broken gate- how would you fix?
 

We came home tonight and noticed that our electric gate was broken. How would you fix it if it were you? I attached a picture of where it broke. I was thinking about drilling a hole through it and threading a rod to reconnect the two pieces. I would just need to find someone that could help me with that though.

Suggestions? Gate opener mechanism is from Rutland which apparently went out of biz.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1325646373.jpg

Thanks,
Neil

Pictures of the pieces that thing connects to please.

It's difficult to tell without knowing what the other side of that break connected to. Your suggestion of a threaded rod might be the best solution.

Edit - Jason beat me to the first reply

A threaded rod will be difficult to match up both sides with precision.
A 90deg drill guide might help drilling, as will shiming/clamping the pieces in place for marking, but the fix will be weaker(smaller diameter) than the original.

Camfering the edges and adding a perimeter weld would be stronger, IMO.

Weld it.

This look like it?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1325648482.jpg

That's it Pete! I'll take a picture of the other end in the morning. I wish I could just buy the hydraulic part alone and not a whole new kit.

I assumed the frame pivot was iron/steel as well, because hollow square aluminum will usually break before a 3/8-3/4" steel stud.
Check with a magnet?

Linear actuator: Surplus Center

Match up the voltage and the stroke?

Superglue!

it is simple to fix...using a welding machine

Is the inside of that piece threaded into the pinned end that has broken off? Some of them were adjustable by threading the connecting end in/out.
What type of metal is the outside/inside?
If both ends are decent steel, maybe sleeve the broken end to the actuator and weld it up.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1325684998.jpg

I'm assuming here that This Piece is screwed into That Piece and This and That and The Other are all steel. If that is correct, get a bolt or piece of threaded rod that is the same as This Piece, take the threaded rod or bolt and The Other Piece to your friendly local welding shop and have the new threaded piece welded to The Other piece. Screw it all back together.

^^^ This.....or that......or the other :D

The answer to all of life's questions is McMaster carr.

My bet is you can find one of these that will work.
McMaster-Carr

Could you gently heat the aluminum with a small flame but not the steel inside then try and back the steel out with a bolt extractor? Of course you would need to have it in a vise.

What do you think caused it? Weak design? Does the gate open and close smoothly?

There is a slight bending force up for push and down for pull on every operation. Plain fatigue.

Here is a picture of the offending parts. It looks like they used cheap "pot metal" to connect the two pieces. I think Sammy's idea of getting a replacement part similar to McMaster sounds like the way to go. I will need to find a machine shop that can drill and tap a hole in the existing part.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1325699084.jpg

Thanks,
Neil

If you're going to tap a hole, why not 2? Connect with all thread.

BTW McMaster Carr sells all kinds of rams and actuators too ;)

I've been to their warehouse in Santa Fe Springs, you can't see the other end on an overcast day :rolleyes:

Anuther thing that's cool about mcmaster carr: if you want something and it's not in their catalog, you can call them and tell them what you want and they'll go out and find it for you and send you a quote,m usually within an hour. They have a team of buyers who do just that, find stuff for customers that isn't in their catalog.

I recently wanted to buy a new direct replacement hydraulic pump, motor, 3 way control, and reservoir system for the old 120 ton hydraulic press in my shop.

McMaster Carr didn't stock it but i gave them the brand and model number, an hour later I get an e-mail with a price that's about 10% lower than the prices I found on line. IIRC is was just under $2400.
A little over a week later it was delivered to my shop.