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That rusted shut damper on Maple St finally changed my mind about pulling the whole thing
Went out to a 1920s bungalow on Maple St last Tuesday and the damper was rusted solid to the frame, so I did what I always do and told the lady I could free it up with some heat and lube. Spent 40 minutes on it and got it moving about 2 inches, then a chunk of the frame cracked right off in my hand because the metal was paper thin. Told her she needed a full damper replacement and she said fine as long as it's safe, and the new top mount took me 25 minutes and fit right the first time. I used to fight those old units all day trying to save the customer a buck, but now I just quote the swap up front when I see that kind of rust. Anybody else got a cutoff for when you stop messing with the old damper and just swap it?
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clairethompson3d ago
Did the frame give you any warning before it snapped, like hairline cracks near the hinge? That paper thin metal is the worst because it looks fine until it just crumbles in your hand. I feel for you spending 40 minutes fighting that thing only to have it break, that had to be frustrating. At least the new top mount went in quick and fit right, so the day wasn't a total loss.
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