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Noobie - need help with garage cables

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fp26

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Nov 1, 2021
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Hi all. I just tried to open our garage door and it wouldn't move much. I went over and saw that I had loose cables on each side of the garage door. Well, actually, just one was loose, but in an effort to try to figure out how it was supposed to go back in, I played around with the other one and it also came out. Of course. There is no tension in these cables, obviously, or else they shouldn't have come off. I really don't know what the issue is, and I'm having a hard time figuring out what to even google to figure it out, so figured I'd post here. Basically, I'm trying to figure out if this is something fairly simple that I can fix myself (ie one cable just happened to come loose and it threw off the tension) or if its something more complicated that I need to call a professional for (ie spring tension issues, etc.). In the first photo, my thumb is pointing to the opening where the cable came out from.
Appreciate any tips or suggestions!

IMG-2980.jpgIMG-2981.jpg
 
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Walkers

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Usually the cables coming off indicates that your door is going up too high and when the door opener closes it, the cables slack for a second and can come off the spools. Getting it back on is the trick. The best method is probably to intensional the spring, rewind, then retention the spring. Then adjust the stopping point on your opener to be a little lower.
 
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nadogail

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I am of the opinion that the mechanics of garage doors is best left to those who have an understanding of the forces, stresses, and strains involved. Many garage door tasks are within the ability of a rank beginner, but some tasks are best left to the experienced.

I have sometimes called a professional just so I can observe the methods and tools used.
 
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Dogmeat

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I agree that YOU need to get ahold of someone that KNOWS about doors, springs, etc., as you are obviously NOT in the know.

To me it's really simple, but then I'm an engineer, and I've ALWAYS done all my own stuff with home stuff and cars, and have worked
on my garage doors (I have 3 overhead doors, and I installed ALL of 'em, and have changed both types of springs, etc. I find it rewarding
to do my own stuff....but I WILL recommend that YOU get someone to perform this.....REWINDING torsion springs can be very
DANGEROUS if you don't know what you're doing...and you DON'T!!:(
 
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Dogmeat

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iamrfixit said:
My guess is you've broken a spring. That's the only way the cables could both be loose with the door closed.
Click to expand...
OH NO it isn't.....the setscrews on the pulleys that the cables are wrapped on could quite possibly have NOT BEEN TIGHTENED
the last time the cables were wrapped on them.....
 
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Jlbc212

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Dogmeat said:
OH NO it isn't.....the setscrews on the pulleys that the cables are wrapped on could quite possibly have NOT BEEN TIGHTENED
the last time the cables were wrapped on them.....
Click to expand...
If the setscrews on the pulleys were loose there would be nothing to keep the torsion spring from unwinding, losing all the tension.
 
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Viper98912

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Did your spring break? The other one shouldn't have come off so easily, and/or it coming off should have caused the whole torsion bar to spin out of control slightly until it jammed up again. Need to call a pro....
 
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jack stand

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If you can "see" the operation and purpose / function of all of the components, it's understandable and very straightforward.
If you're like me with, technology and simply don't get it, just call "the guy".
I take care of my doors along with everything else, but need help getting a printer to talk to the computer because some ******* can't figure out how to plug in a couple of wires😆
 
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Innovate1

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How long has this door been in use and how often is it opened and closed? Springs are typically good for about 15,000 cycles. What size is the door? My guess is it's a single wide door with one spring and it broke. Take a good look at the spring. That's the most likely. It is possible to replace this yourself and I do most things for myself. I could do it safely myself but it wasn't that much more to have someone come and do it. They determined the right spring and got it all done quickly. If this door gets used a lot you can get a longer life spring that is good for more cycles. Think mine was about $20 more for that so I had them put in the better one. They use slightly bigger "wire" and are longer.
 
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iamrfixit

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Dogmeat said:
OH NO it isn't.....the setscrews on the pulleys that the cables are wrapped on could quite possibly have NOT BEEN TIGHTENED
the last time the cables were wrapped on them.....
Click to expand...
Well yes, that's true. But I'm operating under the assumption that this door has been in use.

Pretty unlikely that BOTH cable drums or even the set screws on the spring could get loose enough to completely unwind the spring.

fp26 said:
Well, actually, just one was loose, but in an effort to try to figure out how it was supposed to go back in, I played around with the other one and it also came out. Of course. There is no tension in these cables, obviously,
Click to expand...

