What to Consider when installing a sliding Gate

Planning

The more time you spend at this stage the less mistakes made and time wasted doing rework, so spend a bit of time getting this part right. Any sliding gate has only a few key parts that need consideration - the track, the gate, guide support post or pier, receiver post or pier.

The automation section has many more considerations but just for the moment let’s concentrate our planning on the basics as they remain constant whether the gate is automated or not.

The first thing we need is two definable points to determine our gate opening. You may have existing posts, brick or concrete piers. If not you will need to allow for the installation of posts or piers to act as a receiver on closing and guide support.

Gate Construction

The easiest place to start is the bottom rail of the gate. The bottom rail is generally 100 x 50mm. This will give you more overall strength and added room if installing your motors gear rack at the bottom. Sides and top are typically 50 x 50mm. Gate fill is obviously a personal choice.

A pair of wheels will need to be installed at 25% in from each end of the gate. There are 2 types of wheels available. ‘Trapeze’ (high profile) is a wheel that bolts directly under your gate while ‘Support’ wheels need to be inserted into your bottom spin rail of the gate so only a portion of the wheel is exposed.
Perhaps the two most basic fundamentals of planning a track for a sliding gate are straight and consistent. I say consistent because it is not necessary for a track to be level left to right, but it must be consistent. In other words, if your driveway has a consistent drop from one side to the other of say 200mm, then the run off portion of your track must also fall 200mm so that the entire track, which is twice the length of your gate opening falls a consistent 400mm. No rises and falls but a smooth, consistent drop.

Straight is pretty much common sense. The centre of your track should generally be about 100mm from your guiding post or pier for a 50mm thick gate. This dimension will vary dependent on your gate thickness roller configuration.

Mounting your gate motor and gear rack

The most common method of motor mounting is to bolt down to a pre prepared concrete pad although most motors have a base plate available that can be installed in concrete beforehand with your track work making the bolt down procedure even simpler. Use a length of rack to position your motor in relation to the gate and take into account limit switch positioning.,

Once you have bolted the motor down securely use your manual override to put the gate into manual mode. Start at one end and use tek screws (supplied) to fasten your first length of rack centred over the pinion or sprocket. The rack should not sit directly on the pinion but have a 2-3mm gap between the pinion and the rack. Use a 1-1.2mm spacing washer under the 4 corners of the motor base plate while installing the gear rack, then remove these to do the final setup.
60893738_2759295450810957_3100769789878992896_n
61013535_2759295370810965_3237373380801855488_n
Slide the gate back and forth to ensure the first length is level. You can now slide the gate along until the pinion is about 80mm from the end of the first length of rack. Attach the next length of rack into the interlocking point of the first length of rack and position the other end of the rack on the pinion. You should now be able to fasten this length of rack at two points and move along to the next and subsequent lengths. You may need to cut the last length to suit. When all lengths are fitted, remove the spacing washers and re tight-en the motor to the ground. Check the operation of the rack before inserting all fasteners.