Original KEG Gate Installation Manual

KEG Gate Installation Manual

Video Link: https://youtu.be/l-wLIzZH0EQ

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

  1. Safety equipment should be worn during installation and adjustments of your KEG gate, including protective helmet, gloves, boots, and goggles.
  2. Ensure you have adequate help. A minimum of three people is typically needed, although the number depends on each individual’s capacity.
  3. Before digging, follow regional recommendations and requirements for calling utility companies and others who may have underground lines.
  4. Keep all body parts out from between gate rails when opening and closing the gate.
  5. Keep all body parts away from the chain, sprocket, and spring when opening and closing the gate.

DETERMINING WHERE YOU WANT YOUR KEG GATE TO BE LOCATED:

  1. Ensure that there are no overhead power lines.
  2. Ensure that you have adequate clearance from other overhead objects such as tree limbs. In the open position, the gate will stand approximately 16 feet high.
  3. Your KEG gate can be installed on level ground, an uphill/downhill grade, or a side hill grade.  Note that if installed on a side hill grade, when in the closed position, the gate rales will rest parallel to the side hill grade and not perpendicular to the gate’s vertical post.
  4. Consider that in the open position, the collapsed gate will overhang from the vertical post up to 2 feet.
  5. The vertical post can be positioned on either side of the roadway. Plan to align the base plate of the vertical post such that the gate will be perpendicular to the travel direction along the roadway.

BASE INSTALLATION:

  1. If installing base on a concrete roadway:
  1. Ensure that the concrete is strong enough to hold a 150 pound load exposed to winds and movement.  New, soft, or deteriorating concrete should not be used.
  2. Use the four holes in the base plate of the vertical post to mark the locations in the concrete for the attachment bolts.
  3. Using a masonry drill bit, drill the four holes at the marked locations on the concrete. The depth of the holes is determined by the strength and thickness of your concrete.
  4. Obtain four concrete anchor bolts for insertion through the four holes in the base plate of the vertical post. The length is determined by the depth of the drilled holes, which depends on the strength and thickness of your concrete. Wedge anchors, of a 5/16 inch size, can be used. Rust resistant bolts are recommended.
  5. Remove the 10 inch swing foot and install the 4 inch swing foot.
  1.   If installing base using ground attachment anchor:
    1. Dig hole for ground attachment anchor according to concrete manufacturer recommendations.
    1. Insert ground attachment anchor in the hole as follows:The ground attachment’s top plate with four holes is facing up.
      1. The head of the set screw is facing away from the roadway. The set screw is the single screw below the top plate of the ground attachment anchor. Do not confuse it with the through and through bolt which permits conversion to a swing gate if removed.
      1. The top plate is level and is positioned such that the closed gate will be perpendicular to the direction of travel. The top plate is 10 inches above the level of the roadway.
      1. Follow concrete manufacturer recommendations regarding amount of concrete to be poured below and around the ground attachment anchor and amount of time to allow it to cure before attaching your KEG gate to the ground attachment anchor.

ATTACHING THE GATE:

  1. Lay the gate on the roadway in the open (gate up) position with the vertical post laying adjacent to base attachment point. Detach the turnbuckle from the chain by removing the nut and bolt from the bottom of the turnbuckle. To do so, you may need to loosen the turnbuckle using a wrench or channellock pliers by rotating the center portion of the turnbuckle in a counterclockwise direction. Before and during any adjustment of the turnbuckle, insert a flat-blade screwdriver into the gap of the connecting link between the chain and turnbuckle to prevent rotational torque on the chain while turning the turnbuckle. Once the turnbuckle is completely loosened, the nut and bolt at the bottom of the turnbuckle should be able to be removed, detaching the turnbuckle from the chain. Pull the gate into the closed (gate down) position.
  2. Lift the gate into position, using sufficient help in order to do so easily. Place the base plate of the bottom of the vertical post onto its point of attachment (either the ground attachment anchor plate or the roadway concrete depending on installation), lining up the base plate four holes with the four attachment point holes. The gate will need to be held in position while bolted into place.If attaching the gate to a concrete roadway, use four masonry anchor bolts (not included) per their manufacturer recommendations to attach the vertical post’s base plate to the roadway.
    1. If attaching the gate to the ground attachment anchor, insert the four ⅜ inch bolts down through the post plate and anchor plate, securing them with the lock nuts using wrenches or ratchets.
  4. Reattach the turnbuckle to the chain using the previously removed nut and bolt.

ADJUSTING THE GATE:

  1. Determine if an increase in spring and chain tension is necessary by opening the gate. If the gate opens (gate up) easily with only minor manual assistance, then the turnbuckle does not need to be tightened.
    1. If the gate is difficult to open or requires excessive manual assistance, then the turnbuckle needs tightened to increase spring and chain tension.
  3. Determine if a decrease in chain tension is necessary by closing the gate.If the gate closes (gate down) easily with only minor manual assistance, then the turnbuckles does not need to be loosened.
    1. If the gate is difficult to close or requires excessive manual assistance, then the turnbuckle needs loosened to decrease spring and chain tension.
  5. Typically, four to seven threads of each of the turnbuckle’s bolts are visible inside the central portion of the turnbuckle for initial set-up.
  6. Adjustments are typically necessary at initial set-up, as well as periodically for the first few weeks while the spring stretches into position and occasionally thereafter.
  7. If an adjustment is necessary, then open the gate fully (gate up) and have it held in that position.Before and during any adjustment of the turnbuckle, insert a common flat-blade screwdriver into the gap of the connecting link between the chain and turnbuckle to prevent rotational torque on the chain while turning the turnbuckle.
    1. Use a wrench or channellock pliers to rotate the turnbuckle.Rotate the central portion of the turnbuckle in a clockwise direction in order to tighten the tension on the spring and chain.
      1. Rotate the central portion of the turnbuckle in a  counterclockwise direction in order to loosen the tension on the spring and chain.
    1. The turnbuckle’s center portion should be turned a half of a rotation (180 degrees), and then the gate should be retested to see if further adjustments are necessary.