Look at cables along their whole run

A cable rarely announces itself at a convenient point. It frays where it bends: at the pulley, at the guide, where it rubs a shroud that has shifted.

On a weekly look, watch the visible run while someone moves the handle slowly. On a monthly look, open what you are allowed to open and follow the cable. Broken strands are a reason to take the machine out of service. A shiny spot is a reason to note and watch.

Replace as a cable, not as a symptom

If you replace only the piece you can see, write exactly that, and why the rest was left. The next person should not assume the whole run is new.

Pulleys that squeal may be dry, or they may be eating the cable. Do not grease a pulley that the manual says must stay dry. If you have no manual, note what you did so it can be undone.

A cable failure is a safety fault. The machine stays closed until the replacement is fitted and the travel is tested through the whole range, not one easy repetition.