$63.41 trailer gate assist w/ pics

[Grits]

Parts from Home Depot costs: $63.41 after tax

You could probably do it a little cheaper but I went as heavy duty as I thought I could get away with.

The pics aren't the best because I have a crappy camera and I was outside at night. But here they are anyway.

I used a 160 lb spring, the biggest they had.

I fabricated the pulley set-up. I bought 2 awning pulleys and grinded the rivet off so I would have just the "wheel" part. I took some flat stock and cut to size and mounted the 2 "wheels" in it.

I used 1/4" cable with the coating on it. 3 clamps on each end with thimbles.
5/16" chain and quick links.

Galvanized fence post for spring housing.

Spots of it are in primer right now awaiting the finish coats of black.

The cable does rub the corner a little bit when the gate is down. I will probably get a pulley and install it recessed in the corner. I'll figure something out.

It works pretty good. I can't lift the gate with one finger like they show in the ads of all the retail lifts. But I can easily lift and lower with one hand and it will definitely be a back saver. Lots better than spending 3 times as much for one!!

[stuffdeer]

Looks good, Except for one thing.

That cable doesn't look good rubbing on the trailer like that.

[stevesmowing]

Thats awesome. I love fabricating things up myself. I will be adding that to the list of things to do. Why did you use chain where it attaches near the gate? Why not just run the cable the whole way. Also I have a trailer and the top rail instead of angle iron is a 2.5" round tube stock. I wonder if I could house the spring right inside of that?

[1cooltreeguy]

Looks good, Except for one thing.

That cable doesn't look good rubbing on the trailer like that.

Ditto:usflag:

[sildoc]

yeah I would move the pully back a ways. You wont be disapointed in haveing the gate assist. First thing I do with a new trailer is put one on. Makes such a big difference.

[Grits]

Looks good, Except for one thing.

That cable doesn't look good rubbing on the trailer like that.

I know. I have an idea on how to remedy that problem. Just couldn't do it tonight....it got too late.

[Grits]

Thats awesome. I love fabricating things up myself. I will be adding that to the list of things to do. Why did you use chain where it attaches near the gate? Why not just run the cable the whole way. Also I have a trailer and the top rail instead of angle iron is a 2.5" round tube stock. I wonder if I could house the spring right inside of that?

I used chain because that enables you to adjust the tension very easily for fine tuning it.

Heck yeah. You should definitely be able to use your trailer's top rail to put the spring inside. That would make for a very clean set-up.

[Runner]

Yep. Just move the pulley hanger back a little bit, and you will clear the back of the trailer. This is one of the measurements we always have to make when we do the measurements of trajectory of where the gate swing/cable connection is going to be located. We always put the cable as far down toward the end of the gate as possible (more lift leverage) without exceeding the maximum amount of length-stretch the spring is supposed to have (every spring has a length rating). Looks good thogh! Nice job!

[Grits]

Fixed the rubbing.
Funny thing is, that is where I had tack welded it to begin with and moved it! Why?.....I thought for some reason it would be better back further????? BrainFart!!

Here's pics of the improvement.

[Grits]

Yep. Just move the pulley hanger back a little bit, and you will clear the back of the trailer. This is one of the measurements we always have to make when we do the measurements of trajectory of where the gate swing/cable connection is going to be located. We always put the cable as far down toward the end of the gate as possible (more lift leverage) without exceeding the maximum amount of length-stretch the spring is supposed to have (every spring has a length rating). Looks good thogh! Nice job!

Thanks!
Yeah, it takes a little tinkering with it to tune it where it needs to be. I got it now, though. I was hoping to be able to lift i with my foot, but it is still too heavy to do that. But I can easily lift it with one hand and minimum effort.

[jbell113]

Thanks!
Yeah, it takes a little tinkering with it to tune it where it needs to be. I got it now, though. I was hoping to be able to lift i with my foot, but it is still too heavy to do that. But I can easily lift it with one hand and minimum effort.

