One topic that every old, new, or potential gate owner should cover is the proper maintenance of a gate. Everyone knows that every great product requires care, and a gate opener
( for example: MIGHTY MULE 502 ) is no different. Let’s discuss some simple tech tips to keep your gate opener operating at its full potential for years to come.
For this entire discussion, we will be referring to the Estate Swing E-S1000 gate opener due to its popularity. If you have a linear actuator style gate opener, you may notice that your opener may stop and try to reverse when opening. This problem is occurring due to buildup on the screw drive, so we’ll tackle that problem first.
Heat and humidity can cause surface rust to form on your screw drive. To perform the task you need a screwdriver and Blaster’s Spray Garage Door Opener Lubrication (seen above). What you want to do first is extend the gate opener arm fully and remove the limit switch track. Spray just a small amount of the lubricant into the holes at the bottom of the tube assembly. To get an even coating of the lubricant, run the opener either manually or via remote. Repeat this process to ensure that the arm is sufficiently lubricated. Once your arm is gliding smoothly, re-attach the limit switch track and make sure the limit positions have not changed by operating the gate (adjust as necessary).
Now let’s shift our attention towards the piston and get that lubricated. This process requires two materials: WD-40 Specialist Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant and a rag. Grab your lubricant and spray it onto the piston surface. Now, using the rag spread the lubricant on the piston surface in its entirety. This process will help protect the rubber scrub seal and prevent any surface rust or corrosion. Once this is complete you are now halfway through the process.
While your silicone is curing from the previous step, you can now lubricate your post and gate brackets. This is often one of the most overlooked areas of proper gate maintenance, yet it is the easiest step. You just grab your WD-40 lubricant as mentioned in the previous step and apply a liberal amount to the opener’s pivot points. That wasn’t to bad, right?
Now we are on to the final step. We can now cover an area of the gate that should get the most attention: the lubrication of your gate hinge. Any high quality gate hinges will feature a zerk grease fitting, and now is the time to grease the ball bearings with your choice of grease. You can use anything from marine grease to any automotive grease. Just a quick note: when you are inspecting your hinges, be sure to place a level on your gate. You are doing this to ensure that your posts haven’t shifted over time causing stress on the opener.
By doing all these essential yet simple routine check-ups, you can extend the life of your system and prevent any issues down the road. We here at GateCrafters recommend performing these checkups every 3-months and the internal lubrication once a year. That’s all from “GateCrafters Tech Tips” for today. Watch the video below for a visual representation of the steps above.