Jake wrote:
so these springs apparently break about every 5 to 7 years and one of my
2 springs went sproing over the weekend.

from scouring sears, home depot and lowes, they sell everything I need,
except the torsion springs (they sell the vertical type, not the
horizontal type that runs on the bar across the garage)

from reading a few online sites, it appears many people have written
excellent descriptions and have successfully replaced their own springs
without dying or getting maimed or blinded - a few even have excellent
step-by-step videos, though some of these clearly sell parts online.

what say you ? at issue is why should I pay someone close to 300 for a
job where the parts cost 30 to 65 ?

easing the tension on the spring is no laughing matter but it's no more
dangerous than lifting your car on a jack and replacing a tire.

I paid companies many times to replace
them. The last 2 breaks, I did it
myself. I agree with the other comments
here. I have heard all the horror
stories and was always afraid to do it.
But, it wasn't that bad. You do
have to be careful. BTW, in my area,
the only place that stocks the springs
is Ace Hardware. Go figure!