It might not be the most obvious or attractive component of your garage door setup, but when it goes, boy will you know about it!
To be fair, garage door cables go through a lot of punishment. Working along with the torsion spring, when they’re properly set up the door will glide at a controlled pace, being guided by the cables.
Do that a few thousand times though, and you can forgive them for giving once in a while.
Here’s what to do when your garage door cables reach the end of the road.
1. Get Your Equipment Ready To Replace Garage Door Cables
To replace the cables you will need:
- replacement garage door cables, the correct length for your door setup
- two vice grips
- replacement bracket (to connect cable to S-hook)
- S hook
2. Safety First
If you have an electronic garage door opener, before doing anything else, make sure that the power is fully disconnected and the circuit breaker is off.
Next, disconnect the door from the opener (usually by pulling on the red toggle hanging down behind the door until it disengages).
Then carefully, with the assistance of another person, manually lift the garage door. Take particular care with the side with the broken or frayed cable.
Finally, clamp the door in place using vice clamps on the track, so that it is held in position and will not crash down as you are replacing the cable.
3. Removing the Broken Cable
Once you have taken all the steps above, you are ready to remove the broken cable. There is now little tension left in the spring or the cable, so it is safe to disconnect.
Locate the end of the cable, hooked onto an S hook. Remove the S hook with the cable attached. Repeat at the other end, by removing the cable loop from the bottom bracket of the door.
Before you fully remove the cable, make note or take a picture of how it was hooked onto the pully so that you can install the replacement cable in the same position.
Now you can remove the damaged or broken cable.
3. Set Up Your Cable
Now, make sure that you have a secure cable loop on the bottom end of the new cable, ready to be hooked into the bottom bracket.
Taking your cable bracket, thread it through the first, small hole, back through the middle hole and tie by taking it through the resulting look to make a secure knot. Leave the last large hole free to connect to the S hook.
4. Install Your Cable
Feed the cable through the end of the pully, carefully replacing it exactly as the previous one was configured.
Thread it over the top of the pulley and down, connecting the cable loop to the bottom bracket of the door.
Now check by creating some tension on the cable that it is running through the pulley as it should be. Now the S hook can be reattached to the top bracket in the same place as before.
Repeat for the other side if needed.
Before testing, double check the entire installation. If you have any doubts, seek professional help, so that it does not cause the door to crash down, potentially injuring someone.
When you’re sure, remove the vice grips and manually open and close the door to check it is running smoothly. Reconnect the door to the opener and reconnect to the power.
The Main Point – What to do When Garage Door Cables Break
Following our step by step guide, you should be able to replace your garage door cables with minimal fuss and expense.
Click here to see what you shouldn’t delay getting it sorted.
We understand that a job like this can be tricky, and a little expert help may be appreciated. At Affordable Garage Door Repair, we’re here to help.
Click here to contact us and help will be on the way soon.