# Tightening the Steel Cable on a Garage Door
Most garage doors are made up of separate panels, which stack up as one when the door is closed, and break apart into components when the door is opened. Steel cables are used to keep the door panels in line, and guide them up and down during the opening and closing processes. These cables are attached to springs at the back end, which assist in lifting the door, making it lighter and easier to handle. There must be sufficient tension in the closed position that the door lifts easily, but not so much that the door will not close fully.
Things You'll Need
- Pliers
- Wrench
Instructions
-
-
1
Open your garage door to reduce the tension on the springs and steel cables, which run up and down the sides of the door. The springs should be at rest, and there should be anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of slack in each steel cable, once the door has been opened.
-
2
Locate the bottom mounting plates that hold the steel side cables to your garage door. The plates should be at the bottom inside of the door, which will be at head height or higher now that the door is open. Locate the steel "S"-hooks that hold your steel cables to the mounting bracket.
-
3
Use your pliers to grasp the "S"-hook and lift it out of the notch in which it sits. Place the "S"-hook one notch further down on the mounting bracket to tighten the cable tension.
-
1
Doors
- Hanging Lights Around the Garage Door Frame
- Recommended Gauge Size for Garage Doors
- How to Change a Garage Door Cable
- Removing the T-Handle From a Garage Door Lock
- How to Adjust the Garage Door Yourself When the Cable is Broken
- What Causes a Garage Door Pulley Cable to Come Off the Pulley?
- How to Replace Steel Cables for a Garage Door
- Fixing the Sensor on Overhead Garage Doors
- How to Change the Bottom Weatherstripping on a Garage Door
- How to Replace the Cylinder Lock on a Garage Door
- The Disadvantages of Having Garage Doors
- How to Cut the Top Off a Steel Door
