gate wont latch itself, ideas how to fix?

[wozzzzza]

i have an aluminium gate as pictured, it has a hydraulic closer on it, problem i have is when it is closed gently it will not latch locked.
any ideas how to fix this? it seems to require a decent force to latch as the latch doesnt seem to want to retract easily for some reason, it goes back easily when you push it straight in but when you put sideways force on it it sort locks up and hard to press in and its only new.

[r3nov8or]

Flood the latch internals with WD40

[ubeaut]

Could be wrong but from the pics The hydraulic arm looks like it's almost at full stretch so may not have quite enough strength to complete the close.

Bight be worth trying to move it To a better position so it isn't quite as fully stretched (where the elbow is slightly more bent when the gate is fully shut. Also possible the gate is a little too close to the upright where it closes so trying to hit the lock a little low on the latch making it harder to retract.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Cheers - Neil

[rambunctious]

Flood the latch internals with WD40

Oil it, don't use WD 40, then adjust whatever is necessary.
Yes I know there is a thesis written on WD40 but it is in reality a sales brochure.
Every home/workshop should have an oil can, you know the one with the small pump lever that grandad had.
The important place to oil is the latch striker plate.
But the hinges may also need a spot of oil.

[r3nov8or]

Oil it, don't use WD 40, then adjust whatever is necessary.
Yes I know there is a thesis written on WD40 but it is in reality a sales brochure.
Every home/workshop should have an oil can, you know the one with the small pump lever that grandad had.
The important place to oil is the latch striker plate.
But the hinges may also need a spot of oil.

A sales brochure which says the truth. I cured a completely seized garage roller door with WD40. It gets into places oil won't. 100%. The owner had tried everything (else) and was ready to replace the whole thing. Oil, yeah, it has its place of course, but it's rarely the place I start without firstly ensuring the mechanism is devoid of water-based moisture

[wozzzzza]

it has a decent amount of force on the gate to close it, problem is it just gets stuck when you close it really gently, and it requires a decent amount of force to actually latch it, like the lock itself is getting stuck.
ive oiled it, wd40'd it and everything. i have another lock i will try replacing it with.

[rambunctious]

it has a decent amount of force on the gate to close it, problem is it just gets stuck when you close it really gently, and it requires a decent amount of force to actually latch it, like the lock itself is getting stuck.
ive oiled it, wd40'd it and everything. i have another lock i will try replacing it with.

Horses for courses.
Garage roller doors are a different kettle of fish.
I use silicone spray on most of them especially in the tracks.
Whatever floats yer boat and works is always best so if you find WD40 is best why change.

Opps I replied to yor post instead of renovators.

Maybe just maybe the lock spring is too strong.?
Is the tongue striking the striker plate on the taper of the tongue ?

[r3nov8or]

it has a decent amount of force on the gate to close it, problem is it just gets stuck when you close it really gently, and it requires a decent amount of force to actually latch it, like the lock itself is getting stuck.
ive oiled it, wd40'd it and everything. i have another lock i will try replacing it with.

Check that the gate frame isn't touching the jamb/frame at all prior to the critical final few millimetres of the latching

[rambunctious]

Also check the striker plate is fitted correctly in that the tongue is actually striking the plate at a tapered point.
If the striker plate has to be recessed or rebent in order for it to work correctly then ??

[ErrolFlynn]

Certainly products like WD40 have their place. They can expel water and help free up seized bolts and the like, but if you want to lubricate anything in the long term, use oil or grease.

But don't forget, some things don't want oil. For example, how much oil have you seen inside a lock? Not much I'll bet. Sometimes the best amount of oil on some things, is no oil. It can attract dust and a combination of oil and dust may only serve to gum things up.

If your door worked well up until now, and the lock/catch mechanism is functioning nicely (ie. not sticky), it's probably an alignment problem. (Something has dropped, bent, twisted, moved.) Your problem is to find out what it is and try to adjust things back to the way they were.

[wozzzzza]

Check that the gate frame isn't touching the jamb/frame at all prior to the critical final few millimetres of the latching

not touching anywhere

Also check the striker plate is fitted correctly in that the tongue is actually striking the plate at a tapered point.
If the striker plate has to be recessed or rebent in order for it to work correctly then ??

yes it touches the pushback part about half way nice and centred and on a taper, just seems that when the push back latch part gets backwards pressure on it then it fails to push inwards easily

[Wimmera Jack]

Graphite powder probably the only thing you should use on locks. Definately not oil or other dust attracting stuff.

John

[rambunctious]

Graphite powder probably the only thing you should use on locks. Definately not oil or other dust attracting stuff.

John

Like I said at #7 horses for courses

Car Locks....Graphite powder/Silicone spray.
Key slots/sticky keys....Silicone spray.
House locks.....Oil/WD40/Silicone spray totally depending on which door.
e.g After being lazy for the past 10 or so years, yesterday I oiled the garage tilta door and after a couple of open/shuts it nearly took off when I pushed it up.
However, as we live in a salt/corrosive environment I sprayed the springs with WD 40.

Did I mention horses for courses.

[droog]

Graphite powder probably the only thing you should use on locks. Definately not oil or other dust attracting stuff.

John

I was taught the same thing, graphite powder for all locks as any liquid oil or grease has potential to retain and trap dust in the mechanism.

Yes I have been lazy and used WD40, oil and silicone spray rather than dig out the graphite powder.

[r3nov8or]

Could be wrong but from the pics The hydraulic arm looks like it's almost at full stretch so may not have quite enough strength to complete the close.

Bight be worth trying to move it To a better position so it isn't quite as fully stretched (where the elbow is slightly more bent when the gate is fully shut. Also possible the gate is a little too close to the upright where it closes so trying to hit the lock a little low on the latch making it harder to retract.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Cheers - Neil

Back on the theme of the closer itself, one of these might be a cheap option to give it some final oomph to close properly...

https://www.bunnings.com.au/pinnacle...pring_p0080690