Driveway Gates

xrob

Hi i have two large driveway gates approx 8 foot by 6 foot.
both have dropped and its very hard to close them.
they are hinged onto concrate pillairs and up about six years.
i tied a gate wheel but they were to heavy.
i live in west wicklow if anyone has any ideas or knows anyone in the area.

ponddigger

hi any photos. jack

xrob

Hhhttp://photos3.pix.ie/90/8F/908F501BD83442ECA4F4EA5968FAFD50-0000366595-0003351360-00500L-59AB79775EA34005B725A93A453A2C03.jpg

whizbang

Bad design. Get some steel cables made up in boatyard, with an adjuster built in.
Fix the cable from the bottom outer corner, up to the top hinge, put a hydraulic jack under the outer corner and jack it up, then tighten the cable.

Intertwine the cable between the uprights, otherwise the gate will twist!

xrob

i thought there might be an easier way than that.
wooden gates might be the answer here.

whizbang

Just Jack em up every couple of months;)

prospect

xrob wrote: »

i thought there might be an easier way than that.
wooden gates might be the answer here.

Nope,

Sort out the metal ones once, properly, and you are done.
I'd contact a local engineering company and get them to come out square them up and weld an bar at an angle across each gate. Re-Paint and bob's your ....

I bought 'the best' wooden gates available and I now regret not having gotten metal ones.

xrob

Thanks to both of you i wiil look for some one local to square them up.
just one thing is there any way i can be sure that's the problem.
it sound like the most likelyproblem.

prospect

If you have access to a set of ratchet straps you could square them up and see how it goes for a while.

But they should be square, regardless of all else, so you need to correct that.
Also, the gate posts need to be plumb, on each plane.

When closed, the inside edge of the gate should be plumb (and if square, then the bottom of the gate should be level).

And the ground over which the gate swings should also be level.

Ratchet Straps:

xrob

thanks for your advice it was great advice.
i will be trying the straps this weekend.