Garage door cables are easy to overlook until one snaps. Suddenly the door hangs crooked, one side drops, or a loose cable dangles near the bottom bracket. A broken garage door cable can turn a normal day into a stuck car and a door you should not touch.
Braxdyne Garage Door Repair provides garage door cable repair in Sacramento and throughout the region. We replace snapped and frayed lift cables, worn cable drums and damaged bottom brackets on residential doors from all major brands. We also fix the reason the cable failed, so you are not calling us again next month.
Every visit starts with a $0 service call and a free estimate. You see the price before any work begins. Every cable job includes our free 21-point safety check, a 90-day labor warranty and a 1-year parts warranty. We are open 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week.
Braxdyne is not yet licensed by the CSLB (our license is in process), so we only take minor repairs under $1,000 total for parts and labor that need no permit, and we refer bigger jobs such as new doors to a licensed partner.
Signs you need garage door cable repair
- A cable is hanging loose or lying on the floor near the door.
- The door is crooked, with one side higher than the other.
- The door jerks, shudders or stops partway up.
- You see frayed strands, rust or kinks along a cable.
- A cable has come off its drum at the top corner of the door.
- The bottom of the door no longer meets the floor evenly.
- You hear a snap, followed by the door moving unevenly.
What we do on a cable repair visit
- Assess the door safely. We check whether the door is under tension, whether it is stable, and whether a spring broke along with the cable.
- Find the cause. We look at drums, bearings, brackets, rollers and tracks to understand why the cable failed.
- Give you a clear price. You get a written price before any work starts.
- Secure and release tension. We lock the door in place and handle spring tension with professional tools and procedures.
- Replace cables in pairs. We install new cables on both sides so the door lifts evenly, and replace worn drums or brackets with your approval.
- Level and balance the door. We make sure both sides wind evenly and the door sits flat on the floor.
- Run the 21-point safety check and walk you through the results.
How cables, drums and springs work together
On a torsion system, a lift cable runs from the bottom corner of each side of the door up to a grooved cable drum on the spring shaft. As the springs unwind, the drums turn and wind the cables, lifting the door evenly. On an extension system, cables run through pulleys and work with springs along each side track.
Because the cables carry the force of the springs, they are always under tension when the door is down. That is why a cable problem is never just a cable problem. It involves the springs, drums and bottom brackets too, and it needs to be handled as a system.
Why garage door cables snap
- Age and wear. Every cycle bends the cable around the drum. Over time, strands break and the cable weakens.
- Rust. Moisture in the garage, or near the floor where the bottom bracket sits, corrodes the steel.
- Rubbing. A cable that rubs against the door, track or a misaligned drum frays faster.
- Slack cables. If the door hits an obstacle while closing, or the opener keeps pushing down, cables can go slack and jump off the drum.
- Broken springs. When a spring fails, the sudden load shift can damage a cable or pull it off the drum.
- Worn bottom brackets. A rusted or bent bracket can let a cable slip or cut into it.
Crooked door? Here is what it usually means
A door that hangs lower on one side usually means one cable has snapped, slipped off its drum or stretched. It can also mean one spring broke on a two-spring system. A crooked door puts uneven stress on the rollers, tracks and panels, and it can bind or come off track if you keep running it.
If your door is crooked, stop using it, leave it where it is and call us. The fix is often simple when it is caught early, and much bigger if the door keeps getting forced.
Safety first
Lift cables carry the full force of your garage door springs. We never publish do-it-yourself steps for cables or springs, and we strongly advise homeowners not to attempt this repair. Until we arrive, here is what not to do:
- Do not touch, pull or try to rethread a loose cable.
- Do not loosen the bottom brackets or any bolts near the cable attachment points.
- Do not try to wind a cable back onto its drum.
- Do not run the opener on a crooked door. It can bend panels or pull the door off track.
- Do not stand under a door that is partly open or hanging unevenly.
- Keep kids and pets out of the garage until the door is repaired.
Service area
We provide garage door cable repair across the Sacramento region, including Sacramento, Roseville, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rocklin, Davis and 60+ nearby cities. Call to confirm we reach your street.
FAQ
Can I use my garage door with one broken cable?
No. A door with a broken cable lifts unevenly and can bind, come off track or fall. Leave it in place and call for repair.
Do you replace both cables or just the broken one?
We recommend replacing both. They have the same age and wear, and matching cables help the door lift evenly.
Why did my cable come off the drum?
Usually because the cable went slack. That can happen when the door hits something while closing, a spring breaks, or the opener keeps pushing down after the door is closed. We fix the cause along with the cable.
Is a frayed cable an emergency?
It is a warning sign. A frayed cable can snap at any time. Stop using the door if you can and schedule a repair soon.
Do you offer discounts on cable repair?
Yes. Seniors 62+, veterans and military, and returning customers get 10% off labor. One discount applies per job.
Snapped or frayed cable? Call Braxdyne at (916) 848-5050 or text a photo of the door and cable. We are open 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week, with a $0 service call and a price before any work begins.