Best gate, swing or slide?

[tater74]

I need to put up a gate into my place. I need 30 feet of width for occasional machinery.
I was thinking 2 6 foot gates, one manual swing gate and one automatic gate. My wife wants an automatic gate that slides.

Which is more reliable?

Thanks.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

Both are reliable, if installed properly. If it's on a hill, sometimes there isn't an option.

 

[tater74]

It is flat land.

Next question, is there a big difference in cost?

 

[callmefence]

I personally would go with the swing. Kiss.
The double is just as reliable though. Just a bit more pricey. And as farm mentioned the gates can be built out off square to fit any grade. Well the down hill on a swing can as well.
If 7- 8 inches of ground clearance is acceptable I prefer a cantilever style slider over the v-track style. Especially around any type of loose gravel.
Don't scrimp on installation or operator.
The wife won't be happy climbing the fence in the rain. .

 

[fence_it]

What machinery do you have that needs a 30ft opening? Openers usually don't work well with large gates. 2 12's or 2 14's might be the way to go if it would work. I have no experience with sliding gates, but the openers on swinging gates can work just fine if installed and adjusted properly.

edit: just to clarify you mean 2 16 foot gates in your original post?

 

[Brute 23]

All I am going to add to this is..... you get what you pay for. :tiphat:

 

[tater74]

Yes, 2 16 foot gates. The farmer that leases some of my land has some combines and cultivators that he brings in. I asked him for minimum clearance and he stated that 30 feet would be OK. I haven't seen 15 foot gates, so added the extra foot to each.

I would prefer the swing gate myself.

 

[Brute 23]

I would put one 16' on an opener for your use and let him get out and open the other when he brings the equipment in.

How is he driving down the road to come in to your property with his 30' header on the combine? What kind of cultivator is 30' that won't fold up?

 

[ddd75]

I would put one 16' on an opener for your use and let him get out and open the other when he brings the equipment in.

How is he driving down the road to come in to your property with his 30' header on the combine? What kind of cultivator is 30' that won't fold up?

you get over and move out of the way around here!

 

[callmefence]

I would put one 16' on an opener for your use and let him get out and open the other when he brings the equipment in.

How is he driving down the road to come in to your property with his 30' header on the combine? What kind of cultivator is 30' that won't fold up?

you get over and move out of the way around here!

All the row crop guys here demand double 16 foot gates. I've built a fair amount of double 20s....." yeeeaah 32' will work, but I have to slow down"

 

[Logar]

Neither is better - whatever fits the circumstance and the pocket book is the way to go.

When you over think it is when you get in to trouble.

Cheers

 

[TCRanch]

We have "regular" gates (so your wife gets whatever her heart desires) and large/heavy equipment gates, 2 of which are two 16' panels and 1 is nothing more than a barbed wire gate/opening. Unless you have a gianormous combine coming on your property every day they can get out of the cab & open the ugly one (preferably closing it behind them so the cows don't get out).

 

[tater74]

His cultivator folds up, but he has 4 fields within a half mile of each other and i don't think he wants to take the time to trail his 24' header for such a short distance.

 

[M-5]

I have 3 entrance of double 10 gates . It's good for anything but if I want building them today I would go double 16 .

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I would put one 16' on an opener for your use and let him get out and open the other when he brings the equipment in.

How is he driving down the road to come in to your property with his 30' header on the combine? What kind of cultivator is 30' that won't fold up?

Even a 15' foot piece of equipment needs around 30' opening to make a 90 degree turn.

 

[Brute 23]

I would put one 16' on an opener for your use and let him get out and open the other when he brings the equipment in.

How is he driving down the road to come in to your property with his 30' header on the combine? What kind of cultivator is 30' that won't fold up?

Even a 15' foot piece of equipment needs around 30' opening to make a 90 degree turn.

Ya I got ya. That makes sense.

I guess my thinking is... the fence guys can maybe confirm... is you are probably better off and maybe cheaper building your own personal entrance with a standard 12' or 16' gate on it with a 1 good opener then build a separate entrance to the side with two 16' gates... no openers for them. The cost of adding two openers vs one is significant alone. When you add in the extra equipment that goes with a rolling or sliding gate its a significant cost to pay for their equipment to be able to come in. PLUS, I wouldn't want some one hanging up a big piece of equipment up in my big, new, expensive entrance... and it will happen eventually.

 

[Tbrake]

If your putting a top rail on it, make sure it's tall enough. We have a field that I have to get out and fold down the grain tank Auger, and extentons. Talk about a pain. Header comes off almost every move so that's not an issue