Cables play an important role in how your garage door works. It supports the weight of the door, so it lowers and lifts smoothly. But over time, these cables will sustain wear and tear, which demands replacements or repairs.
In this case, knowing how to change cables on a garage door will let you restore the functionality of your door before it causes any inconvenience on your property. It will also prevent the possible risk of injuries or further damage to your door if done the right way.
In this post, we will give you a glimpse of how our garage door technicians perform garage door cables replacement and why you should leave the job to the pros.
Do I need to repair or replace garage door cables?
When it comes to your garage door cables, replacements are always the best choice once they start to show signs of damage. You should NEVER tie together or reattach a garage door cable if it’s already broken.
Take note that these cables carry the weight of your door, and re-attaching broken ends will cause them to snap. When this happens, the cable may cause injury and more damage to your door.
Signs that your garage door cables are damaged
Cable damage is one of the most common garage door problems. And like any garage door issue, early detection will save you from the potential danger and hassle of a malfunctioning door. Here are some signs that you need to fix garage door cables urgently:
- Unbraided cables. Check your garage door cables if they’re starting to unwind from their braid. This is an early sign of damage, which will reduce its lifting strength.
- Fraying cables. Due to continuous lifting and lowering, your door’s cables will start to chafe and fray. This can snap anytime, so you should get a new cable for a garage door.
- Garage door cable off the pulley. Improper drums, as well as the door hitting an obstruction, can cause the garage door cable to keep coming off its pulley. Consider calling a professional to fix the garage door pulley cable for you.
- Poor door alignment. A garage door with broken cables will appear lopsided when opened. Worse, the remaining cable will have to compensate for the lifting, which puts excessive strain on what it’s rated for. This can cause the cable to snap.
If you see any of these signs, don’t hesitate to call a professional. While the cost to replace garage door cables is cheaper the DIY way, it may put you and your family at risk. It’s best to let the pros do it for your peace of mind.
Steps in replacing garage door cables properly
If you’re keen to fix garage door cables on your own, you can proceed at your own risk. We always advise that any damage involving your door’s cables and springs should be fixed by a licensed garage door technician.
To give you an idea, here’s how to fix garage door cables without messing with your torsion springs:
Step 1. Prepare the materials
First, make sure you’ve purchased the right replacement garage door wire or cable. If you have a torsion spring door, make sure that you purchase a cable that’s made for torsion springs. Also, check the compatibility of the cable to your door’s height. Overall, it’s easy to find a replacement garage door cable for most door heights.
Aside from that, prepare two vice grips and a ladder, and you’re good to go.
Step 2. Secure the door in an open position
Next, you need to open your door all the way up. Push it a little bit higher than it usually wound and secure it in place with a vice grip. We recommend doing this on both sides, so in case one vice grip snaps, your door won’t fall off and hurt somebody.
Step 3. Detach the cable from the door
Once your door is secured, hop on your ladder and locate the cable drums, which are the round things on each end of the torsion bar.
After that, look at the very bottom edge of your garage door with a little knob that the cable attaches to from the drum. You’ll see the cable loop on this fixture. Go ahead and take it off, which may require some pulling or use of pliers if it’s a bit tacky.
Once you have it removed, pull it to the side, away from the drum. Never let go of the cable, as this might unwound and hit you in the face. Slowly unwound it until you’ve removed it from the drum.
Step 4. Attach and wound the new cable
The next step is to install the garage door cable replacement. Get the cable and look for the other end with flattened hardware on it.
After that, stick that hardware into the little notch you’ll see on the drum. Make sure it’s tightly seated into the notch so your cable won’t snap or unwound later.
Next, start wounding the cable through the grooves on the drum. Make sure you start wounding on the very first groove and work your way until you got the very end with the loop.
Lastly, hook the loop into the knob at the bottom of the garage door. Make sure it’s tight and snug. How to tighten garage door cables? Simply give the cable a gentle tug while you’re wounding it into the drum.
Step 5. Do the same steps on the other side
We also recommend replacing both cables once one of them has been damaged. This way, both cables are in good shape and will age at the same time.
For the other side, you just have to repeat the same steps we discussed above.
Step 6. Test the door
Once you’re done, you can remove the vice grips securing your door. Test the door and see if it will close and open smoothly. And once you’re confident that the cables are properly installed, reconnect your door to the garage door opener and give it another test.
Call California Garage Door Repair for 24/7 service!
Does it sound like a lot of work for you? Are or are you busy to handle the garage cable repair on your own? If yes, then give us a call at California Garage Door Repair!
We provide garage door services 24/7, wherever you are in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Whether you need help with your door cables, springs, or garage door opener repair, we are the experts to call.
Aside from standard garage doors, we also provide roll up door repair for both residential and commercial properties. We can also provide a new garage door installation whenever you need it. Whether it’s outside business hours, weekends, or holidays, we’re here to fix your garage door.
If you need reliable and affordable service, call California Garage Door Repair anytime. We deliver the best garage door repair for any door brand, make, and model. Call us or request a quote today!
