A vacuum hose reel assembly has a spiral torsion spring. One end portion of the spiral torsion spring is received in a slot defined by a spring holder. As a vacuum hose is unwound from the reel, the spring is wound as the reel turns in a first direction. To wind the vacuum hose back on the reel, the spring unwinds and turns the reel in a second, opposite, direction. In the event that the forces between the end portion of the spring and the spring holder become too high, the end portion of the spring disengages the spring holder such that the end portion of the spring turns about the spring holder, thereby preventing the spring from breaking.