I was wondering...Do you have to put a spring on both sides of the trailer or just one side?

[jbell113]

Thanks!
Yeah, it takes a little tinkering with it to tune it where it needs to be. I got it now, though. I was hoping to be able to lift i with my foot, but it is still too heavy to do that. But I can easily lift it with one hand and minimum effort.

I was wondering...Do you put a spring on both sides of the trailer or just one side?

[Grits]

I was wondering...Do you put a spring on both sides of the trailer or just one side?

I used 1 spring on 1 side of the trailer. You can put one on the other side of the trailer and I imagine it would make the gate dang near feather light. However, I don't want to clutter up my rail space with the assist. So I chose to put it on just the one side. It still makes a big difference just having one spring.

[RonB]

Also I have a trailer and the top rail instead of angle iron is a 2.5" round tube stock. I wonder if I could house the spring right inside of that?

That's what I did ..

[AbsoluteH&L]

very nice, both of you

[stevesmowing]

That's what I did ..

ron, do you have any more pics?

[Runner]

Thanks!
Yeah, it takes a little tinkering with it to tune it where it needs to be. I got it now, though. I was hoping to be able to lift i with my foot, but it is still too heavy to do that. But I can easily lift it with one hand and minimum effort.

What size of spring are you using? With ours, you can just lift with your foot, and it comes right up to you.

[Grits]

What size of spring are you using? With ours, you can just lift with your foot, and it comes right up to you.

I bought the biggest they had. I think 160 lb. Any suggestions?

[Grits]

Any suggestions, Runner?

[bigtex]

When People Ask Me What It Is (my Spring Assist) I Tell'em Its A Grenade Launcher, So Stay Off My Ass!

[Runner]

Sorry...haven't been on. As far as suggestions, you got the right size! Now, with mine, because of the tension on the gate/spring,...the corner of my gate actually sticks up just a but, but SO WHAT! lol It sue doesn't hinder the loading or unloading of anything. One thing I WOULD like to suggest, though...when lowering this gate, please get into the habit of staying on the opposite side of the trailer of what the lift is on. Stay away from the end of that tube. Otherwise, when you lower the gate, it puts your face and head right down near the shooting range of that thing.Tell and train your employees if you have any, the same thing. If that thing ever let go, (and stuff happens), it would lay someone's head right open, if not take it off.

[RonB]

One thing I WOULD like to suggest, though...when lowering this gate, please get into the habit of staying on the opposite side of the trailer of what the lift is on. Stay away from the end of that tube. Otherwise, when you lower the gate, it puts your face and head right down near the shooting range of that thing.Tell and train your employees if you have any, the same thing. If that thing ever let go, (and stuff happens), it would lay someone's head right open, if not take it off.


This is an excellent point. My cable broke once at the cable clamp, it would be bad no doubt to get whipped with a steel cable. Put the gate pin (whatever) on the other side.

[Runner]

Yeah, I run two gate pins, but the left side is always the last to be pulled. Some people have put bolts (or eyebolts) in at the end of the pipe for protection, but even with that, it is just safer to avoid the area. You get into the habit, after awhile.

[captken]

You will wish you hadn't used plastic coated wire. The plastic will crack and peel off, letting water into the wire. The wire will fray and the cable will break.
Trust me on this one. I did the same thing and it will fail.

I replaced the wire when mine became frayed. That is the first sign that it is degrading.

This is a link to some pics of the one I built. This was after I replaced the plastic coated wire I got at Home Depot.

I upgraded to stainless steel non coated 3/8" it last longer. If you run your mower up the ramp to change blades, be careful of rubbing the wire with the mower deck, it will fray the wire.

here is the link with pictures

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=74847&highlight=captken

Do it right and you will wonder how you got along without it.

Bigger is better when it comes to the wire.

[Grits]

You will wish you hadn't used plastic coated wire. The plastic will crack and peel off, letting water into the wire. The wire will fray and the cable will break.
Trust me on this one. I did the same thing and it will fail.

