# Help with sagging gate



## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I had a double wide gate installed last year between my driveway and my back yard. This year, one side of the gate is dragging pretty badly. I would say it needs to come up almost an inch.










I have tried to play around with loosening certain bolts propping the gate up, then re-tightening the bolts but I am not having much luck. I am trying to avoid removing the gate and cutting 1" off the bottom with my circular saw, but maybe that is my best answer.

Could someone suggest what bolts I need to unloosen (1-6 on each hinge) and how I can go about fixing this?










Thanks!:thumbup:


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

It sounds like you gates have racked and are out of square Buy 4- 1/4" eye screws.Attach one in each top corner of the stiles on the hinge side and one at the and one at the bottom of the stiles of the center of the gates.Run a piece of garage door cable or #9 wire between the eyelet with a turnbuckle in the middle.The turnbuckle will allow you to tighten and square the gate.Garage door cable is better because the #9 wire will stretch some over time.
The stiles are the vertical 2X4 on the inside of the gate which frame the panels.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

Got it - saggy gate. I see they also sell kits for this, maybe I can just use one of those. If not, then essentially I am performing something like this with the garage wire/turnbuckle:



















I assume I should prop up the gate square so I know it closes and then attach the wire/sag kit.


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

Yes.Make sure your turnbuckles are most of the way out when you attach them so you have enough adjustment.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

It also looks to me as if there is a gap opening up between the top of the gate and the fence, and that the same things is occurring on the left gate, so you're not off base in looking at the hinges as well. Personally, for this application, I like a hinge more like the one in the picture of the wire kit that you posted, maybe even a size or two larger, because I think they are stronger overall, and the longer hinge pin is going to wear better. And I would make sure that the bolts I used filled the holes in the hinges, which may require drilling them out just a bit, because the gates will sag, so I like to at least eliminate any slop where the hinges connect. You might also consider a wheel on each gate; done properly, I have never thought of them as strange or whatever.


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

Good point.My advice on the turnbuckles was assuming the hinges were secured and set properly.There are some pretty good gaps at the top.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Basically all gates will do this. AdjustAGate addresses this problem, although it is kind of expensive.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

I bought new hinges and two anti sag kits. Threw in better cable clamps too. Will see how it all works. Going to try and do the anti sag thing first and then replace hinges next if needed.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Keep us updated. I'm curious to see how it works out. I have a saggy gate as well.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

r0ckstarr said:


> I have a saggy gate as well.


Sounds personal :laughing:

I will post back in a week or so when I have a chance to fix it. Right now I am dealing with an electrical project. The fun never ends...


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## PaulBob (Dec 5, 2008)

Your gate is sagging because the diagonal brace is going the wrong way!

It appears that your diagonal brace runs from the top hinge down.. THAT IS BACKWARDS! 

The brace is supposed to run from the bottom hinge UP.... That way, the weight of the gate is pushing on the bottom hinge.. The way you have it, the weight of the gate is pulling on the top hinge. 

Or did I not see something?

Here is the correct way:










THIS IS THE WRONG WAY


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

^ That makes a lot of sense with the pics you posted. I figured out the problem to mine. Lack of diagonal brace! Mine has 3 horizontal braces.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

PaulBob said:


> Your gate is sagging because the diagonal brace is going the wrong way!


That makes perfect sense - but it never occurred to me! Of course I don't build gates for a living. When I have to put one in, I use AdjustAGate. But I'll keep this in mind :thumbup:


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## PaulBob (Dec 5, 2008)

r0ckstarr said:


> ^ That makes a lot of sense with the pics you posted. I figured out the problem to mine. Lack of diagonal brace! Mine has 3 horizontal braces.


I thought that was your gate!!! LOL... 

No brace is even worse than a wrong way brace... 

That diagonal brace is everything.. The top and bottom rails are NOT braces.. they are just there to keep all the boards straight.. The diagonal brace is the load bearing part of the gate. 

Hope that helps!


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

PaulBob said:


> I thought that was your gate!!! LOL...
> 
> No brace is even worse than a wrong way brace...
> 
> ...


You took the words right out of my mouth! The diagonal must be installed as you have shown in your drawing, and bolts with large flat washers or split ring connectors are recommended to distribute the load. Great Post! (no pun intended)


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

I haven't posted any pics of mine. I didn't build it, but I can fix it. I may just take it completely apart and rebuilt it the correct way.



OhmZoned said:


> Sounds personal :laughing:


Read the thread title, lol. :laughing:


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

Here is my gate - sorry for the confusion. Since I Have two diagonal bars I wonder if the gate is sagging or if the strap hinge is the problem. I have the materials to replace the hinges and also an anti-sag kit.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Armed with the new knowledge gained in this thread, I'd say the problem with this gate is the supports are separated and don't go all the way to the bottom hinge. There should be one long support, not 2 separate ones. But 2 supports are better than none, I guess.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

So now I am a bit confused actually.... which way would the anti-sag kit go? Would it be option #1? or Option #2? Option #2 looks like it would pull the far side of the gate up, and then the physics of load transference would bring the weight to the bottom hinge. However, looking at option #1, the load is supported by using the anti-sag cable.



















