Gate motor repairs

The cost of a gate motor repair depends on what failed. A flat battery, a dead remote or a misaligned safety beam costs little to fix. A worn gearbox, a damaged gear rack (the toothed strip the motor drives along) or a failed control board costs more, because of the parts. We test the gate and motor first, then tell you what failed and what the repair will cost before any parts are ordered. A call-out fee and labour apply, and we tell you both when you book. Many faults are fixed on the first visit with parts the technician carries. If a motor is old and the repair would cost close to a new one, we tell you plainly and quote for both, so you can choose. Regular servicing keeps most repairs small and cheap.

Yes. Our service department repairs and services Centurion gate motors, the brand we install, as well as Gemini motors, older ET motors and other makes. We fix slow or noisy motors, gates stopping halfway, flat batteries, worn gears, damaged gear racks, faulty control boards, remotes, receivers and safety beams. Centurion is a South African make, so parts are close by and most repairs are quick. Parts for older or discontinued motors can be harder to find. If a motor can't be repaired properly, we tell you and quote for a replacement. When you contact us, tell us the model if you know it, what the gate does when it fails and when the problem started. A photo of the motor with its cover off helps us bring the right parts.

Yes. A slow gate is an early warning, and usually the cheapest time to fix it. Common causes are a weak battery, a worn wheel, a dirty or damaged track, a worn gear rack (the toothed strip the motor drives along) or a gate sagging on its hinges. Left alone, the gate gets slower, and the motor works harder every day to push it. The extra strain wears the gears and drains the battery faster. Then one night, usually in the rain or during load-shedding, it stops halfway, with you in the car on the wrong side. A service finds the cause before that night. Often it's a simple fix, such as a new battery, a wheel or a clean track. If your gate has also started making new noises, mention it when you book.

Yes, in most cases. When a gate has been hit by a car, we collect it, straighten and weld it in our own workshop, then reinstall it. A repair usually costs far less than a new gate, especially for a custom design. We also check the track, the wheels, the hinges, the gear rack (the toothed strip the motor drives along) and the motor. A hit hard enough to bend a gate can knock the motor out of line, crack its mounting or damage the track, and these need fixing too. If the gate is too badly damaged, we tell you plainly and quote for a new one made to the same measurements. A written quotation comes first, which helps if the repair goes through insurance. If the gate can't close in the meantime, tell us, so we can help secure the entrance.

A gate stops and reverses when the safety beams or the motor's collision sensing detect something in the way. This is a safety feature, but when it happens with nothing there, something needs attention. The most common cause is the safety beams. Something may be blocking them, such as a plant, a spider web or dirt on the lens, or they may have been knocked out of line. Sunlight shining straight into a beam can cause it too. A gate dragging on a worn wheel, a bent track or debris can also fool the motor into sensing an obstacle. Low battery power makes it worse. Check for anything blocking the beams and clean the lenses. If it keeps happening, we find which cause it is and fix it.

Start by putting a new battery in the remote, since a flat remote battery is the most common cause. If other remotes still work, the problem is probably the remote, which may be broken or may have been deleted from the receiver. If no remotes work, the problem is likely the receiver in the motor, the motor's own battery, or a power or board fault. Check whether the motor has power and whether the gate opens with any other control, such as an intercom or keypad. If it still does nothing, we test the receiver and the motor on site. We reprogram your remotes and delete any you no longer use, so lost ones stop working too. We can also upgrade old remotes to rolling code.