In the complex mechanical ecosystem of a garage door, the cables are the "silent partners." While the springs generate the raw lifting power and the opener provides the command, it is the humble steel cables that actually do the heavy lifting. They are the essential bridge that translates the immense potential energy of the torsion system into the kinetic movement of the door. Yet, for most homeowners in Westminster, SC, cables are completely invisible—until the moment they fail.
When a cable snaps, jumps a drum, or frays, the results are often dramatic and dangerous. A door may suddenly slam shut, hang precariously at a crooked angle, or become hopelessly jammed in the tracks. At Ace, we approach cable repair not as a simple "wire swap" but as a forensic investigation. We operate on a core truth: Cables almost never fail without a reason. A snapped cable is usually a symptom of a deeper issue—a rusted bearing, a thrown spring, or a misaligned drum. Our mission in Westminster is to identify that root cause, repair the damage, and restore the critical link that keeps your door operating safely and smoothly. Call (888) 670-9331.
To understand cable repair, you must first understand the hierarchy of the garage door system. The cables are the messengers. If the message (the tension) is bad, the messenger gets shot.
Your garage door likely weighs between 150 and 400 pounds. The springs (usually located above the door) generate torque to lift this weight. However, springs rotate; they don't lift directly. The cables are attached to drums on the ends of the spring shaft and run down to the bottom brackets of the door. As the spring unwinds, it spins the drum, which winds up the cable, physically pulling the door upward. The cable is under constant, extreme tension—holding the full weight of the door every time it is in the open or semi-open position. It is a high-stress component that requires perfect integrity to function.
Steel aircraft cable is incredibly strong. A standard 1/8-inch garage door cable is rated for roughly 2,000 pounds of tensile strength. Since your door only weighs a fraction of that, a cable should theoretically last forever. When we see a broken cable in Westminster, SC, it is rarely because the cable just "got tired." It is because something attacked it. It might be friction from rubbing against a track bolt, corrosion from the Westminster salt air weakening the strands, or a shock load from a spring that snapped first.
This is the most common scenario we encounter. A torsion spring breaks with a loud bang. The sudden release of tension causes the cables to go slack instantly. If the door is in motion, the slack cable can jump off the drum grooves. When the homeowner tries to operate the door again, the cable tangles around the shaft (creating a "bird's nest"), kinks, and eventually snaps under the chaotic force. In this case, the cable failure is just the collateral damage of the spring failure.
If a technician simply replaces a frayed cable without asking "why did it fray?", they are doing you a disservice. If the fraying was caused by a burr on the cable drum, the new cable will begin to shred the moment it is installed. If the cable snapped because the door is out of balance, the new cable will be subjected to the same destructive forces. At Ace, we don't just treat the symptom; we cure the disease. We inspect the drums, bearings, tracks, and springs to ensure the environment is safe for the new cable.
Cable issues usually present themselves in obvious, often alarming ways. Recognizing these signs early can save you from a "door off the tracks" emergency.
If you see a steel wire hanging loosely alongside the vertical track, looped like spaghetti, your system has lost tension on that side. This usually means the cable has slipped off the drum (thrown cable) or the loop at the bottom bracket has corroded and snapped. Do not try to cut the wire or tuck it away; it is part of a high-tension system that needs professional resetting.
This is the classic "snaggletooth" look. If the door opens a few feet and then gets stuck with one side higher than the other, a cable has failed on the low side. The spring is still pulling on the "good" side, lifting it up, while gravity is pulling the "bad" side down. Warning: Do not force the door down. This can buckle the panels and bend the tracks, turning a $200 repair into a $2,000 replacement.
We call this a "bird's nest." It happens when a cable goes slack and then is rapidly wound back up around the shaft in a chaotic mess rather than neatly in the drum grooves. This ball of wire can jam against the header or the wall, physically locking the door in place. Unraveling a bird's nest under tension is one of the most dangerous tasks in garage door repair.
Inspect your cables visually (without touching them). Do they look smooth and shiny, or do they look "fuzzy" or spiky? That fuzz is actually dozens of tiny broken steel strands sticking out. If a cable is fraying, its tensile strength is compromised. It is hanging by a thread (literally) and is a ticking time bomb waiting to snap during the next cycle.
When the door is fully closed, the cables should still be taut, singing like a guitar string if plucked. If you notice a cable bowing out or looking loose when the door is down, your spring tension is too low or the cable has stretched. This slack allows the cable to slip off the drum grooves the next time you open the door.
If you hear a rhythmic "screech-screech-screech" as the door moves, the cable may be rubbing against a track bracket, a hinge, or the door frame itself. This metal-on-metal friction acts like a saw, slowly cutting through the cable strands with every operation.