:confused1:


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

There are 2 different ways to support the gate. If using a brace against gravity, then #1 is the right way to go. The bottom hinge supports the top right of the gate. The same concept as a shelf support.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/images/item/hardware/storage/00s0652s2.jpg

If using a cable, #1 does nothing to help. It just pulls the upper right down in the direction of the lower hinge. A cable and a support are opposite things. A support, since it is solid, exerts a force in the opposite direction of gravity, up and out toward the upper right side. This is obviously impossible with a cable since a cable is flexible. A cable can only tighten and exert a force in and down. If using the cable, #2 is the way to go. The upper hinge is stable into the post, and the tightened cable pulls the bottom of the right side of the gate upward toward it.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks! Sounds like my plan of attack is to do option #2 to pull the sagging gate back towards the top hinge and let gravity transfer the weight in and down. Then, if it is still a problem, I will replace both hinges. :thumbsup:


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## PaulBob (Dec 5, 2008)

jeffnc said:


> There are 2 different ways to support the gate. If using a brace against gravity, then #1 is the right way to go. The bottom hinge supports the top right of the gate. The same concept as a shelf support.
> http://www.leevalley.com/en/images/item/hardware/storage/00s0652s2.jpg
> 
> If using a cable, #1 does nothing to help. It just pulls the upper right down in the direction of the lower hinge. A cable and a support are opposite things. A support, since it is solid, exerts a force in the opposite direction of gravity, up and out toward the upper right side. This is obviously impossible with a cable since a cable is flexible. A cable can only tighten and exert a force in and down. If using the cable, #2 is the way to go. The upper hinge is stable into the post, and the tightened cable pulls the bottom of the right side of the gate upward toward it.




ya.. that...


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## PaulBob (Dec 5, 2008)

OhmZoned said:


> Thanks! Sounds like my plan of attack is to do option #2 to pull the sagging gate back towards the top hinge and let gravity transfer the weight in and down. Then, if it is still a problem, I will replace both hinges. :thumbsup:


The gate sag kit is a temporary fix that probably does nothing more than take a consumers cash and give them a temporary band-aid.

Your best option, your cheapest option, and your most permanent solution is to simply rebuild the gate the way its supposed to be.

Take the sag kit garbage back and exchange it for some decking screws of appropriate size.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

So in otherwords, take the gate off, square it up, reinforce it with a 2x4 that goes from the upper corner to the opposite corner at the lower hinge (like the red line in option #1), and replace the hinges with better hinges.


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## PaulBob (Dec 5, 2008)

OhmZoned said:


> So in otherwords, take the gate off, square it up, reinforce it with a 2x4 that goes from the upper corner to the opposite corner at the lower hinge (like the red line in option #1), and replace the hinges with better hinges.


Yes, that would be best...


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

My gates are just like yours, but without the diagonals. This is a great thread. It pushes me to fix something I didn't know how to fix, and have been putting off on looking into fixing.


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

Darn. Just remembered.... There's a gate on the other side of the yard!


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

OhmZoned said:


> Darn. Just remembered.... There's a gate on the other side of the yard!


I have 3 total. Guess we're in the same boat. :laughing:


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## ghostlyvision (May 11, 2011)

OhmZoned said:


> Darn. Just remembered.... There's a gate on the other side of the yard!


LOL Is it built correctly?


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## OhmZoned (Oct 30, 2011)

ghostlyvision said:


> LOL Is it built correctly?


Of course not. But it is only a single gate. So a bit less sagging.


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## ghostlyvision (May 11, 2011)

OhmZoned said:


> Of course not. But it is only a single gate. So a bit less sagging.


Well, guess you've got 3 to make improvements to. Before you know it you'll get mighty good at it. :thumbsup:

I suppose I should check our two gates, one 'came with the hosue', the other we had built and installed so there was access to both sides of the back, the old one sticks a lot but I never thought to look at the bracing.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

jeffnc said:


> There are 2 different ways to support the gate. If using a brace against gravity, then #1 is the right way to go. The bottom hinge supports the top right of the gate. The same concept as a shelf support.
> http://www.leevalley.com/en/images/item/hardware/storage/00s0652s2.jpg
> 
> If using a cable, #1 does nothing to help. It just pulls the upper right down in the direction of the lower hinge. A cable and a support are opposite things. A support, since it is solid, exerts a force in the opposite direction of gravity, up and out toward the upper right side. This is obviously impossible with a cable since a cable is flexible. A cable can only tighten and exert a force in and down. If using the cable, #2 is the way to go. The upper hinge is stable into the post, and the tightened cable pulls the bottom of the right side of the gate upward toward it.


You could just say that The wood diagonal is in compression, and the cable is in tension, I suppose.


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