Your garage door does a lot of work for you.
In addition to protecting your garage interior from the elements and thieves, it also has to open to give you access, then close to continue safeguarding your belongings.
Thanks to the cable mechanism that comes with your overhead garage door, you don’t have to become a weight-lifting champion just to operate it manually.
But every time you use your garage door, the opening and closing motion wears out the components in the system. And once a component gets broken, others will soon follow.
One of these parts is the cable that works with the springs to aid in lifting the door. Here’s what you need to know about them.
What Cables Contribute to the Garage Door Mechanism
Whether your springs are Torsion or Extension, cables are always there to work with them in making the door move smoothly.
You can think of the cables as the hand that supports the door while the springs are the muscles that expend effort in lifting it.
The cables are found on each side of the door, wound up to the cable drum in the case of torsion springs. In other cases, such as for extension springs, it goes around a pulley.
For both instances, the cables support the springs in lifting the door.
That’s why, if one of the cables breaks, the other one is soon to follow as the remaining cable is now the only one to support the weight of the door.
Additionally, other parts would also be affected since the once balanced system is now asymmetrical and faulty, with the loss of one component.
The role of cables does not end here, though. Garage door cables are also used as a safeguard for extension spring.
Extension springs are the most dangerous when the door is closed since that is when it contains the most energy.
Should the spring break, it would uncontrollably fly about, hitting and causing damage to your car, garage items, or even you if you happen to be there.
As such, a cable is set inside the coils of the spring to buffer the force it releases should it snap.
With these functions in mind, a broken or worn spring should be replaced for your garage door’s well-being, and most importantly yours.
Symptoms of a Broken Cable
Your garage door might malfunction from various issues with each component.
These are the signs that will help you identify if a snapped cable is the culprit.
- Your garage door moves too fast — Cables help in keeping the door’s movement smooth and stable.
- The door is lopsided — Cables help balance the door.
For a broken extension spring cable, all you need to do is to look inside the springs.
If there’s no longer a cable running through it, then the spring has surely snapped.
Both types of issues need prompt and reliable repairs as soon as possible.
Here’s what you need to know on how to repair a broken garage door cable.
Replacing the Lift Cable
If you found damage on the cables on the sides of the door, here’s how you can repair it.
1) Open the door and secure it in place with a vise-grip or clamp.
2) Remove the cable by unfastening it from the peg then unravelling it from the drum.
3) Attach the new cable to the drum, wind it, then loop it to the peg.
Tip: It’s better to replace the other cable, even if unbroken since the new and old cables might not match. It also ensures that both cables have the same relative lifespan.
For a detailed demonstration on how to repair a broken garage door cable, watch this video.
Replacing the Safety Cable
If the cable found inside the extension spring is broken, here is a guide on replacing it.
1) Have the garage door in an open position and clamp it in place.
2) Detach the extension springs and take off the broken cable.
3) Install the new cable and reattach the spring.
Put Your Trust in Experts
Knowing how to repair a broken garage door cable is the hallmark of an attentive garage door owner.
Even so, knowledge is still different from real experience.
You can rely on Overhead Door Repair Pros to fix your cable problems for you.
We are always available to anyone who needs our expertise.
So what are you waiting for? Call (587) 804-2072 now to get your broken cables repaired.
