The International Cessna^® 170 Association

The steel wire ropes (cables) that lift my bifold hangar door are starting to fray, so I want to replace them. The door is a 48x16 steel bifold, and there are four 1/4" 7x19 galvanized cables.

The task seems straightforward: Cut cables to the same length as the old ones, clamp in the same way, and make sure all four tighten up exactly the same when the door starts up.

Any other advice (besides Stand Clear!)?

That's the way I have done it.

Never let anyone walk under door while it is in motion, EVER !!!!

I have the same arrangement of cables in my hangars , the cables are inspected every 3 months and all hinge points are greased and the cables are coated in grease also, this allows lubrication between the strands and stops corrosion. I raised a log book which is duelly noted and signed off by a independent person that inspection/maintenance has been carried . Reason being so we do not forget [time can slipp away] and for legal reasons etc "duty of care". I replace all cables every 3 years . We found a cable was broken 90% broken through on a sharp pulley direction change and a counter weight of 400 lbs was on this cable. The pulley size was changed to a much larger one and a tighter inspection time incorporated. so far so good.

When you purchase cable (steel or wire rope) you can specify "lubricated" cable, which has a core of hemp which has been soaked in lubricant. Each time the cable passes over a sheave/pulley or winds around a spindle, that lubricant is automatically re-applied.

All, thanks for the advice.

These cables are 14 years old, so they're past due. New cables shipped today, so they'll be installed within a week.

The existing cables had a strand core, not fiber, so that's what I ordered. Of course, hemp would be 100% legal here in Colorado!

If it is possible I would replace cable with lift straps. the hangar door people offer the conversion kit at a reasonable cost. much stronger, simple to spool the strap, and will
last for a long time.
Bill

As anyone who has had poly ropes/straps break without warning, I worry about the longevity of straps.
Wire rope cables may wear out from useage and that is easily evident by observation, but straps will deteriorate with age alone, and can fail without much observable warning.