At Broten Garage Door Sales, we have an extensive inventory of garage door openers, remotes, keypads, and parts. We also stock garage door cables to keep your garage door running smoothly and safely all year round.

What Are Garage Door Cables?

Garage door cables run through cable drums and your garage’s pulley systems. These cables transfer energy from the door springs to the garage door as it opens and closes. Garage door cables are essential parts of a functioning garage door system — if the cables snap or slip from the drums, your garage door will refuse to open.

Door cables work with both torsion and extension springs to lift the garage door while extending the lifespan of the springs. There are two types of garage door cables.

Lifting Cables

While garage door springs effortlessly lift your garage door, they can’t connect directly to the door. Instead, the springs attach to garage door lift cables that run through a series of pulleys and drums. This connection transfers the springs’ energy and lifts the door.

These cables come in two configurations, depending on the type of spring the garage door uses. Lifting cables wind around the drums at both ends of an axle when paired with torsion springs, while extension springs require the cables to run through a pulley system.

Safety Cables

Safety cables attach to the door frame and extend through the springs to a hook screw at the other end. Safety cables are essential because they secure the garage door springs if they break.

Garage door springs store enormous pressure to have the strength required for opening a garage door. Since the springs hold so much tension, they’re prone to wear and tear. When a spring breaks, the stored energy may cause it to fly out and severely injure whoever is nearby. Safety cables secure the springs and hold them in place, so they’ll slide down the cable in a controlled manner if they break.