I replaced the wire when mine became frayed. That is the first sign that it is degrading.

This is a link to some pics of the one I built. This was after I replaced the plastic coated wire I got at Home Depot.

I upgraded to stainless steel non coated 3/8" it last longer. If you run your mower up the ramp to change blades, be careful of rubbing the wire with the mower deck, it will fray the wire.

here is the link with pictures

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=74847&highlight=captken

Do it right and you will wonder how you got along without it.

Bigger is better when it comes to the wire.

In the link you say you upgraded to 3/16" aircraft cable. Right now I am using 1/4" cable. It isn't aircraft cable but it is a little bigger than what you are using, so it should last a while. I will keep an eye out for some aircraft cable though. I wasn't sure if I wanted the coated cable or not, but I went with it anyway. I have seen your set-up before when I was researching this subject. That's where I got the idea to use an eyebolt for a fairlead. Also to use thimbles and 3 clamps. I did away with the gate pin on the spring side, the spring holds that side quite well in the closed position. So I just have to unlatch / latch on the driver's side for safety.
As far as the minor problem of not being able to lift it with my foot. I think it could be that the spring is not quite stretched enough in the down position. But to remedy this I would have to move all the cable clamps and re-position it all. Which I do not feel like doing right now. Maybe when I am not too busy. It is still a great improvement over stock. I was thinking about it yesterday at about 7pm when I was STILL out mowing. Lifesaver, especially when you are nearly exhausted.

[martinfan06]

Sorry...haven't been on. As far as suggestions, you got the right size! Now, with mine, because of the tension on the gate/spring,...the corner of my gate actually sticks up just a but, but SO WHAT! lol It sue doesn't hinder the loading or unloading of anything. One thing I WOULD like to suggest, though...when lowering this gate, please get into the habit of staying on the opposite side of the trailer of what the lift is on. Stay away from the end of that tube. Otherwise, when you lower the gate, it puts your face and head right down near the shooting range of that thing.Tell and train your employees if you have any, the same thing. If that thing ever let go, (and stuff happens), it would lay someone's head right open, if not take it off.

Great advice there..........I have seen those springs come undonenever seen it hit any one (thankfully),but it would suck to get to be in that area.

[captken]

In the link you say you upgraded to 3/16" aircraft cable. Right now I am using 1/4" cable.

I was thinking about it yesterday at about 7pm when I was STILL out mowing. Lifesaver, especially when you are nearly exhausted.

Amen to that! When its 90+ degrees and you raise that gate by yourself all day, should be standard equipment for any outfit. Unless your doing this for physique:weightlifter:

As to the 3/16" cable, that was a typo. I use 3/8 stainless now. 3/16th? what was I thinking???:confused:

later, kenny.

[TN Property Services]

Wow, you guys are pretty handy. I'll interject one idea though, if you have springs on each side of the gate, Tie a section of rope through the mesh and anchor to one of the structural members of the gate (so you don't start tearing the mesh or breaking the tack welds) to lift and lower the gate with. This will put you in the middle of the gate and out of harms way should s spring failure occur.

[Runner]

Oh, you mean like a loop handle in the middle to lift?

[ed2hess]

Wow, you guys are pretty handy. I'll interject one idea though, if you have springs on each side of the gate, Tie a section of rope through the mesh and anchor to one of the structural members of the gate (so you don't start tearing the mesh or breaking the tack welds) to lift and lower the gate with. This will put you in the middle of the gate and out of harms way should s spring failure occur.

Or take a page from the garage door lifter spring safety device and run a cable down through the middle of the spring and to hold it in place when- not/if- it breaks.

[Darrin A.]

I just got a used Heavy Hauler 6'7" X 12' open trailer with 5' split gates. These gates are EACH heavier than the one on my 5 X 8 trailer. Could this work, SAFELY, on mine?

[Rizzo]

I ran my springs directly with no cables or pullies. I used heavy duty bungy shock cord down the center of the springs for a safety. The shock cord doesn't go slack like rope or chains.

