Garage Door Cable Drums
There are three types of cable drums that correspond to three types of overhead-type garage doors: standard-lift, vertical-lift, and high-lift. Each cable drum is manufactured to help the garage door remain balanced as it opens and closes with the help of the torsion springs. See our How Vertical-Lift and High-Lift Garage Doors Work page for more information regarding these drums.
Standard-Lift Cable Drums
Standard-lift cable drums are flat for the most part. Toward the outside of the door, the last 3/4 of a turn or so on the grooves of the cable drum is slightly raised. This helps keep the garage door balanced as it begins to open. Pictured to the right is the 5-1/4" standard-lift cable drum (DR5250-018).
Standard-lift cable drums come in three diameters: 4", 5-1/4" and 8". Each cable drum also has another number associated with it which corresponds to the drum's cable capacity. Depending on the drum manufacturer, the number embossed in the drum will be in either inches or feet.
The 8" diameter cable drum, which has a cable capacity of 32-feet, can be ordered for either a 1" or 1-1/4" shaft.
Vertical-Lift Cable Drums
Vertical-lift cable drums are taller than standard-lift drums. When the garage door is closed, the cable is farther from the shaft. As the door opens, the cable wraps up on the drum and comes closer to the shaft (see How Vertical-Lift and High-Lift Garage Doors Work). Pictured to the right is the 11" vertical-lift cable drum (DR-1100-18).
Vertical-lift cable drums come in three outer diameters: 8-1/2", 11" and 13-1/2". Each cable drum also has another number associated with it which corresponds to the drum's cable capacity. Depending on the drum manufacturer, the number embossed in the drum will be in either inches or feet.
The 13-1/2" diameter cable drum, which has a cable capacity of 28-feet, can be ordered for either a 1" or 1-1/4" shaft.
High-Lift Cable Drums
High-lift cable drums have both a flat portion like the standard-lift drums and a raised portion like the vertical-lift drums. The cable runs on the raised portion while the garage door opens vertically then switches over to the flat portion when the door begins to run on the horizontal track (see How Vertical-Lift and High-Lift Garage Doors Work). Pictured to the right is the 6-3/8" high-lift cable drum (DR6375-164.html).
High-lift cable drums come in five diameters for the flat-portion: 4", 5-1/2", 5-3/4", 6-3/8", and 8". Each cable drum also has another number associated with it which corresponds to the drum's cable capacity. Depending on the drum manufacturer, the number embossed in the drum will be in either inches or feet.
The 6-3/8" diameter cable drum, which has a cable capacity of 13' 8", and the 8" diameter cable drum, which has a cable capacity of 10', both can be ordered for either a 1" or 1-1/4" shaft.
Prices Subject to Change
