I think everyone is correct my self. Cattleguards built 8-9' wide was common back in my grandfathers time and used folding wings. The purpose was 2 fold, to keep cattle from going past the CG and to allow for oversize loads or cattle trucks(read as 18 wheelers) It was common to put entrances right up against county/state roads back then too. So an 8'-9' CG could be potentially opened up to 15' with folding wings, pending height. The CG we have built from RR tracks is built this way and I remember as a kid dropping the wings for such purpose. These days CG are built wide to eliminate this and set back into property to allow for trailer length, back in the day cattle trailers for 3/4-1 ton trucks were not the norm. It was 18 wheelers(hence the wings) or bob tail trucks. We used to use sideboards on a 2 ton truck to carry cattle and anything over that a 18 wheeler was hired. We used to haul horses in the back of 3/4 ton pick up truck with side boards from lease land to lease land to work cattle, the horses would step up into truck bed and back out of truck...dont see that anymore. Really a 12' wide CG is wide enough to handle any normal ranch traffic and fixed wings/ends should be fine, with a set back entrance. The CG Brute is referring to is used for moving drilling rigs and general oilfield equipment in and out of and it really is a different animal than a general land owner CG uses. If it were not for my trucking experience, I do not think I would have any desire for a 22-24' wide entrance.
