Gates can be notorious for sagging over time, especially if they are large and heavy.
In this DIY post, we’ll show you a quick, easy, and cost-effective solution to correct gate sag and hopefully prevent it from happening again in the future.
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Tools and Equipment
- Wire Cutters/Swaging Tool
- Drill Driver
- 4mm Drill Bit to suit chosen Fasteners and material you’re drilling into (i.e. timber, metal etc.)
- Adjustable Spanner
- Safety Goggles
- Pencil or Texta for marking holes
- Stainless Steel or Galvanised wire rope
- Balustrading Kit to suit gate frame (i.e. Metal or Wood etc.)
- 4 x Stainless steel or galvanised M4 bolts and nuts and washers
Please note: For maximum strength, we will be using bolts and nuts (M4) in this demonstration. You can also fix the wire eye straps with other appropriate fixings such as rivets or self-tapping screws for metal frames or appropriate length timber screws for a timber frame.
INSTALLATION STEPS
- Position the wire eye strap in the upper corner (hinge side (inside) of the gate and mark/screw holes. Place the other wire eye strap on the lower corner (opposite (inside) and mark/screw holes.
- Drill 4mm holes through both sides of the gate frame at the corners marked.
- Take the end of the wire rope, run it through the swage, around the thimble, back through the swage and clamp it with a swaging tool.
- Now that you’ve created a loop, place the wire eye strap through the loop and, using the appropriate length M4 stainless steel bolts and nuts, attach it to the bottom corner of the gate frame.
- Bolt the remaining wire eye strap to the inside top corner of the gate frame.
- Fully extend the turnbuckle. Take the remaining thimble and place it through the turnbuckle eye (it may require a flat-head screwdriver to pry open a little).
- Place the turnbuckle hook through the wire eye strap in the top corner. Reel off the wire rope at least 100mm past the turnbuckle eye and cut the wire rope. Place the swage over the wire rope, run the wire around the thimble and back through the swage. Pull the wire rope tight around the thimble and clamp the swage with the swaging tool. Cut off excess wire rope.
- Tension the turnbuckle till you get your desired result (i.e. the gate straightens up).
THE END RESULT
The end result is a gate that no longer sags, functions better and can be tightened from time to time as required to maintain the tension of the wire rope.
