HELENA2
Hi,
I had no problems fitting my garage door spares - I got them from www.ashleysonline.co.uk They were really helpful and the products had fitting
instructions online and technical support by phone if you needed extra help. A lot cheaper than the quote I had for a quote I got for changing my
garage door cable that was £69!!!
I just bought the MK3C Garador cables for under £10! www.ashleysonline.co.uk/Detail.aspx?ProdID=11
The fitting instructions were easy to follow too - I've posted them in case they help anyone.....
www.ashleysonline.co.uk/awsonline/assets/documents/mk3cables.pdf
Wow another thread brought back from the dead by this person advertising !!! Can we not get these user banned??
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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