[Runner]

ExTREMEly dangerous! There are some pics of similar setups like that on here, and they are an accident waiting to happen...A BAD accident. Man, PLEASE reconfigure it...

Grits, It just occurred to me,...and I don't know WHAT I was thing...(or not thinking). All you have to do is take up a little more tension on your spring. Just a little makes a larger difference when in is pulled and extended. When I first set them, I have someone pull on the cable just a bit - pulling the spring a little bit. This way, it gives some slack, and even then you pull tight to keep tension while you tighten up the clamps (always use ATLEAST two..even better, three). Anyway, the spring should end up with a little bit of tension on it...even when the gate is all the way up. Remember when I mentioned that when the gate is down, that my corner of the gate sticks up just a bit? That is because the amount of tension. As long as you have the heavier spring on there, you should be alright. As long as the pull doesn't exceed the amount of length the spring should be pulled. This is determined by how far toward the end of the gate the eyebolt is for the cable. The further toward the end,- the larger the arc required, - the longer pull on the spring. Anyway, this tensioning up on the spring will be your answer. Do it, and it will bring a smile to your face.

[paul vroom]

How long will the spring last? I would think it would stretch out and lose tension rather quickly.

[Grits]

ExTREMEly dangerous! There are some pics of similar setups like that on here, and they are an accident waiting to happen...A BAD accident. Man, PLEASE reconfigure it...

Grits, It just occurred to me,...and I don't know WHAT I was thing...(or not thinking). All you have to do is take up a little more tension on your spring. Just a little makes a larger difference when in is pulled and extended. When I first set them, I have someone pull on the cable just a bit - pulling the spring a little bit. This way, it gives some slack, and even then you pull tight to keep tension while you tighten up the clamps (always use ATLEAST two..even better, three). Anyway, the spring should end up with a little bit of tension on it...even when the gate is all the way up. Remember when I mentioned that when the gate is down, that my corner of the gate sticks up just a bit? That is because the amount of tension. As long as you have the heavier spring on there, you should be alright. As long as the pull doesn't exceed the amount of length the spring should be pulled. This is determined by how far toward the end of the gate the eyebolt is for the cable. The further toward the end,- the larger the arc required, - the longer pull on the spring. Anyway, this tensioning up on the spring will be your answer. Do it, and it will bring a smile to your face.

Funny you should bring this up. I thought about it and did exactly this and it works GREAT now.

[Grits]

How long will the spring last? I would think it would stretch out and lose tension rather quickly.

It's a garage door spring. I have never seen a garage door spring wear out and lose tension. It will be fine.

[Rizzo]

The genie garage door springs are rated for 10,000 cycles and remember, the normal postition for a garage door spring is in the stretched position when the door is down...

[Runner]

Actually, what many people do, is install a large eyebolt at the end of the tube near where he end of the spring travel is - or even a large bolt just to the side of the cable. The idea behind this is to stop any throw of the spring in the event of a break.
As far what henry says,...he is correct on the topic he mentioned about the other companies.
Jack, you had mentioned something about not putting your family around that contraption. Check out THIS one, and it makes Grits look like NASA engineering. How would you like to work around or deal with this one....I wouldn't even WALK next to this thing without cringing.... http://www.trimmertrap.com/accessories/ga1.htm

[SoloSulkySurfer]

You gotta love some good old American ingenuity. Nice idea and clean fabrication.
:usflag: :usflag:

[bassfishin002]

Looks pretty sweet!!!

[Grits]

The spring I used is made to stretch. It is not a torsion spring. All the hardware is grade 5 or better. Everything was built to overkill. What more do you want?
What are you a spokesman for Elegator? That contraption is what looks dangerous. You come on here as a newbie (not being known) and expect people to take your advice as the end all. I don't think so. I have been fabricating and building things nearly all my life. So please don't worry about me, I'll be OK and so will my family....which I don't appreciate you making remarks about. I can get your IP number and find out where and who you are so please, no more comments about the welfare of my family.
Oh your in Columbus, Ohio. I lived near there for a couple years.