If you operate your door manually and it feels incredibly heavy on one side, or if the automatic opener is straining and humming loudly, a cable may be binding. The friction of a frayed cable passing through a pulley (on extension spring systems) or dragging on a shaft can add massive resistance to the lift.
Stop operating the door. Secure the scene. Let us diagnose the root cause.
Call (888) 670-9331A broken hinge can wait a few days. A broken cable cannot. The risks associated with cable failure are immediate and severe.
Gravity is relentless. A 300-pound wood carriage house door wants to fall. The only thing preventing that is the cable. If a cable snaps while the door is in the open position (hanging overhead), the door can free-fall. This "guillotine effect" can crush a vehicle, injure a person, or shatter the concrete floor.
When a cable under 200 pounds of tension snaps, it whips. The recoil velocity is high enough to slice through drywall, dent car hoods, or cause severe lacerations. We have seen garage walls that look like they were hit with a weed whacker—damage caused entirely by a snapping cable.
Homeowners often try to use the door "just one more time" after a cable breaks. The opener pulls on the center arm, but only one cable is lifting. This racks the door, twisting it violently in the opening. This torque can shatter the rollers, bend the vertical tracks, and even rip the opener rail out of the ceiling.
A loose cable is a destructive object. As it flails around the spinning shaft, it can rip the limit switches off the opener, tear the weatherstripping, or strip the gears in the motor. We often arrive to find that a $50 cable issue has caused $500 in collateral damage because the homeowner continued to push the button.
If you suspect a cable issue, unplug the opener immediately. Do not pull the red emergency release cord if the door is open (it could crash down). Leave the door exactly where it is and call Ace. Securing the scene is the safest thing you can do.
While cables are simple components, the causes of their failure are varied, especially in our specific region.
As mentioned, when a spring breaks, the tension vanishes. The cables go slack and jump the drums. When the door is moved again, the loose cables get chewed up by the shaft. In this instance, you need new springs and new cables.
The cable drum has spiral grooves designed to guide the cable neatly as it winds. If the drum is set at the wrong angle or slips on the shaft, the cable rubs against the sharp edge of the groove. This acts like a knife, slicing the strands one by one until the cable parts.
If a roller seizes (stops spinning), it drags in the track. This creates uneven resistance. The cable on that side has to pull harder to overcome the friction, effectively doubling the load it is carrying. Over time, this overload stretches and snaps the cable.
Every time the cable winds around the drum, it bends. Every time it unwinds, it straightens. This constant flexing causes "metal fatigue." Just like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks, the steel strands eventually succumb to the cycle count. This is unavoidable, which is why cables are a maintenance item.
This is the Westminster, SC factor. If you live near the coast or in a humid pocket of the metro area, salt and moisture penetrate the cable bundle. Rust forms inside the cable, where you can't see it. The cable might look fine on the outside, but the core is rotting away. This "internal corrosion" leads to sudden, unexpected snapping.
If the last technician (or the original installer) used the wrong size cable or secured the cable stop improperly, they set a trap. A loose set screw on a drum or a poorly crimped ferrule on the cable loop can hold for years... until it doesn't.
If a rake, shovel, or bicycle falls against the cable while the door is moving, it can nick the wire or knock it off the drum. Even a small kink in the cable creates a weak point that reduces the cable's strength by 50%.
We offer a spectrum of solutions depending on the severity of the issue.
If the cable is intact (no fraying, no kinks) but has simply jumped off the drum due to a momentary obstruction, we can fix it without parts. We release the spring tension, reseat the cable in the proper grooves, reset the drum, and re-tension the system.
If your door is balanced but one cable is slightly loose, we can adjust the drum position to equalize the tension. This ensures the door lifts evenly and prevents future "jumps."
We inspect the drums for cracks or sharp burrs. We check the end bearings plates. If the shaft is wobbling because of a bad bearing, it shakes the cable loose. We replace these inexpensive parts to protect the expensive ones.
If there is any sign of damage—fraying, rust, kinking, or stretching—we replace the cables. We do not repair damaged wire; we replace it. It is the only safe option.
For doors that are hanging crooked, jammed, or crashed, we offer priority dispatch. Our trucks are stocked with all standard cable lengths and diameters to fix the problem in one visit.
Homeowners often ask, "Can't you just clamp the broken ends together?" The answer is an emphatic no.
We can save a cable if: It is less than 3 years old. It has zero broken strands. It has no permanent kinks or bends. The galvanized coating is intact. If it meets these criteria, we simply put it back on track.
We must replace a cable if: It has snapped (obviously). It has even one broken strand (fraying). It has a "kink" or sharp bend (this creates a stress point). It is rust-colored or brittle. It has stretched significantly longer than its partner.
