Garage door cable tension and leveling question

[TeamTruett]

There are two vertical cables, one on each side of the door, running up to a drum. When closed, the cable on the left has slack and the door on that side sits on the floor. More toward the the right side has a big gap of 1 1/4" between the bottom of the door and the floor. The cable isn't frayed or damaged. Any ideas?

 

[pattenp]

One drum is loose and has slipped/twisted on the torsion bar.

 

[TeamTruett]

I checked the two set bolts, they are tight, drum/cable still spools up and down. Wish that was the problem.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

If this is a recent occurrence then as pattend stated the drum is loose meaning the lock bolt holding it against the torsion shaft is coming lose. It is probably slowly giving way. You'll probably need to remove tension on the torsion springs, reset the lock bolt on that drum, and re-tension the door. Not necessarily the safest job for a DIY-er.

 

[DekeT]

I secured my cables with turnbuckles on both side of my garage door to balance the tension. Don't know if the tension is ideal but it is balanced. The door opener has controls for position and force. But this only works with springs and not torsion. I installed torsions in my shop but I would never attempt to adjust them after the fact. Scary amount of energy in those coils.

 

[nehog]

I checked the two set bolts, they are tight, drum/cable still spools up and down. Wish that was the problem.

IMHO it either slipped (possibly the rod/shaft is damaged) or it was installed wrong...

 

[BudgetRacing]

It could be a slipped drum. It could also be a bad bearing.

 

[imnutz]

Check to be sure the cable is on the high part of the drum on both sides (outermost groove) if it isn't, you need to overpower the spring and put it back on the high part (Don't touch any set screws if this is the case, have a helper hold the cable taunt on the side that is on the drum correctly while you put a winding bar in the winding end of the spring and slowly lift the bar to allow enough slack in the cable to roll it into the correct groove on the drum - just don't get your finger between the cable and the drum). If it is on the high part and still out of level, you will have to slip the drum (easier than it sounds and not really dangerous), you don't have to mess with the spring at all to slip the drum and level the door - just put vg's on the track just above a roller to hold the low side on the floor, then slowly loosen the set screws on the high side drum and allow the drum to slip around, the weight of the door will let it slip down - when on the floor, re-tighten the set screws on the drum. you don't even have to go near the spring.

 

[KPSquared]

Use vice grips to keep the shaft fron spinning the loosen the set screws on your drums, make sure the door is perfectly level ( use a wedge to lift one side until it is) the twist the drums to put a bit of tension on the cables. Give it your best guess for cable tension, just make sure they are about the same. Doesn't have to be tight, just the same.

Tighten the set screws on the drums then undo the vice grips. And don't overtighten the set screws. They just need to be snug.

Make sure you get the vice grips on the right way. . .if they are the wrong way the spring will make them spin a half turn, probably knock them off and then your spring will completely unwind. This *****. Avoid if possible.

 

[RKA]

Make sure you get the vice grips on the right way. . .if they are the wrong way the spring will make them spin a half turn, probably knock them off and then your spring will completely unwind. This *****. Avoid if possible.

LOL! While I'm sure this could work, I can't help but to think...what if it doesn't? Just like crawling under the car, put a jack stand there first. In this case, spend the 20 mins unwinding that spring and winding it back up when you're done. Beats a cheap pair of vice grips lodged in your skull. If you're not comfortable handling the spring, a garage door can make a service call for $100.

 

[KPSquared]

LOL! While I'm sure this could work, I can't help but to think...what if it doesn't? Just like crawling under the car, put a jack stand there first. In this case, spend the 20 mins unwinding that spring and winding it back up when you're done. Beats a cheap pair of vice grips lodged in your skull. If you're not comfortable handling the spring, a garage door can make a service call for $100.

I've never seen a garage door guy not rely on vice grips. . . Its not rocket science. . .just gotta be careful.

 

[BillK]

TT,
This guy's site has all of the info you need to safely troubleshoot and repair your problem: http://ddmgaragedoors.com/springs/garage-door-springs.php

 

[RKA]

I've never seen a garage door guy not rely on vice grips. . . Its not rocket science. . .just gotta be careful.

