Safety first. A steel sliding gate can weigh hundreds of kilograms. If it is off the track or leaning, do not try to lift it alone. Prop it so it cannot fall, keep children away and call for help. Release the motor with its key before you move the gate by hand.
Step 1: find out where it drags
Release the motor and slide the gate slowly through its full travel. Notice where it gets tight, scrapes or rises. Look at the bottom wheels, the track and the top guide rollers or guide post.
Common causes and fixes
Stones, sand or debris in the track
This is the easiest fix. Sweep and clear the rail. A small stone can lift a wheel off the track.
Worn or seized wheels
Worn grooves or failed bearings let the gate wobble and climb off the rail. Replace the wheels as a matched pair, the same size as the track profile.
Bent, loose or sunken track
Cars driving over the rail, or a weak concrete strip, can bend or sink the track. Then the gate runs downhill or binds. The track needs to be straightened or relaid level on a sound foundation.
Guide rollers out of line
Top guide rollers keep the gate upright. If they are loose, worn or out of line, the gate leans and the wheels can ride off. Re-align or replace them. Never take them away.
The gate frame itself has sagged
On long or heavy gates, weak frame sections or broken welds let the free end drop. Fixing this takes cutting and welding work: adding bracing, strengthening the bottom rail, or rebuilding the frame. It is a job for a workshop.
Rack pressing on the motor pinion
If the gear rack has dropped with a sagging gate, it can bind on the motor gear. The motor will then report collisions. See D5 Evo beep codes. Reset the rack gap after you fix the gate.
Check that the stops and anti-lift parts are there
A sliding gate should have end stops at both ends and parts that stop it being lifted off the track. These keep the gate from running off the end of the rail or being lifted out. If they are missing, add them.
We do this work: see welding repairs, re-hanging, new tracks and wheels.
Repair or replace?
Wheels, rollers and track work are usually worth repairing. If the frame is badly rusted or bent, a new gate can cost less over time. New Tshipiworks gates start from P6,000. See sliding gates.
Book a repair on WhatsApp. Send a photo or video of the gate, where it drags, and your suburb. WhatsApp +267 75 388 737