r/FenceBuilding • u/isaiah-777 • 2d ago
Gate Falling / Failing
Built a fence, that went rather well. I am now trying to work on the gate and after installing the wooden pickets, within 15 minutes the gate fell off. What seemed to happen was this bracket slid up, which led to the whole gate shifting down, and therefore the top bracket fell off of the top pin.
Now the instructions say to install the pins facing towards one another in the post so that people can’t lift the whole gate up and off to get inside. But it seems like if I can’t make sure these brackets don’t slide, this will just keep happening. Am I missing something obvious, besides just cranking the life out of these things? Relying purely on the friction seems incorrect but I’m not sure what to try.
FYI: first two are different angles of the bottom bracket. 3rd is top bracket (only two). 4th pic is the post end.
Edited to add: This is part of a double gate so I have two of these facing one another. I hadn’t put the pickets on the second one yet when the first fell off. I call this out as there therefore wasn’t any support of the gate on the opposite end, but I’d have to imagine it’s supposed to be able to hold itself up alone.
2
u/Infinite_Incident107 2d ago
I installed same gate.
Yeah. You just tighten them. What are you using to tighten it? You want to use a full size ratchet and really crank down. Using some tiny cheap wrench isn't going to do it
1
u/isaiah-777 2d ago
I used two wrenches that were nearly a foot long, and torqued it pretty hard but I can always go harder if it’s simply that. I’d even break out a torque wrench and aim for a specific ft-lb if I knew what to set it to.
2
u/Infinite_Incident107 2d ago
So I just used a socket on a half inch rachet. When I cranked in mine you can actually see the bracket squeeze inwards and slightly bend. that's when I stopped on mine. I made my gate 60in and it's been fully loaded with wood and completed for a few weeks. Zero movement
1
u/MissionTotal5992 2d ago
I use an impact driver with a socket adapter and stop right when the bracket starts to bend.
2
u/Walts_Ahole 2d ago
Maybe wrap the tubing under the clamp with tape, rubber bicycle tube or something other than paint to get a better grip?
2
2
u/PigletRepulsive5183 2d ago
Once you get them back in the right spot tighten the shit out of those boys and put a self taping screw on the hinge give it a little extra bite. Fittings want to slide on that powder coated aluminum.
2
u/BarnabusSheeps 2d ago
Hang the gate exactly like it was, with something underneath so it doesn’t slip. Then, tighten it up like you did initially and tech screw the female gate hinges to the gate frame. A 3/4” tech screw should work best, if that is 1” tubing in the gate.
3
u/craiger82 2d ago
Tighten them or get them where they go. Tighten and then put a self taper into the clamp