What's The Best (Easiest?) Way To Replace A Garage Door Cable?

[DerbyDad03]

One of the side cables on my garage door snapped last night. Single width, wooden door. Youtube shows at least 3 different methods for replacement.

This one is done with the door in the open position. The torsion spring is not released and nothing is taken apart or even loosened. Since my GDO will open the door even with the broken cable, this seems like the easiest method. Having the door open makes accessing the bottom cable attachment very easy.

This video shows it being done with the door closed. The torsion spring is adjusted a tiny bit to remove the tension and then the cable hubs are loosened on the shaft to allow the cable to be installed. Getting to the bottom attachment requires the removal/loosening of some parts.

This video shows it being done with the door closed and the torsion spring

*completely* relaxed before the hubs are loosened and the cable installed. Again, getting to the bottom attachment requires the removal/loosening of some parts. Afterwards, the torsion spring has to be wound back up.

Can anyone see any reason why I shouldn't use the first method which seems like the quickest and easiest? Why play with the spring and/or loosen the cable hubs if it is not necessary? I know that I might have to adjust the hubs afterwards if the new cables (I'll do both) aren't the same length as the old ones, but isn't it worth giving the first method a try?

Thanks for any advice you have to offer.

[makolber]

I would not work on any garage door while the springs were in tension.

It is very dangerous. I mean lethally dangerous.

If you can do the job with the door open and therefore all tension released from the springs, that is far safer.

Just make sure the door cannot roll down and close unexpectedly.

m

[DerbyDad03]

It sounds like you are saying that the first method is the best.

[Paintedcow]

Only a complete IDIOT would work on garage door springs, with the springs under tension. Having one of them springs come loose is very similar to having a gun fire. I once saw the results of a broken spring, and a piece of the bracket was embedde in the garage wall.

Clamp a vicegrips on to the track below one of the rollers. That way it cant roll down. I usually put a vicegrip on both sides of the door, in case one of the rollers was to come loose. A 2x4 propped under the door helps too, but that can easily fall down if the door is moved, so the vicegrips are a lot safer. (Better yet, use both the vicegrips and the

2x4).

[DerbyDad03]

Wood clamps work well too. I have more wood clamps than vice grips. I used

4 clamps. Belt and suspenders.

[DerbyDad03]

You do realize how stupid that statement is, don't you? Un-tensioning and tensioning the spring *is* working on the springs. They are both done under tension, basically by definition.