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tamu77

chain link fence gate not closing

tamu77
15 years ago

I have recently bought a house that has both a 3' single gate and a wide double gate on a chain link fence that do not fully close and latch. The gates need another half-inch or so between the posts. Any ideas on how to rememdy the problem? Can the gate be narrowed? Does a post have to be moved by removing a link in the fence to shorten the fence?

Comments (2)

  • goodhors
    15 years ago

    Not sure where you are located. We notice gate changes in the winter on our chain link fences. Cold tightens fence wire. May move the posts with ground feezing around the cement, holding posts in place.

    Are the gates on the hinge pins straight? Ours will turn within the clamped hinge part, as gates get slammed to open or shut, maybe big dog jumps on gate, pushing the frame sideways. You have to then get hinge clamps back straight on gate frame with the rubber hammer. That can give you almost 2 inches more, in widening the gate within gate opening.

    You can probably use a pulley or come-along to move posts together. Do remember the posts are thin metal, can bend or fold on the pull points, under too much strain. Pulling lower on posts, might move the tops easier, with less chance of folding. Pulling tops too far, will remove the top tubing from the caps on each end, holding chain link up.

    If you are in a cold area, I would wait till later, when the ground is thawed, mudless, see how gate posts have settled then. You might get some helpful information from a fence company, calling to ask about fixing the gate opening width.

    Good luck.

  • tamu77
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I basically solved the problem using the suggestion of someone who came by to look at grading the yard. He suggested rotating the hinge pins on the post to the side of the post away from the fence wire of the post. That got enough clearance on the 3'-wide gate to fully close and latch the gate although the latch still hits the post when lowering the latch into the latched position. We'll be able to fully correct the problem after taking down the fence when the yard is graded to drain water away from the house. I was able to get the clearance on the double gate by rotating the hinges also.

    Thanks for the suggestion to straighten the hinge pins. I wasn't clear that the problem is one of not enough clearance rather than too much clearance. So I am having to rotate the hinge pins from being in line with the fence to out of line. I am in northern Oklahoma. I think in this case any shift in the gate posts might be due to drought rather than cold because the problem was exiated last summer too.

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