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The two lift cables carry the full weight of the door every time it moves. They fray from the inside out, so a cable can look fine and still be one cycle from failure. When one goes, the door drops on that side, twists in the track and jams. Do not try to force it. We see a lot of bent tracks and cracked panels caused by someone running the opener a few more times.

We replace both cables, inspect the drums and the bottom brackets, and check the springs, because a cable failure is very often the result of a spring problem.

Sound familiar?

Door hangs crooked

One side is lower than the other. A cable let go or unwound from the drum.

Cable dangling or coiled on the floor

The cable came off the drum. Stop using the door.

Frayed strands near the bottom bracket

Rust and repeated flexing eat the cable from the bottom up.

Door slams or drops the last foot

Cable slipped a wrap on the drum, so the tension is uneven.

Door stuck partway

The twisted door is binding against the track.

Grinding from the drum area

Cable riding over itself on the drum.

What's included

  • Both lift cables replaced with galvanized aircraft cable
  • Drums inspected and replaced if grooved
  • Bottom brackets inspected (a common rust point)
  • Door re-leveled and rebalanced
  • Springs checked for the underlying cause
  • Track checked for bends caused by the crooked door
  • 12-month labor warranty

Typical pricing

Cable pair replacement$150 – $250
Cable pair + drums$220 – $350
Bottom brackets, if rusted$60 – $120
Track straightening, if needed$75 – $200

Every price is confirmed in writing before we start.

Questions we get asked

Why did my garage door cable snap?

Rust and fatigue, most often. Cables near the floor sit in salt water all winter. Sometimes a broken spring dumps the load onto the cables and they let go. Occasionally a cable was the wrong length from a prior repair and has been rubbing.

Is it safe to use the door with one cable?

No. The door can twist, jump the track and come down hard. Leave it where it is and call us.

Can I replace a garage door cable myself?

Cable replacement means releasing spring tension, which is the dangerous part. We do not recommend it.

What Clients Say

4.9 average on Google · 312 reviews

Spring snapped on a Sunday morning and a tech was at the house before noon. He showed me the worn part, replaced both springs, and the door is quieter than it has been in years.
Rachel M. · Newton CentreGoogle
We had three quotes for a new double door. M&A was not the cheapest, but they were the only ones who measured the opening and explained the insulation rating. Installed in one afternoon.
David K. · WellesleyGoogle
Opener died the week we listed the house. They matched the remote to the new unit, programmed the keypad, and cleaned up the old hardware without being asked.
Priya S. · BrooklineGoogle
Door came off track after my son backed into it. They straightened the track, replaced two rollers and the bottom panel. Honest about what could be saved.
Tom & Laura B. · NeedhamGoogle
Called at 10:30 at night because the door was stuck open and it was snowing. Someone actually picked up. Fixed the cable by midnight.
Marcus J. · WalthamGoogle
Annual tune-up. Lubricated everything, adjusted the opener force, and told me the springs had maybe a year left. No pressure to replace them that day.
Ellen R. · NatickGoogle
Opener motor was grinding for weeks before it finally quit. New belt-drive unit installed same day, and it's whisper quiet now compared to the old chain drive.
James O. · WatertownGoogle
Torsion spring let go with a bang while I was in the driveway. Called around 8am, tech was there by 11 with the right size spring already on the truck.
Linda P. · CambridgeGoogle
Replaced our old wood door with an insulated steel one. They measured twice, explained the R-value difference, and the install crew cleaned up better than I expected.
Carlos M. · FraminghamGoogle
Door came off the track after a branch fell on it during a storm. Tech realigned the track and swapped two bent rollers in under an hour.
Susan W. · LexingtonGoogle
Door was so loud it woke the baby every time. Turned out to be worn rollers and a dry chain. Lubed everything and replaced the rollers, and now it's almost silent.
Brian K. · DedhamGoogle
Keypad stopped accepting the code after a power outage. Tech reprogrammed it on the spot and showed me how to reset it myself next time.
Nancy F. · BelmontGoogle
We run a small auto shop and the roll-up door jammed halfway through the morning. They got someone out within two hours so we weren't losing a full day.
Anthony R. · ArlingtonGoogle
Cable snapped and the door was hanging crooked. They replaced both cables and the drums, not just the one that broke, so it wouldn't happen again on the other side.
Karen L. · WestonGoogle
Backed the car into the bottom panel. They matched the paint almost exactly and had a replacement panel in stock, no waiting on a special order.
Mike D. · QuincyGoogle
Door froze stuck halfway open during that cold snap in January. Someone came out that same night and got us closed up and secure.
Diane C. · SudburyGoogle
Scheduled a routine tune-up and the tech caught a spring that was close to failing before it became an emergency. Glad he checked instead of just oiling the tracks.
Robert V. · MiltonGoogle
New smart opener with the phone app. Tech walked me through setup and made sure it connected to WiFi before he left, not just a quick install and gone.
Patricia N. · NorwoodGoogle
My own fault, clipped the door with the mirror backing out. They gave me an honest price up front and didn't try to upsell a whole new door when a panel swap would do.
Frank E. · WoburnGoogle
We've been on their annual maintenance plan for three years. Never had a breakdown since we started, and they always call ahead before the appointment.
Grace D. · WinchesterGoogle

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