Altering wrought iron gates

[FifiGo]

Is the drive onto which it opens into level, or falling? My drive slopes up, and my the inner ends of my gates, have to rise as they open, to clear the drive....

I had to teach the specialist maker of my gates, how to make that happen.

It's all level thankfully..one less problem to negotiate!

 

[FifiGo]

OK, so maybe you could fix to your house brickwork on one side, and create some sort of a post on the other?
(I'm thinking of using Hook and Band hinges here - or at least, the hook) and trying to maximise your available space.
Fixing to an existing concrete post may not be as easy as you think as they are often heavily reinforced with steel bars in the middle, making drilling difficult.
John

Hi John,
Would the hook and band hinges work on a wrought iron gate? I'm not sure where they'd fasten to.
Think I could dig a smallish metal post into the fence side if I avoid where the concrete posts are. The drive is very old tarmac that's gonna need replacing in the next year or so anyways..and that's another post for another day! It's never ending!

 

[Burnerman]

Hanging any type of gate relies on great accuracy on the drilling and mounting of the hinges....as well as ensuring that any posts or whatever are completely plumb.
Any inaccuracy at the hinge end means the gates wont meet by a mile in the middle when they are closed.
The adjustable hooks that I have shown can help a lot here.......basically the original hook is cut off the new gates, a hole drilled where they were and the new hook bolted in - a perfectly simple procedure by a metalworker.
The new hooks - being threaded - allow for adjustment in the vertical plane.
Your house wall will support one gate without any problems - but the other post needs to be firm and secure......and completely plumb using a spirit level.
Don't let me put you off - none of this work is a big deal.
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Would the hook and band hinges work on a wrought iron gate? I'm not sure where they'd fasten to.

No, they would not work, and look rather odd if they did.

My gates, use a long threaded eye bolt, which drops onto a hook. The thread passes through the gate frame, with a nut either side of the frame. Adjusting the positions of the nuts, allows the gate to be carefully adjusted, for level, and to set the gap in the middle. If gate theft might be an issue, thread the upper end of the hook, fit a nut, and weld over it.

 

[Burnerman]

Threaded eye bolt is a much better term and I couldn't remember it!
Cheers Harry
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Threaded eye bolt is a much better term and I couldn't remember it!
Cheers Harry
John

This type of thing - https://www.liftinggeardirect.co.uk/long-shank-eye-bolts

 

[lostinthelight]

Ive shortened a few gates and found it easier deal with the weight by cutting the both hinge uprights off, fix posts or mounting hooks, hang hinge side uprights and get them swinging nicely. Once thats done, cut excess off both gate ends and weld them back on to hung uprights.

 

[scbk]

The gates look like mild steel not wrought iron, so easy to weld. Maybe an excuse to buy an inverter arc welder and do it yourself?

 

[FifiGo]

Well thank you everyone for all the amazing replies..really do appreciate it.
I spoke to 2 local metalworks to get a price to reweld the gate edges back on.
The first one basically told me to sod off..he wasn't interested in altering something bought elsewhere..blah blah..he makes gates and it was basically beneath him to do such menial work! Rude!
The 2nd said it would take 3-4 hours if I ground off the edge first and that would cost £150 to weld the 4 areas to reattach. I'm not sure if I should be shocked or if I'm just being a bit naive!
It's looking increasingly like I might have to give these gates a miss...

 

[Burnerman]

Blimey, that's a bit OTT - aren't people helpful anymore?
Do you have any diy gear at all - something to cut off the original eyes and re drill two holes on each gate to fix on the adjustable eye bolts?
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The 2nd said it would take 3-4 hours if I ground off the edge first and that would cost £150 to weld the 4 areas to reattach. I'm not sure if I should be shocked or if I'm just being a bit naive!

For comparison - My 11 foot wide gates cost £1000, 20 years ago, to have made and fitted. £150, will not pay for that much workshop time. Cheaper, might be someone who does a bit of welding, as an hobby. You might also be able to save, by doing the cutting yourself, and cleaning paint off, then repainting after.