I've seen one drum or the other slip a little and loosen one cable, but never both get loose enough to totally unwind the spring. Usually when set screws get tightened they will dimple the torsion tube. You almost always have to back them out a couple turns before they're loose enough to get past that dimple. While they could work loose it's doubtful they both got loose far enough to spin free and unwind 7+ turns of spring tension.
 
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fp26

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Hi all
Thanks for the replies! So the garage is in regular use - the house is 20 years old, so the garage doors are presumably the same age. We need to replace them at some point, but are trying to wait on that until later. I'd say that garage door gets opened somewhere between 2-20 times a week.
I actually do think the spring broke. Attaching photos.
 

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OP
F

fp26

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iamrfixit said:
Yep, it's definitely broke
Click to expand...
Ha. Yeah, sorry everyone, didn't think to even look at the spring. Okay, well, that explains it! I'll ask my handyman if he can replace it. If not, will talk to a garage door shop.
 
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iamrfixit

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fp26 said:
Ha. Yeah, sorry everyone, didn't think to even look at the spring. Okay, well, that explains it! I'll ask my handyman if he can replace it. If not, will talk to a garage door shop.
Click to expand...

A complete new spring is about $75 if you were to DIY. Probably about four to five times that (at least) to hire a door company. Many folks are very afraid to attempt to fix one of these, but it's really not a big deal. DDM Garage Doors has a fantastic tutorial that will help guide a novice through the process, from ordering the right spring to getting it installed and wound. You can get the parts and change the spring out, if you don't feel you have the confidence to go through with winding you can call in a pro. DDM has quick turnaround on orders, I usually get springs in 1-2 days from time of order. They're located in Chicago so ship times will vary.

Your spring is broken and the tension is all relieved so your door is safe to work on. You can take the spring down and carefully measure to get the right size. They fully explain the process in their guide. Use of a stable ladder and proper fitting winding bars is key to doing the winding safely. You can make your own bars with some steel round bar or you can order them with the spring. Using makeshift bars that fit poorly or standing on something unstable is how to get hurt. Winding a residential spring isn't difficult, there's not a lot of tension on these smaller doors.
 
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Rc_Guy

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iamrfixit said:
A complete new spring is about $75 if you were to DIY. Probably about four to five times that (at least) to hire a door company. Many folks are very afraid to attempt to fix one of these, but it's really not a big deal. DDM Garage Doors has a fantastic tutorial that will help guide a novice through the process, from ordering the right spring to getting it installed and wound. You can get the parts and change the spring out, if you don't feel you have the confidence to go through with winding you can call in a pro. DDM has quick turnaround on orders, I usually get springs in 1-2 days from time of order. They're located in Chicago so ship times will vary.

Your spring is broken and the tension is all relieved so your door is safe to work on. You can take the spring down and carefully measure to get the right size. They fully explain the process in their guide. Use of a stable ladder and proper fitting winding bars is key to doing the winding safely. You can make your own bars with some steel round bar or you can order them with the spring. Using makeshift bars that fit poorly or standing on something unstable is how to get hurt. Winding a residential spring isn't difficult, there's not a lot of tension on these smaller doors.
Click to expand...
Dogmeat said:
I agree that YOU need to get ahold of someone that KNOWS about doors, springs, etc., as you are obviously NOT in the know.

To me it's really simple, but then I'm an engineer, and I've ALWAYS done all my own stuff with home stuff and cars, and have worked
on my garage doors (I have 3 overhead doors, and I installed ALL of 'em, and have changed both types of springs, etc. I find it rewarding
to do my own stuff....but I WILL recommend that YOU get someone to perform this.....REWINDING torsion springs can be very
DANGEROUS if you don't know what you're doing...and you DON'T!!:(
Click to expand...
I would do my own also, have done three of them at my house over the past 20 years and the kids and I replaced his three garage doors one day ourselves, easy enough to do.
 
