Garage door cable repair
Garage door hanging crooked with a cable dangling?
One side lost its cable, so that side isn't held up anymore. The door is under uneven tension and can shift or fall. Leave it where it is.
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Is this what you're seeing?
One side of the door sits lower than the other, or the door is stuck at an angle.
A steel cable is slack, hanging, or unwound from the round drum at the top corner.
The door may have jammed partway while opening or closing.
You may have heard a snap, or the door may have hit something on the way down.
What's going on
Each side of the door is held by a lifting cable that winds onto a cable drum at the top. If the cable goes slack, from a broken spring, the door catching on something, or worn cable, it can jump off the drum. That side drops and the door twists.
Cables also fray and snap with age, usually at the bottom bracket where moisture and road salt get to them. A crooked door is often the first sign.
What to do right now
Do
Unplug the opener so it can’t try to move the door.
Keep everyone out from under and beside the door.
If your car is trapped inside, tell us when you call.
Don't
Don’t try to rewind the cable onto the drum yourself. It’s connected to spring tension.
Don’t force the door up or down to straighten it.
Don’t pull the emergency release with the door off level.
How we fix it
This falls under garage door cable repair. A cable rarely fails on its own, and our records show what else these jobs needed.
What the work involved
- Springs26 of 52 jobs
- Door lubricated17 of 52 jobs
- Rollers15 of 52 jobs
- Drums13 of 52 jobs
- Tracks10 of 52 jobs
- Cables replaced9 of 52 jobs
- Cable repair jobs since 2018
- 55
- Typical time on site
- 50 min
- Busiest season
- Summer
Recent jobs like this
Jun 2025
Denver metroFound
A side cable snapped and the door opened and closed unevenly.
Fixed
Replaced both extension springs and both cables, then lubricated the door.
Oct 2024
LakewoodFound
The right-side cable had broken.
Fixed
Replaced the cable, adjusted the spring and lubricated the door.
Aug 2026
LakewoodFound
The extension springs broke and took the cable with them.
Fixed
Replaced the extension springs, the cable and the pulley.
Apr 2022
Denver metroFound
The door had come off its track and a cable had come off the drum.
Fixed
Re-set the cables and lubricated the door, then confirmed it ran properly.
Repair or replace?
Cable jobs are almost always repairs. If sections are cracked or badly bent from the door twisting, we may recommend panel replacement.
Related questions
What do I do if my garage door cable came off the drum?
Stop using the door right away and do not force it.
Read full answerWhat should I do immediately if my garage door cable snapped?
Unplug the opener, pull the red emergency release cord, and leave the door where it sits.
Read full answerWhy is my garage door uneven or crooked when it closes?
A garage door that closes unevenly or at an angle usually has a broken or stretched cable on one side, a spring problem on one side, or a track that is out of alignment.
Read full answerHow do I open my garage door when the cable is broken?
With a broken cable, pull the red emergency release cord to disconnect the opener, then lift the door manually from both bottom corners at the same time with a second person.
Read full answerWhat causes a garage door cable to snap?
What causes a garage door cable to snap: rust, fraying, worn pulleys, or a broken spring. Learn the warning signs and why cable repair is never a DIY job.
Read full answerRelated services
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