Garage Door Cabling Standards - 8 Months?

MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 16:29
Last edited 06/07/2023 - 17:11

Edit for clarification : door itself is fine, spring is fine, motor is new. Its just the cables that would apparently need replacing every 6-10 months at $250 a time.

Hi all,

We have a standard 2 car sectional garage door that came with the house, probably about 20 years old. We just had someone in for service who said that the garage door cables on the side are starting to fray and need replacement. However, the standards of the cables these days would only last about 6-10 months maybe, and it costs about $250ish to replace each time.

I was a bit dubious about this so we called another top rated garage door guy and he confirmed the same thing. Does that mean we have to look at getting the whole door replaced or is it just a system thing we can change and have the same door/motor? Just wanted to get all the info out before we talk further so we dont get suckered into something we dont need.

What are the approximate costs for a 2 car garage door these days? I know quotes depend on exact size but just looking for approx how many thousand (1k or 5k) as we've never built before so have 0 clue.

Thanks in advance

Home & Garden Garage Door

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2023 - 16:36

    Funny how B&D can offer stainless braided cables with 8-10 year warranty but garage door repairers cannot get them?
    Guess it guarantees them a job offering substandard parts.

    I had one installed ~18 months ago for $6800. B+D panel lift with 2 extra remotes (so 5 in total).

    • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 16:39

      did that come with a motor? we just had the motor replaced 1.5 years ago , so i dunno if the problem is with the door itself (its quite heavy) + the substandard cabling standards these days.

      like, if my option to get a 'lighter' door that still uses the crappy cables??

      Edit : I just looked at the B&D warranty table and the lifting cables also have just a 1 year warranty!

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2023 - 17:54

        Complete with motor, fascia plate, all the tracks and some spacer wood as out opening was beyond the maximum they could make the door.

  • brendanm on 06/07/2023 - 16:45
    -1

    Just replace the cables, you seem to be way over thinking this.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/07/2023 - 16:49

      What if op has uncovered a conspiracy?

      • brendanm on 06/07/2023 - 16:51
        +4

        Hopefully big garage door cable doesn't come after him tonight.

      • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 17:07

        Current Affairs here i come!

    • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 17:03

      I was stretching it a lil at 10 months, first guy said 6 months, 2nd said 8 months. At $250 a pop, doesn't sound like that will be a good option to continue.

      • brendanm on 06/07/2023 - 17:12
        +1

        Cables don't last less than a year. If you are really worried, remove them, take them to a rigger or somewhere that does lifting equipment, and get them to make you a new one.

        • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 17:22

          Ive just called B&D and they said their cables should last at least 1 year but cant guarantee much longer than that. But they dont have technicians in my state

          • brendanm on 06/07/2023 - 19:31
            +1

            @MeesusEff: Of course they will say that, as that's the warranty period. As I said, if you're that worried, just get some made by a lifting equipment place.

  • Oldbugga on 06/07/2023 - 17:26
    +1

    Our house has 2 sectional B&D garage doors and have been in operation for 31 years. If the steel cables are wearing out that fast I would guess there is an alignment issue or the balance of the door via the big spring is not at the right tension. I have never replaced mine, they are not even worn after very,very extensive use. If you want stainless steel cables go to Bunnings, Stratco or Mitre10 and get some s/s cable that is used for security fence on a balcony. The diameter is very similar and would work. Even Marine dealers like Whitfords stock S/s cable. It is not difficult to replace the cable (do one at a time) ensuring the new length is the same. Good Luck with a DYI fix. Probably some help on Youtube to assist. I am basing this advice assuming they are centre lift doors.

    • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 17:45
      +1

      Yup, don't think my family has even thought of garage cables for the past 22 years we've been here, being told this by 2 separate companies is a bit ernh.

      Unfortunately, I'm just a 65kg SAHM who's heavy lifting is an occasional 4yo kid 😂 I think DIY will be a lil out of my depth

      • nocure on 06/07/2023 - 21:39

        You should be able to lift the door easily, if it feels "heavy", the springs need to be retensioned. Cables will only need replacement if they are showing wear. PS. Do not diy, those springs WILL kill you.

        • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 21:47
          +1

          Yeah cables are fraying he showed them to my husband and estimate another 6 weeks of use. I did watch a YouTube video and it looked pretty easy but yeh he mentioned the springs as well lol

      • Downvoter on 07/07/2023 - 09:54

        You’ll be back in the workforce in a year so plenty of time between now and then to figure out the DIY aspect

  • Davo1111 on 06/07/2023 - 19:00

    sounds like theres something else going on here.

    I'd disconnect the motor and see if you can move it by hand. counterweights?

    • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 19:36

      They were just referring to the longevity of the cables these days, the 2nd guy didn't see it we just called to confirm the 1st guys statement

      • Davo1111 on 06/07/2023 - 19:49

        Are they making them out of pasta?

        (Like you) I just find it hard to believe a cable cant last 12 months. Id expect 12 years.

        If it's strain related, I'd be looking at counterweights. Ie to reduce the amount of weight the cable is actually holding.

        If you were really worried, you could always attach a fall arrest system , but the weight of the door would need to be <150 kg

        • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 20:19

          LOL.

          Apparently our 20 yo doors, solid quality and all but its very heavy, back in the days where things were built to last. So what they are saying is that the cables these days are made for the newer doors, which are lighter so the standards and ratings have dropped accordingly. And I think they said the new doors have a slightly different lifting system where it lifts along the whole cable instead of the pulley. So I think the cables fray because it has to go through the pulley which strains the cable at that point.

          • Davo1111 on 06/07/2023 - 21:21

            @MeesusEff: Yeah, I think this is a counter weight issue. So you get other cables that take the weight of the door, so the motor isn't actually pulling that much (and fraying the cord).

            A great example is a lift they have a Counterweight that weighs as much as the car itself. That way the motor isn't straining to pull the entire thing all day.

            Not an expert, that's just what id research

  • skid on 06/07/2023 - 21:26

    You did better than me in getting a quote for the cable. I rang 4 - 5 garage door places and not one would replace a part. They all wanted to sell me a whole system at $1000.

    • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 21:44

      What does the $1000 consist of? Cables and motor?

      • skid on 06/07/2023 - 21:52

        Pretty much and carriage, rails, remote control.

        • MeesusEff on 06/07/2023 - 22:01

          That sounds a decent price, our motor was already $650 installed. What did you end up doing in the end? He told us the price since we had to pay him for the service anyway. Apparently the cable replacement also comes with a service which is pretty annoying since I literally just did it

          • skid on 06/07/2023 - 22:06

            @MeesusEff: I DIY'd because I couldn't bear dropping $1k to replace a working motor when all I needed was a part.

    • Davo1111 on 08/07/2023 - 13:30

      Sounds like it would be cheaper just to engineer your own with an electric winch.

  • YTW on 06/07/2023 - 22:35

    Not the same type, but to help with price referencing - we just paid $6K for two new single garage doors and motors at the start of the year. Am shocked at the drop in quality from our 28 year old ones - these certainly aren't built to last 28 years. They are a lot lighter and dent so much easier.

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