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Walkers

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I had one break on a weekend. Went up to HoDe to try to get one, but all the had were the old stretch typ springs for the single piece doors. I asked and was told it was too dangerous for me to do myself. I laughed because of the other style, the kind that have broken and launched through roofs are sitting there on a shelf for $19.99.
I found I could order them online and have them in a few days, but there was a local guy that would come out and swap them out for a hundred and fifty bucks. Of course with the pandemic price adjustment that would be about $1492.99
 
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joes169

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iamrfixit said:
A complete new spring is about $75 if you were to DIY. Probably about four to five times that (at least) to hire a door company. Many folks are very afraid to attempt to fix one of these, but it's really not a big deal. DDM Garage Doors has a fantastic tutorial that will help guide a novice through the process, from ordering the right spring to getting it installed and wound. You can get the parts and change the spring out, if you don't feel you have the confidence to go through with winding you can call in a pro. DDM has quick turnaround on orders, I usually get springs in 1-2 days from time of order. They're located in Chicago so ship times will vary.

Your spring is broken and the tension is all relieved so your door is safe to work on. You can take the spring down and carefully measure to get the right size. They fully explain the process in their guide. Use of a stable ladder and proper fitting winding bars is key to doing the winding safely. You can make your own bars with some steel round bar or you can order them with the spring. Using makeshift bars that fit poorly or standing on something unstable is how to get hurt. Winding a residential spring isn't difficult, there's not a lot of tension on these smaller doors.
Click to expand...

I have a good friend that's been in the OH door business for 20+ years, and I helped him out for 2 winters when his wife had cancer. He actually charged $85 per residential spring, replace, both material and labor. Usually took 10 minutes to replace both springs on a 16' door, and another 25 minutes for him to fill out the bill and BS with the HO.............

I recall a number of jobs the HO went to the big orange box and got the "Right spring" and we had to replace them with the "Correct spring".

Probably my favorite was the job we went on to replace springs after the HO attempted himself, and there was a clear silhouette of in the drywall where the visegrips punched thru..........
 
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Dogmeat

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I only see ONE spring on that big door....should have TWO springs....I KNOW I would have TWO! .....what's wrong with that picture???
 
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Innovate1

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Dogmeat said:
I only see ONE spring on that big door....should have TWO springs....I KNOW I would have TWO! .....what's wrong with that picture???
Click to expand...
Big door? It looks like a single wide to me - small as OHDs go. My single has one spring. The spring lasted about 20 years. From what I know that's pretty typical life for that type of spring in that application. My double bay door has two springs. I'd say two springs on a standard size single bay door is unusual but I'm not in that business so my knowledge is not extensive.
 
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PoorUB

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When I moved into our house the garage had a brand new door. The garage was three years old. The seller had tore out the new door he had put inbecuase it was a high quaalitu door and put the lowest price POS insulated door he could fine. I can't help but wonder if it was worth the trouble? He had to store a door for a couple years until his new place was completed, seems like a lot of hassle to save a few hundred dollars at the time.

Anyway I hated that door and was going to replace it some day. One day it wouldn't open, one spring was broken. Both cars were in the garage and I wasn't able to get the door open. I dug through my junk hardware and found a cable clamp and clamped the two broken ends of the spring together, wound up the spring and got the door open, got the vehicles out and shopped for a door. I stopped by a local overhead door company that A friend owned and he wasn't around but one of his salesman shot me a price, which installed was less than I could buy door so I had them put in a decent door. My buddy caught wind if the deal before it happened and came over to look it over. He really liked the clamped together spring! Said something about the size of my balls. He knocked $100 of the quote and got the door installed the next day. Funny because the salesman said it would take week to get a door!
 
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iamrfixit

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sarcasm

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noun​

  1. A cutting, often ironic remark intended to express contempt or ridicule.
  2. A form of wit characterized by the use of such remarks.
  3. A biting taunt or gibe, or the use of such a taunt; a bitter, cutting expression; a satirical remark or expression, uttered with scorn or contempt; in rhetoric, a form of irony; bitter irony.
 
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Worsedog

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While that door isn't huge, it is wood. I'd think this might be a place where a little bit of overkill would be good. It would certainly slow it somewhat if one were to break on the way down.

I two insulated metal 8x10s and they have two springs.
 
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workerbee

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Jlbc212 said:
If the setscrews on the pulleys were loose there would be nothing to keep the torsion spring from unwinding, losing all the tension.
Click to expand...
Isn't that what he has? A setup with no tension? I also think a broken spring is most likely, but a loose or broken set screw could be the problem.
 
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