How To Fix A Garage Door Cable

A broken garage door cable can be a frustrating problem, but it's one that you can usually fix yourself with a little time and effort. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to fix a garage door cable:

1. Safety First

Before you start working on your garage door, make sure to disconnect the power. You can do this by flipping the circuit breaker or removing the fuse that powers the garage door opener. Once the power is disconnected, you can begin working on the door.

2. Identify the Broken Cable

The first step is to identify the broken cable. To do this, open the garage door manually and look for any cables that are hanging loose or frayed. Once you've found the broken cable, you can begin to replace it.

3. Remove the Old Cable

To remove the old cable, you'll need to disconnect it from the drum and the spring. To disconnect the cable from the drum, simply loosen the set screw that holds the cable in place. To disconnect the cable from the spring, you'll need to remove the cotter pin that holds the cable in place. Once the cable is disconnected, you can remove it from the garage door.

4. Install the New Cable

To install the new cable, simply reverse the steps that you used to remove the old cable. First, connect the cable to the spring, and then connect the cable to the drum. Once the cable is connected, you can tighten the set screw on the drum.

5. Adjust the Tension

Once the new cable is installed, you'll need to adjust the tension. To do this, simply turn the adjustment screw on the drum until the cable is taut. Be careful not to over-tighten the cable, as this could cause it to break.

6. Reconnect the Power

Once the tension is adjusted, you can reconnect the power to the garage door opener. To do this, simply flip the circuit breaker or replace the fuse. Once the power is reconnected, you can test the garage door to make sure that it's working properly.