Yup, that's how it starts...

 

[imnutz]

Use vice grips to keep the shaft fron spinning the loosen the set screws on your drums, make sure the door is perfectly level ( use a wedge to lift one side until it is) the twist the drums to put a bit of tension on the cables. Give it your best guess for cable tension, just make sure they are about the same. Doesn't have to be tight, just the same.

Tighten the set screws on the drums then undo the vice grips. And don't overtighten the set screws. They just need to be snug.

Make sure you get the vice grips on the right way. . .if they are the wrong way the spring will make them spin a half turn, probably knock them off and then your spring will completely unwind. This *****. Avoid if possible.

If and when you decide to do that, let me know so I can be there with 911 on speed dial

 

[MG44]

I once listened to people tell me now to adjust garage doors because it was dangerous and you needed special equipment, experience, blah blah blah blah blah the list goes on.

So I climbed on a ladder with two 1/2" thick steel bars, some vice grips, and a wrench to loosen the stop screws, and i adjusted my garage doors. it was simple, easy, and in all actuality unless you weigh 85lbs and wear a dress all day, there was not that much tension on the doors. Watch a YouTube video and get up there and adjust, it was simple.

 

[JakeKohl]

BTW, with the torsion spring systems, if you raise the door and prop it in the up position, 99% of the spring tension is released. You can still get to the drums from the side in this position with less risk.

 

[KPSquared]

Yup, that's how it starts...

Never installed a door in my life. Then in one weekend I did 3. Two 10x10's and my little 6x7. Seriously, not rocket science. Youtube and various websites have plenty of info on how to do it and be safe.

Yes, it can be dangerous but so can crossing the street if you're a *****.

Besides, how will Darwins theory ever have a chance if the stupid people don't give opportunity to prove it. . .

 

[upndown]

Are you serious?? Tell that to the guys walking around missing fingers or with hamburger hands!! It may not be rocket science..But these ain't Toys Boys!

 

[cincinnati_kid]

Put the door up, prop it with a board, adjust the drum with the set screw lower the door and see how the cable is. I used to work for a large garage door manufacturer and have installed a lot of doors and all we ever use is 2 solid bars wrench and a pair of vice grips.

 

[shannonw]

My cables broke, i did like others mentioned. lifted the door clamped it really well to the tracks, the door is balanced at the top, SOB gets heavy as @# on the way up though..you don't realize how heavy these are. Anyways lifted clamped it. Spun the rod 4-5 times to pretension (my kid could do this...i did not have to touch the torsion spring..i'd hire that out if i needed to) and i clamped the rod with channel locks, that's not a ton of tension on the rod..my kid could have done it, but my doors are light (old alum and thin fglass) and not under a ton of tension so 4-5 turns is all that was needed to pretension. Put the new cables on, wound them around the drums (with door open), clipped them.

That said if i had to mess with it again i'd just hire it out for a few bucks.

If one cable is longer, do the same, raise the door, clamp it, clamp the rod. Then adjust the drum and or cable. Easier though..it's not an expensive repair to hire out and no worries about if you're doing it right or not.

 

[nova65ss]

Been a while since I have been on the site. One thing I keep seeing is raise the door and adjust without the tension. This is possible but when you loosen the drum the spring will retract (it gets longer when wound) When you tighten the drum back up the spring will be shorter than it was and it will bind when you go to lower the door back down. Not saying it can not be done that way but it really is not the proper way either.

Best way is to back wind the springs with winding bars and adjust the drums as needed.

 

[TeamTruett]

Use vice grips to keep the shaft fron spinning the loosen the set screws on your drums, make sure the door is perfectly level ( use a wedge to lift one side until it is) the twist the drums to put a bit of tension on the cables. Give it your best guess for cable tension, just make sure they are about the same. Doesn't have to be tight, just the same.

Tighten the set screws on the drums then undo the vice grips. And don't overtighten the set screws. They just need to be snug.

Make sure you get the vice grips on the right way. . .if they are the wrong way the spring will make them spin a half turn, probably knock them off and then your spring will completely unwind. This *****. Avoid if possible.

That worked! I couldn't get to it until Saturday. Thanks for the suggestion