Garage door cables and rollers
Cables and rollers are small parts, but they keep a heavy door moving straight. When they wear out, the door gets loud, crooked or stuck.
Lift cables
Lift cables run from the bottom corners of the door up to drums on the spring bar. They carry the door's weight together with the springs.
- Frayed or rusty strands are a warning sign
- A snapped cable often leaves the door hanging crooked
- Cables are under heavy tension whenever the springs are wound
Leave cable work to a technician
Replacing a lift cable usually means unwinding the springs first. The same dangers as spring work apply.
Rollers
- Grinding, squeaking or rattling as the door moves
- Cracked or flat-spotted wheels
- Rollers that wobble or pop out of the track
Nylon rollers with sealed bearings tend to run quieter than plain steel ones. Rollers on the bottom brackets connect to the cable system, so those should be changed by a technician.
Simple upkeep you can do
- Look over cables and rollers a couple of times a year
- Lubricate hinges and roller bearings with a garage-door lubricant, not grease, and keep the tracks clean and dry
- Listen for new noises: they're often the first sign of wear
Questions to ask
- Should both cables be replaced at the same time?
- What type of rollers are you installing?
- What's the total price, and what's covered by the warranty?