# Gate Hardware



## MFMan (Jul 2, 2013)

I relearned a lesson about gate hardware this week. One that nobody should have to. Here is my story....

I have a twelve foot galvanized 2 inch steel pipe gate at the entrance to my steer finishing pen. I observed that it was sagging at the hinges.

On a trip to my local Del's farm supply store, a division of Tractor Supply Company, for all of you folks to make note of, I located two new steel hinges in the fencing section and checked out with my mineral block purchase.

Back at the farm I hammered and cut the rusty damaged hinges off of the gate and installed the new ones..... The gate sagged immediately! WTF!

Upon close inspection I observed that the new hinges had deformed/bent at the crimped part between the gate upright and the hinge pin. I contemplated drilling a hole and tightening with a bolt to squeeze the hinge tight around the hinge pin and gate upright, Considered the time and hassle and decided to return the hinges and get something more substantial.

I shopped at another local farm supply store, this one owned by Ellenbas. There I found identical looking hinges and inspecting them in the store discovered why the first purchased hinges failed. The Ellenbas hinges are made by Behlen, in USA, and they have a weld point at the bend in the hinge that keeps it from stretching open when one tightens the bolt.

The original purchase at TSC were labeled made in China, of course. I returned them for a refund with a piece of my mind.

On the subject of what the big retailers are doing to us consumers when they stock something that is not suitable for the job....what say you?


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I thank you for bringing this up. I have plenty of foreign made equipment, probably more than I'd like or know. 
That alone doesn't make it inferior, but I have yet to see ANYTHING made in China impress me with its finish, stength or ability to last other than my Lincold power grease gun. 
That being said, if its an American name on a Chinese manufactured product that's poorly made, then you have to blame BOTH the US company and the Chinese who built it. The US company should have stricter quality controls. We pretty much know the Chinese will cut corners on everything if you don't pay attention. 
I will be sure to look for the Behlen hardware label.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

true China is not known for quality. But I have also had things on my tractor that were made and assembled in the states that have given me trouble. The tractor made in India and final things made and bolted on in the states. All of the warranty work done on my tractor was on the U.S stuff.

P.S.

Iam not trying to start a war just saying what has happened to me.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

They make money selling cheap crap because that is what most people purchase.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

What is the cost difference between the two??? Could you buy the cheap one put it in a vice squeeze it together and put a weld on it?


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Or better yet- could you stop buying stuff marked "made in china"?


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## MFMan (Jul 2, 2013)

hog987 said:


> What is the cost difference between the two??? Could you buy the cheap one put it in a vice squeeze it together and put a weld on it?


Difference was about $2.50. The spot welded one was $9.

I never considered the vise and workbench weld at the time. Thats a good idea..... Now that you mention it I could have just squeezed it together and solved the problem. I suppose I would have had to wrestle with welding on Galvanized material w my rod...that's a question...

But my main point is that retailers stock products that aren't suitable for the job in a misquided attempt at competing w the other guy. Backfired.

Result is that I trust one retailer and distrust the other.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I'm thinkin' that hinge wasn't made for that heavy a gate. 12 footer has a lot of leverage on it, much less a heavy-duty one.

And *NO*, I'm not trying to side with China! I'm just guessing that's what they'll tell ya.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I don't do much business at all with TSC anymore, otherwise known as Tractor Supply of China.

I think they've forgotten their roots and don't care about actual farmers anymore and instead are catering to the 1 or 2 horses, 10 chickens, or the guy that buys a feeder calf each spring. Or in other words the "suburban" farmer who has more money than brains.


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## MFMan (Jul 2, 2013)

urednecku said:


> I'm thinkin' that hinge wasn't made for that heavy a gate. 12 footer has a lot of leverage on it, much less a heavy-duty one.
> 
> And *NO*, I'm not trying to side with China! I'm just guessing that's what they'll tell ya.


Agreed. My point exactly. I think this is the definition of "Not Suitable for the purpose it was sold for". When one shops in the gate hardware section there isn't a section that says "these are for especially heavy and long 2 inch gates" ...or "these are for the 4 ft man walkway gates"....They offer just one grade of hardware.

In my first post above I stated that I relearned a lesson. What I meant was that when I was a kid tagging along with my granddad he was always using a cutoff torch, flat stock, steel pipe and steel rod to make his own hinges. He fabricated and welded each gate and hinge and steel post. He knew how to make em last. As I walk aroung the paddocks I'm finding the ones that he made still hanging there working like they are supposed to. I've gotten away from that for the convenience of buying something off of the shelf. So, I've relearned that I need to make em like I want them to last 100 years because the ones offered for sale won't.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

> I've gotten away from that for the convenience of buying something off of the shelf. So, I've relearned that I need to make em like I want them to last 100 years because the ones offered for sale won't.


Brings back the old saying, ...."if you want something done right, do it yourself."


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## Bags (Nov 17, 2013)

MFMan--- you can use 6011 welding rod on galv. steel. The 6011 is a great garbage rod.

Remember--- *Do Not *inhale smoke/fumes while welding galvanize materials--- it *"Will" *make you sick or worst.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Bags said:


> MFMan--- you can use 6011 welding rod on galv. steel. The 6011 is a great garbage rod.
> 
> Remember--- *Do Not *inhale smoke/fumes while welding galvanize materials--- it *"Will" *make you sick or worst.


It will start by giving you the shivers.


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