Steel Lift Cables — Long Lasting Performance For Years

Steel lift cables are considered to be the heart of any garage door opening system, as they connect the bottom bracket to the balance mechanism for opening and closing the door. The opening of the garage door uses several mechanisms but one thing that plays a major role in its opening is the spring and lifting cable. There are some other belt systems as well that are being used in garage doors but they are not considered to be tough and durable for a long time. Basically when a garage door opens the lifting cable starts winding around the grooves in the cable drum. Cable drum play a very important role in overall tension spring system, as it allows the lifting cable in line, so it doesn’t get jumbled as a result. It is quite obvious to note that with passage of time (few years) the springs and lift cables get wear out and then door starts moving heavily not smoothly as compared to when it was new.

Undoubtedly, steel and iron lift cables are susceptible to corrosion so not recommended to humid and wet areas. Therefore, these days, stainless steel lift cables are being used instead of galvanized steel cable by some manufacturers for increased strength and durability. To maintain them in proper working condition you need to be very careful. In areas of high corrosion and humidity these wear out sooner than in relatively dry areas. By keeping this in mind Martin Doors Manufacturing has recently introduced lift cables made of pure stainless steel in the garage doors. One safety feature of the steel lift cable is that even on low clearance/low headroom applications, the cables are located inside between the track and the door section, and are not affected by corrosion in wet and humid areas. So, they are long lasting and durable. All of Martin's lift cables come standard 1/8 inch thick, or 3.175 mm, compared to the industry standard of 1/16 of an inch or 1.58 mm, according to the company.

Regular maintenance and careful observation are always recommended for lifting cables in garage doors. Lifting cables connect the bottom of the door with the door spring so bear a lot of tension along with the spring. Therefore, it is advisable to look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other door hardware for signs of wear and tear at regular intervals. If these cables are corroded then they may affect the entire mechanism adversely and will wear out easily. If you suspect problems, have a qualified person make repairs, and if your budget allows then better to get them replaced by stainless steel lift cables for extra strength and stability. When you remove or repair the cable, keep in mind to never remove, adjust or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets of the door. As these brackets are connected to the spring by the lift cable and are under extreme tension, so may cause accidents. Therefore to replace or repair the lift cable or springs, first fully raise the door so that the springs are completely relaxed and then go up on the next step. If you found that your cables wear out very soon then look for new steel cable from any reputed company like Martin Doors.

About The Author:

John Wright is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.garage-doors-n-openers.com. Find everything you need to know about free garage plans, commercial and residential openers, installation tips, and more.