Garage door drums are essential components of torsion garage door openers. Cable drums resemble metal hubs and sit at the end of your garage door opener’s torsion shaft. As your garage door goes up, the drum acts as a pulley and the cord wraps around it to lift the door vertically or horizontally. The cable drum works alongside the springs to stabilize the door as it opens and closes.

Why Are Cable Drums Important?

If you have a torsion garage door opener with cable assembly, it replies on garage door cable drums. Well-maintained drums work with the torsion spring to balance the garage door while maintaining a smooth opening and closing mechanism.

Your garage door drums can accumulate rust or dirt without proper maintenance and become loud or shaky. If you notice that your drum is damaged or your door is noisy when opening and closing, then it could be time to replace your garage door drums. As with other components of your garage door opener, cable drums require regular maintenance, and you should always use professional technicians to replace them.

The Three Types of Garage Door Drums

While all torsion garage door openers need cable drums, different overhead garage doors require unique garage door cable drum sizes and styles. The three main types of garage door cable drums are:

• Standard-Lift: Most residential garage doors use standard-lift cable drums. These components are flat with a single raised groove at the edge to keep the garage door balanced as it opens. Standard-lift cable drums are available in 4-inch, 5 1/4-inch, and 8-inch diameters.
• Vertical-Lift: Vertical-lift cable drums are common in industrial or warehouse settings and are tall and slightly conical. These cable drums feature elevated grooves that wind towards the shaft for a vertical lift. You can find vertical-lift drums in diameters measuring 8 1/2 inches, 11 inches, and 13 1/2 inches.
• High-Lift: The high-lift cable drums work with garage doors with a higher vertical rise and a horizontal track near the ceiling. These drums are a combination of the standard-lift and vertical-lift drum designs. First, the cable runs along the raised grooves to lift the door vertically. Then, the cables switch to the flat section to run the door on the horizontal track. High-lift garage door drums are available in diameters ranging from 4 to 8 inches.