[Rizzo]

Anybody had a spring break? Either hooked to cable or not? Open or in a pipe? Who has had a finger pinched or lost a limb on a spring or cable breaking? What if the spring/cable breaks? What if earthworms had machineguns? Anyone? Beuller?

I'm not gonna say one is better than the other as far as designs go because you probably have a much greater chance of getting killed in a traffic accident than your choice of gate lifts... And I bet you use your cell phone and eat while driving even though that is unsafe.

I'm livin' on the edge so watch out for me and my garage door spring lift assisted trailer of death!

Grits- how are you liking your lift so far? I'm guessing it's great like my home made one and it feels great being a rebel, huh... Keep'um spinning!

[Rizzo]

Hope I don't get in trouble for my post overflowing with sarcasm...lol

[Grits]

Anybody had a spring break? Either hooked to cable or not? Open or in a pipe? Who has had a finger pinched or lost a limb on a spring or cable breaking? What if the spring/cable breaks? What if earthworms had machineguns? Anyone? Beuller?

I'm not gonna say one is better than the other as far as designs go because you probably have a much greater chance of getting killed in a traffic accident than your choice of gate lifts... And I bet you use your cell phone and eat while driving even though that is unsafe.

I'm livin' on the edge so watch out for me and my garage door spring lift assisted trailer of death!

Grits- how are you liking your lift so far? I'm guessing it's great like my home made one and it feels great being a rebel, huh... Keep'um spinning!

I love my lift. Makes a BIG difference, especially towards the end of the day!
I'm glad that I decided to make my own instead of spending 3 times as much for some "engineered" version.


garage door spring lift assisted trailer of death! :laugh:

[firefightergw]

By the way Grits, way to use the grey matter. Lift gate looks good.

[Grits]

By the way Grits, way to use the grey matter. Lift gate looks good.

Thanks! I just got a new camera. I'll try to remember to take some better pics and post them.

[Runner]

Wow....we lost our advertisers? I was just about to post on here again after they made the "non-professional" comments, but my router messed up a bit, and I had to reset. I had it all typed out, but it wouldn't post. I saved it to post, but I now see they are gone. Here it is...
Jack whoever you are: Please don't waste your time trying to convince people who are not professionals in the landscaping business what the real professionals already know. These professional wannabes believe that they are saving money when they take time away from their core business to "create" a jury-rigged system which would never hold up in a court of law if an accident happened. These people obviously do not make enough money in their business to afford quality equipment and need to cut corners any way they can to stay alive. They are very shortsighted in their thinking and will hopefully wise up before they or their workers get injured.

There we go. This just proved my point. People who are not professional? Professional wannabes? I've built and owned this company for 23 years. It has made me an honest but good living. I own my property, built my house, a nice shop, and have done things in my life that I am completely happy with. As far as taking time away from my core business to "create" a "jury-rigged" system (actually, the slang term is jerri rigged - not jury. Jury rigging happens in the criminal justice system - courts to be exact lol). Anyway, I will take a half hour out to build one of these units to save a hundred or so bucks. fabricaton and building things to work IS part of my business. I don't buy 100 dollar trimmer racks, either. As far as quality, strength, and safety go,...I'll put my gate lifts up against any lift system out there…especially any wide open contraption that looks to be a knock-off of the trimmertrap version, anyway.
But anyway, I didn't mean to come down so hard on the product in the earlier post. I do wish the best of luck to you, and hope you do well in your future sales. you DO need to get with the administrators to advertise here, though. Call it coincidental, or anything you want...but when you register, and do nothing but post to talk up your product, and Lord behold,...there is someone else who has registered and done nothing but talked up your product - registered a mere week apart, it is quite "odd" to say the least. It is not the first time this would have happened....there have been many attempts of this kind of thing.