My manual garage door (no electric opener) is fubar-ed. It has a large coil spring in the top center and two cables attached to the bottom of the door on each side. One of the side cables has become detached and the resulting pressure is causing the other cable to lock up and not allow it to close. It's not a repair that I'd like to try myself, but I'd like to get the door closed until I can have a professional come look at it. Any ideas?
I have tried to take off the other cable but there is too much tension and I'd prefer not to cut it, but it seems like that may be my only option.
Thanks for any help.
2006-12-29 14:55:56 · 9 answers · asked by Oppenheimer 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
my guess is thats its causing the door to go up crooked(pulling more on the side with cable attached. try pushing down more to that side and not in the center.. raise it all the way up to remove the other cable..tension will be less there.. but fair warning.. the door is gonna be heavy.. so be prepared when you go to close it.. it will want to slam shut
2006-12-29 15:00:31 · answer #1 · answered by hometech02 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have several years experience with garage doors and I believe your safest bet is to wait for a qualified door mechanic to make repairs. A door that is stuck open may fall at any time if it becomes dislodged. If you are used to operating your door by hand it may seem rather lite. However the door spring does more work than you realize. Also cutting cables can damage surrounding walls or people and add cost to your repair. Most of the time cables can be saved. If cables are frayed do not spare the expense for safety sake!
2006-12-29 15:27:04 · answer #2 · answered by Mark C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right to be a cautious about this. It isn't impossible for DIY, but that spring is under a tremendous amount of tension. Is the one cable broken or slipped out of it's track or what?
Is the door 100% up now? If not, can you put it up 100%? What happens when you try to lower the door? What is stopping it from closing?
Don't cut either cable. It can be dangerous and it will be harder to fix. When the door does close, it will be really heavy, so be careful.
2006-12-29 15:11:44 · answer #3 · answered by DSM Handyman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DON'T LISTEN TO RAINMAN!!! you could take your head off!!! unless the door is all the way up the counter balance spring and cables are under wicked tension. call a repairman. if you need to secure the insides of the garage, cover the opening with a few sheets of plywood. it would only require a few nail or screw holes into the trim, which can be covered with caulk later. if you need to get the door open more to get your car out, try to help the door up with a 2x4 on the side without the cable. make the 2x4 just short of the height of the door opening. please be careful, doors can weigh up to and over 200lbs.
2006-12-29 15:36:46 · answer #4 · answered by car dude 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Mark...You should probably get a garage door person out there, especially if you have the large springs above the door. There was a person killed here a few years ago putting tension on one of those springs...he was a garage door tech. For the common lay person, this is way out of there league... Stay safe...
2006-12-29 15:32:20 · answer #5 · answered by David P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check Lowe's or Home Depot. Each is involved with manual garage door openers. They might just have the two springs you need. Installation: as I recall, you need some muscle to do it manually.
2006-12-29 15:02:51 · answer #6 · answered by tjdepere2003 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
put a car jack under the door to releive the pressure from the spring and remove the second cable...
WARNING
The door is heavy and gravity will do its job. Keep your fingers away from any moving parts.
2006-12-29 15:14:56 · answer #7 · answered by Rainman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a million. commence employing the lockout button on the door opener. This stops rogue transmitters from additionally establishing your door. this could mean all vendors will ought to pass in during the guy door and launch the operator on the main pad in the storage, then open the door. #2. Take your camcorder and set it on slowplay and cover it on a shelf in the storage. purpose it so it covers the guy door and as lots of the overhead door as you could. examine it on a regular basis. #3. positioned a deadbolt lock on the guy door. some customary key knobs are extremely common to get unlocked with a mastercard. #4. Ask a neighbor who's domicile lots to video reveal your storage for in basic terms one week. grant to pay them for this one week service and split the fee with your storage important different.
2016-10-06 04:50:18 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep...if it's open, just unhook the other spring, and be careful as you close it.
2006-12-29 15:12:59 · answer #9 · answered by Chaz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