Garage door cable repair.
Same-day Palm Beach County dispatch from our Lantana and Loxahatchee offices. Free phone diagnostic. Written warranty on every job.
Cables on a garage door do the actual lifting — the spring stores tension, but the cables transfer that force to the door panels. When a cable snaps, frays, or jumps off its drum, the door usually drops crooked, sits 6–8 inches lower on one side, or won't close fully. Don't try to lift it manually. The remaining cable is under thousands of pounds of tension and lifting an unbalanced door is how people get hurt.
Most Palm Beach County garage doors run two galvanized 7x19-strand cables, one on each side. Standard installations use cable rated for the door's weight — usually 12-gauge for a single-car door and 14-gauge for a heavier two-car. East of US-1, where salt air is constant, cables fail 30–40% faster than inland PBC averages. We stock stainless-steel cable upgrades for coastal homes.
Replacing a cable is a fast job once we're on-site — usually 30–45 minutes — but it requires unwinding spring tension safely first. That's why we strongly recommend not attempting it as a DIY repair. Our techs come dispatched with the right cable gauges, fresh drums if needed, and the winding bars to retension the spring properly.
Common symptoms.
Door sits crooked, one side lower
Single cable failed. Other cable still under tension — do not lift. Same-day fix, $165–$245.
Cable visibly frayed at the bottom bracket
Pre-failure warning. Replace before it snaps and damages other components. $165–$245.
Cable jumped off the drum
Usually caused by spring failure or sudden door drop. Re-seating plus cable replacement plus spring inspection: $245–$385.
Door won't close all the way
Cable has stretched (not snapped). Common in low-cycle inland homes. Replace before further damage: $185–$285.
Off-track door after cable failure
Cable failure can pull the door out of its track. Re-track + replace cables + replace damaged rollers: $245–$385.
Palm Beach County price ranges.
| Single cable replacement | $165–$245 |
| Pair of cables (recommended — always do both) | $185–$285 |
| Stainless-steel coastal upgrade (east of US-1) | +$60 |
| Drum replacement if damaged | +$45 |
| Off-track re-tracking with cable + roller replacement | $245–$385 |
All prices include parts, labor, and applicable warranty. We quote in writing before any work begins.
From your call to a working door.
1. Call us
Describe what happened. We dispatch the closer truck.
2. 15–30 min arrival
From Lantana or Loxahatchee, whichever is closer.
3. Tension safely released
Spring tension carefully unwound — this is the safety step that DIYers skip.
4. Old cables out, new in
Both cables replaced (best practice). Stainless upgrade if east of US-1.
5. Re-tension + balance + test
Spring re-wound, door cycled, balance checked. Warranty registered.
Common questions.
Can I drive my car under the door after a cable broke?
No. Even with one cable broken, the door is unbalanced and could drop without warning. Call us first — we can stabilize the door enough to free your car promptly.
Why do you always replace cables in pairs?
Cables age together. If one has failed at year 9, the other is at the end of its service life too — usually within 6 months. Replacing both at once saves a second truck roll inside the year.
Do you need stainless steel cables in Palm Beach County?
East of US-1 (anywhere within ~1500 feet of saltwater), yes — galvanized cables corrode visibly within 4–6 years. Inland PBC, standard galvanized lasts 8–12 years.
Will my homeowner's insurance cover a cable replacement?
Almost never. Cable failures are wear-and-tear, not insurable damage. Insurance covers cable damage from impact (car backing into door) but not normal failure.
You may also need.
Eric answers. Truck rolling in under 35 minutes.
Free phone estimate. No call center.
(561) 710-5464