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Garage doors are precisely the pieces of equipment that would serve you for years. Yet, some occasional failures are hardly avoidable. A garage door pulley system is what wears out in the first place. The notable consequence is that the garage door opens part way only. The attempts to manually close or open it would only lead to the garage door jamming completely.
If this happened to you, and you are searching for a guide on how to repair a garage door pulley system, read this post to the end.
What a Garage Door Pulley System Actually Is
Garage Door Service
A pulley is an essential part of the garage door counterbalance system. It’s located on the extension of garage door springs. Typically, there are four pulleys on the door — one on each side of the top corners and one on the end of each torsion spring.
Four pulleys and cables are what makes up the moving part of a garage door system. They lift a door and move it along the belt. The primary purpose of the pulley is to allow the cable to raise significantly more weight and release this weight smoothly.
Why Could the Pulley System of a Garage Door Fail?
Although pulleys are designed to withstand extreme loads, there are some reasons that may cause garage door pulley breaking:
Reason #1
There are one or more bad bearings in one or several pulleys. The rollers along the shaft in the torsion springs normally withstand about 10,000 opening and closing cycles. Extreme wear of bearings leads to crushes that, as a result, have the garage door malfunctioning.
Reason #2
The pulley may not be centered on the bracket or bolt properly. The cause is mainly the wear around the bearing race, which one can notice without difficulty in the center of the pulley.
Reason #3
Once again, some additional types of damage to the cable pulley system may be caused by worn bearings. For one, you may notice a fraying cable, or the edge of the pulley may even be cut through by the very cord.
Residential or commercial garage door repair and inspection services are the best ways to deal with the issue. This way, you will protect your garage door from more severe consequences than a single malfunctioning pulley or a bearing.
How to Properly Repair a Garage Door Pulley System
Learn how to repair a garage door pulley by carefully examining the following steps:
Deactivate and Open the Garage Door
First, unplug the power cord and remove the fuse. Alternatively, flip a circuit breaker and then disengage the opener from the garage door. To do so, move them to the neutral position or remove the L-shaped drawbar arm.
After that, open the door in a non-harmful way. Avoid applying force in the middle. Instead, shift to the side of the door with the broken pulley and lift the door in a way that the top section does not catch it. Once the door is raised, wedge it open with a board or use a ladder or a broomstick to prevent it from falling.
Remove the Broken Pulley on The Top
The next step in repairing a garage door pulley system is to eliminate the malfunctioning component. Remove the cable clip from the hook and the pulley itself. Then, loosen the nut and the bolt of the pulley’s hold and disassemble the pulley.
Arrange the New Pulley
Now, you should put the new component in place. To achieve this, insert the bolt into the pulley, put it back, and tighten the nut on the bolt. Once you have secured the bolt, you may proceed to the next component.
Remove the Broken Pulley on the Cable
Pulleys on the cables are another breed. Use the screwdriver to loosen the rope. Once the bolt is removed, swap the old pulley with the new one while firmly keeping the pulley fork in its present orientation. Be sure not to rotate the cable to prevent the expansion of the torsion spring.
Put a new component in the pulley fork, insert the bolt inside, and tighten it as detailed above.
Attach the Cable Clip to the S-Hook
Pull the cable attached to the pulley to the extension spring. Then, place the clip of the cable back on the S-hook. If the spring sags below the track — shorten the cable length. Just take off the line, pull until it is tight, measure the distance to remove, slide the end through the middle hole, cut it, and tie its end tight.
Then, reinstall the cable clip on the S-hook. Make sure it is placed around the stationary pulley. After that, thread the remaining cable through the track. At the moment, you’re finished with replacing the pulley. Repeat the process with other top and cable pulleys.
Arrange the Door Back
Lower the door by a few inches and check the strength and integrity of the torsion springs. Then lower the door till it’s almost closed or dropped to the floor. Check the door level. Grease the top of the track and oil stationary pulleys as well.
After that, you may re-engage the operator and manually open and close the door to ensure that there are no problematic areas. Finally, power up your garage door back.
Even if you are well aware of how to replace the garage door pulley, do not neglect safety precautions. Under pressure, torsion springs and heavy doors can easily cause injuries if they fail or fall.
Consider STI Garage Door Your Trusted Partner
Garage Door Service
STI Garage Door provides reliable garage door spring repair and replacement services. We’ve been on the market for years, constantly delivering high-end garage door solutions for small to large-size businesses and individual customers.
STI Garage Door offers comprehensive options, including installation, replacement, repair, maintenance, insulation, and other services. We work with both residential and commercial property and garage door openers. Besides, you can expect us to complete a project of any complexity and even design and implement custom solutions. As an extra benefit, we work with the market-leading brands of garage door components only.
Contact us should you need assistance with any garage door project or simply installation or repair services.
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