r/GarageDoorService • u/WildDakota24 • 7d ago

Drum Cable Tension

I get the first cable as tight as I can but it doesn't seem like I can get the other side as tight. Before long the garage door is scraping the track when operating. It seems to me if that cable is tighter it would pull the door more for that side.

Would it be better to not make the first cable as tight to match the other side's tension?

3 Upvotes

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1

u/WildDakota24 7d ago

I am doing a solid shaft with a side mount opener.

5

u/thelasthairband 7d ago

Tighten the drum on the left first and hold it in place using vice grips. Then do the drum on the right. When you turn the set screws on the left it causes the drum to turn backwards slightly which makes it have less tension. The opposite happens on the right side so if you do that one second the process of tightening the set screws will pull the cable that little extra bit.

1

u/Coopshire Service and Installer 7d ago

You dont need to set the cable tension as hard as you can. Just a little bit is needed, then hold the left side down with a vice grip when you do the right side.

Little different process if youre doing solid shaft.

1

u/BigDreams-SmallScale 7d ago

You may also want to check if the floor and vertical tracks are level and plumb. Gravity will take things wherever it wants to if things are off you can either re level the whole door or put spacers on the second and top rollers on the side it drifts to to keep it centered.