Garage door cable has snapped - Possible to DIY?

Hi guys,

One of the cables on my garage door has snapped somehow. The garage door will now not open or close past a certain point and it was a struggle to eventually get my car out. After calling someone, they've quoted me $260 to replace both cables and service it. I would rather try to save the money and do it myself. Is it difficult to do? Link to example image below similiar to my garage door showing the 'cable' part that has snapped.

http://hayslas.com/wp-content/uploa...es-cones-and-cables-remote-legacy-970x728.jpg


Any thoughts?

 

If you are asking the question, then I look at it this way: If the job takes 1 hour for a guy who knows what he's doing, then it is going to take me 3 hours and even then I will have installed it upside down or back to front (I'm not very handy mechanically) at least once. If it does not work and drops down on the car, then a dent removal is going to cost me more than $260.

 

Definitely a fair response. More than happy to pay the money. Just curious as to whether anyone else has done it themselves before and if it is difficult. Recently purchased our house so I'm trying to be a bit more 'savvy' around the house, althought there are probably much better and less riskier DIY projects to attempt lol

 

Back the car through the shutter and pay the excess (only applies If you want a shared room at Silverwater and don't mind being called "sweet heart").

 

I have done it many times. It is straightforward and took me around 20 minutes. You really need to study how the cable is set up. Also youtube your particular door.

Be careful. The cables are under tension and if you do this wrong it can kill you. I am not exaggerating. Done right it is low risk, so do your research and do it right. If you are not confident then hire someone to do it.

 

Or even worse, if it falls on a kid, what would that cost for 'fix'?

 

A friend had the same problem at her IP last week.

One guy came up out, said that's it, she needs to call her insurance, the sky is falling. Nekminut he is calling her tenant saying he can be there tomorrow with 3 guys to remove the door, will take half a day ???

She called another company, had a lovely dude out there within two hours, fixed within 3, the price similar to what you have been quoted.

Good luck whatever you decide but if you are not confident, please get the relevant person to do the job.

 

A cheap job done badly isnt a great fix. Its like DIY dentistry. It could save you a fortune.

 

With respect, it is not at all like DIY dentistry. The people who install garage doors are not university trained. In fact, I am not sure they are qualified at all. I got supposedly one of Perth's best companies to install my garage door. It was far from cheap. I paid close to top dollar because of the reputation of the company. The installer did an appalling job. The cables were not installed at the correct tension and the door did not open and close smoothly like a new (expensive) door should. I called the company to complain and they sent out another installer who adjusted the door to improve it but not fix it.

I had to research myself how to adjust the door properly and after that it worked fine. However, since under-spec cables were used they failed in under 12 months. I researched a solution myself, bought proper spec cables and installed them myself properly. I have had no issues with the door since then except for having to replace the cables every three to four years. The worst I have done for cables lasted 3 times longer than "professionally" supplied and installed cables. It's a garage door, it's not rocket science or dental surgery.

I have many experiences were lower priced products have outlasted more expensive products (electrical equipment, tools, roller door)

and services that cost less were better quality than higher priced services (tax accounting, conveyancing, doctors). An accountant doesn't provide a higher quality service because they charge more. I'm sure you understand this.

 

I don't know about the OP but mine is definitely the cable. I have checked the springs and they are fine. They probably need re-tensioning but I am scared to tackle that job. It's dangerous!

Garage doors come in different styles that use two different types of springs, and whether you’ve got an easy fix on your hands or a more difficult and dangerous task will depend on what style of door you have. You may be better off seeking the services of a professional if your door has torsion springs, especially if you don’t have the proper tools, have no experience, or lack a mechanical background.​

How to Adjust a Garage Door Spring

Of course I have the "difficult and dangerous" type

 

Believe it's just the cable but will have to check. It was incredibly difficult to close the door after managing to get it up and getting the car out. It's currently sitting a bit uneven at the moment anyway.

Probably best off to just get someone else out, not very mechanically minded nor do I have the tools to fix it.

Thanks guys.

 

Probably best to just get someone experienced and who has the tools to fix it.