We run a gloved hand (never bare skin!) along the length of the cable. If the fabric of the glove snags, the cable is toast. We also inspect the "swage" (the crimped loop) at the bottom bracket to ensure it isn't pulling through.
Liability and safety. If we reinstall a frayed cable and it snaps the next day, causing damage to your car, that is on us. Ace technicians are authorized to refuse a "patch job" if it compromises the safety of the home. We do it right, or we don't do it.
We don't treat the symptom. We cure the disease.
Call (888) 670-9331It helps to know what you are buying. Garage door cable is a highly engineered product.
Cables are made of carbon steel wires twisted into strands, which are then twisted around a core. This "helical" structure gives the cable flexibility (to wrap around the drum) and strength (to hold the door).
7x7: Seven strands, each made of seven wires. This is stiffer and used for heavier, industrial doors where flexibility is less critical. 7x19: Seven strands, each made of nineteen wires. This is the gold standard for residential doors. It is extremely flexible, allowing it to navigate the tight radius of residential drums without fatiguing. Ace primarily uses 7x19 aircraft cable.
Most residential doors use 1/8-inch cable. Heavier wood doors use 5/32-inch or 3/16-inch. 1/8" Rating: ~2,000 lbs. 5/32" Rating: ~2,800 lbs. 3/16" Rating: ~4,200 lbs. We never downgrade. If your door requires 5/32", we install 5/32".
A 7-foot door needs a different cable length than an 8-foot door. Furthermore, "Standard Lift" drums use different lengths than "High Lift" drums. We custom-cut or select pre-manufactured cables to the exact specification required. Too short, and the door won't close; too long, and it won't stay on the drum.
Uncoated "raw" steel cables are cheaper but rust quickly. In Westminster, SC, we exclusively use Galvanized cables. The zinc coating provides a sacrificial layer that protects the steel from humidity and salt. It is a non-negotiable feature for longevity in our region.
Not all garage doors work the same way. We stock cables for every type.
These have a loop on one end (for the bottom bracket) and a plain cut or a "stop" on the other (for the drum). They are the most common type we service in Westminster, SC.
Doors with springs on the side (extension springs) use two types of cables: Lift Cables: Run from the bottom bracket, through a pulley, to the track. Safety Cables: Run through the center of the spring. If the spring breaks, the safety cable holds it in place so it doesn't fly across the garage. If you don't have safety cables, Ace can install them during the visit.
Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster systems use thinner cables with unique specialized drum ends. Many general handymen don't carry these. Ace trucks are stocked with TorqueMaster repair kits.
We carry heavy-duty 3/16" and 1/4" cables for warehouse doors, rolling steel doors, and high-cycle commercial applications in Westminster.
We don't skip steps. This is a dangerous repair that requires a strict protocol.
We check the door balance, the springs, the tracks, and the opener. We need to know why the cable failed before we touch it.
Was it rust? A seized roller? A snapped spring? We identify the culprit and explain it to you.
Crucial Step: We cannot replace a cable while the spring is wound. We use winding bars to carefully unwind the torsion spring, releasing all stored energy from the system. We clamp the door to the track to prevent it from falling.
We remove the old cable from the bottom bracket and the drum. We clean the bottom bracket pin to ensure the new cable loop moves freely.
We inspect the drum grooves for wear. We clean out any old grease or debris. We ensure the left and right drums are perfectly level with each other.
We install the new cable, threading it up behind the rollers to the drum. We seat the cable stop in the drum notch and wind the cable tightly into the grooves.
We wind the springs back up to the required number of turns. We check that both cables have equal tension. If one is "singing" and the other is dull, we adjust the drums until they are perfectly matched.
We run the door manually to check for smooth travel. We reconnect the opener and test the safety reverse system.
"The left cable broke. Why are you quoting me for both?"
Cables are like tires. They are installed at the same time, travel the same distance, and carry the same load. If the left cable snapped from fatigue today, the right cable is likely days or weeks away from doing the same. It has suffered the same wear and tear.
The cost of the cable itself is small compared to the service call and labor. Replacing the second cable adds very little to the bill because we already have the system disassembled and the tension released. It is the most cost-effective insurance you can buy.
The only time we recommend replacing a single cable is if the damage was accidental and localized—for example, if you accidentally cut one cable with a tool, but the other one is brand new. In wear-and-tear scenarios, we always do pairs.
If your cables are broken and your springs are 10+ years old, we often recommend doing a full "front end overhaul" (springs + cables + bearings). This restores the entire lifting system to factory-new condition, saving you from paying for another service call when the springs inevitably break next year.
Galvanized. Precision-tensioned. Climate-ready for Westminster.
Call (888) 670-9331You cannot divorce the cable from the spring. They are a married system.
If a spring gets weak (loses tension), the cables may go slack at the top of the travel. This momentary slack causes the cable to jump the drum. A weak spring is a leading cause of "thrown cables."
If a cable frays and stretches, it makes the door hang crooked. This puts uneven side-load on the spring, causing the coils to bind and rub, shortening the spring's life.
We measure the spring wire size and length to ensure the springs are actually the right ones for the door. Often, we find that chronic cable issues are caused by the wrong springs being installed years ago.
DIY cable replacement is rampant with errors.
Using a 1/8" cable on a heavy 400lb wood door is a recipe for disaster. The cable will stretch and eventually snap under the load.
If the cable is too short, the door won't hit the floor, leaving a gap for pests. If it's too long, the excess cable wraps over itself on the drum, causing rubbing and fraying.
The cable must start in the specific "starter groove" of the drum. If it misses the start, the door will lift unevenly and the cable will jump off every time.
The cable must pass behind the rollers and inside the track brackets. We often see DIY jobs where the cable is routed over a bolt, sawing through the wire in weeks.
It takes experience to set two drums at the exact same tension point. If they are off by even a quarter-inch, the door will rack and bind.
Because the system is under high tension, a mistake during installation can result in the winding bar slipping, causing severe injury to hands or face. This is not a safe Saturday DIY project.
Geography matters.
In Westminster, SC, humidity is constant. Moisture seeps into the core of the cable. We recommend lubricating your cables with a light silicone spray once a year to displace water.
If you are within 10 miles of the water in Westminster, the salt air accelerates oxidation. We use high-grade galvanized cables and recommend more frequent inspections for coastal homes.
Heat dries out the factory lubricant inside the cable core. Without lube, the strands grind against each other.
In a perfect vacuum, cables last 10-15 years. In Westminster, SC, we typically see a 7-10 year lifespan due to the environmental factors. If you have a high-usage household, that number drops.
We believe in upfront, transparent pricing.
The price depends on the length of the cable (7ft vs 8ft vs high lift), the thickness (standard vs heavy duty), and whether we need to replace drums or bearings.
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Re-Routing / Re-Tensioning / Drum Service (no parts) | $100 — $200 |
| Residential Pair Replacement (galvanized, installed, balanced) | $200 — $350 |
| Commercial / Heavy Duty | $300 — $500+ |
Since the labor (unwinding the springs) is the same for both jobs, bundling them saves significant money. We offer package deals for a complete overhaul.
You can buy cheap cables online for $10. But they are often un-galvanized, brittle steel that snaps in a year. Ace only installs professional-grade aircraft cable.
Upfront pricing. Root cause diagnosis. Every cable, every system.
Call (888) 670-9331We are the cable experts.
We don't leave until we know why it happened, ensuring it won't happen again next week.
We measure the weight and height to select the perfect gauge and length.
We know our climate eats steel. We use materials that fight back.
Our technicians have performed thousands of resets. We get the level perfect.
We check the bearings, springs, and tracks to protect your investment.
We don't cut corners. We restore the system to full, balanced health.
From the city center to the edge of town, we have trucks on the road near you.
We service the entire metropolitan area, bringing expert cable repair to the suburbs and beyond. Call (888) 670-9331.
Re-routing/re-tensioning (no parts): $100-$200. Residential pair replacement: $200-$350 (galvanized cables, installation, balance). Commercial/heavy-duty: $300-$500+. Bundle with springs for additional savings.
Ace recommends both. Cables installed together endure the same wear. If one snapped from fatigue, the other is close behind. The added cost is minimal since the system is already disassembled.
Cables almost never fail on their own. Common causes: spring failure causing slack and drum jumps, drum misalignment, roller obstruction, corrosion from humidity/salt air, normal cycle fatigue, or improper previous installation.
No. Stop operating immediately. A door on one cable racks violently, can shatter rollers, bend tracks, and rip the opener rail from the ceiling. Unplug the opener and call Ace.
In ideal conditions, 10-15 years. In Westminster, SC's humid climate, typically 7-10 years. High-usage households and coastal properties see shorter lifespans. Annual lubrication extends cable life.
Yes. Moisture seeps into the cable core causing internal corrosion invisible from outside. Salt air within 10 miles of the coast accelerates oxidation. Ace uses galvanized cables exclusively.
When a cable goes slack and winds chaotically around the shaft instead of neatly in drum grooves. This jams the door and is one of the most dangerous repairs. Do not attempt to fix it yourself.
Yes. Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster systems use thinner cables with specialized drum ends. Many handymen don't carry these parts. Ace trucks are stocked with TorqueMaster repair kits.
Don't let a snapped cable leave your door dangerous or disabled. The experts at Ace are ready to diagnose the root cause, install the correct high-strength cables, and get your door back on track safely.
Call (888) 670-9331 right now for same-day cable service.