Sealed radial ball bearings. They never need grease or maintenance. Unlike other hinges that require periodic greasing, sand and dirt won’t get inside your Shut It hinges ensuring long life and superior performance. Our 304 stainless steel hinge model comes with stainless steel sealed bearings.

All weight ratings are based upon two hinges or two wheels per gate. The Load Rating relates to actual weight of the gate plus added loads such as people climbing on the gate, wind and other temporary load factors while the gate is opening or closing. The Maximum Gate Weight (MGW) is the weight of the actual gate itself without any temporary load factors or movement. It is an estimate based on our Load Rating of what we believe to be most common installation environment. If the hinge model you are considering is rated lower than the actual weight of the gate, move up to a higher MGW rated hinge. If these ratings are not followed, Shut It cannot guarantee the short or long term operation of the hinges and our lifetime warranty will be voided.

No, a gate's overall load when opening and closing will vary based on many factors including gate weight, length and height of the gate, wind, people hanging on the gate, etc. You can expect the Load Rating on your hinges to be as much as twice the actual weight of your gate. SHUT IT recommends you consult an engineer to assist in calculating your load ratings and there are many internet discussions on this subject that you may find useful.

Unfortunately, Shut It does not provide this service and only a licensed engineer can. This includes counterbalancing cantilever gates and all other loads encountered. We advise that when calculating the load of a gate that you take into account temporary loads such as people climbing on the gate and heavy winds which will greatly increase temporary load.

The Rusted Look is designed for use on fence and gate systems that have a rusted patina appearance. The hinges will blend into the overall look of the gate. Although they come unfinished, you can expect the Rusted Look hinges to last the life of the gate. They are fully covered by our lifetime warranty.

All zinc coatings have an additive called chromate that helps the zinc adhere to the metal’s surface. Chromate comes in the following colors: yellow, black and blue. Shut It uses blue chromate which actually looks clear as if there is no color, but if you look close enough it has a blue tint. All colors of zinc chromate perform equally.

No. Aluminum, 304 stainless steel and Rusted Look hinge models are unfinished. This includes the aluminum carriage plates. All other products & components come with a zinc plate, type III, blue chromate coating. The zinc coating is very durable and is covered by our lifetime warranty, but it needs to be re-applied to any surface that has been welded. Cans of spray zinc finish are available at most hardware stores. We use an electroplating process for durability and to prevent noxious fumes during welding.

No. Zinc plating does not need to be grinded off or removed in any way before welding. You will find the weld to be clean and without impurities. However, you will need to re-apply appropriate rust and corrosion protection after welding. Zinc makes an excellent undercoat for painting. We do not use a hot-dipped galvanizing process in order to avoid ‘metal fume fever’ or ‘zinc poisoning’ when welding. After 20 years and over 100,000 installations we have not had a single complaint in this regard. Be sure to follow standard welding guidelines and wear appropriate eye, face and body protection when welding.

For welding stainless steel hinges to mild steel gates & posts we recommend using type 309 (23 12L to BS EN 12072) welding rods or wire. This is should help avoid cracking in the weld dilution zone that can be a problem if normal rods or filler is used.

Unprotected welds subject to aggressive environments such as immersion in seawater could result in sacrificial corrosion to the less noble carbon steel part. However, post weld surface coating repair would normally be needed to the carbon steel to 'restore' the corrosion protection.

If this re-coating / painting is allowed to lap over onto the weld bead then the joint should not be at risk to bimetallic corrosion in any environment so long as the coating is sound. Ideally the weld bead should be covered so that only the 'parent' stainless steel is ultimately exposed. This ensures that galvanic corrosion cells cannot be set up across the joint, where there is a composition 'gradient.’

Shut It hinges feature special high-temperature sealed ball bearings made with metal seals and high-temperature grease that are compatible with temperatures encountered in a typical powder coating operation. Almost all Shut It hinges are safe to powder coat with the hinges installed on the gate. The only hinges that can’t be powder coated are the CI3850 (self-closing hinge) and the CI3800 (stainless steel hinge).

First, be sure proper electrical grounding procedures are used prior to welding. Then do only one bead on one edge at a time. Alternate between the top and bottom hinges after each weld bead. Then repeat. Allow each bead to cool before doing another weld bead on the same hinge. Do NOT allow too much heat to build up on any hinge. If these common instructions are not followed, the seals and grease will be destroyed and the warranty has been voided. These welding instructions are included on an orange insert card in each and every package and are in both English and Spanish. They can also be found at the back of our Shut It catalog and on our Shut It website, www.shutitgatehardware.com.

No. We do not sell spare parts for these kinds of situations, but we do stock some parts to be used for legitimate warranty claims. You may have to purchase a new hinge, but we welcome you to contact us if you run into any difficulties. We can probably resolve the situation amicably.

No, but it is a common industry practice used in the design, manufacturing and servicing of these kind of products. We want to help, and communication is made easier when following well established guidelines.

Either way. As this hinge is designed to only open in one direction, the adjustment holes for the hinge are either going to be on the top or the bottom, depending on left or right-handed. The stop tab is there to make sure the hinge only opens in one direction a total of 90⁰. It is important to follow the directions provided. We recommend keeping the stop tabs facing the side that the gate does not open towards.

1. Did the welds have a chance to cool fully? When metal is heated it can expand. This may cause the gaps between moving components to temporarily be too tight. This can cause the gate to stall while trying to close. Once the components cool you may find the gate closes as intended.

2. Have you adjusted the tension to a higher level? The hinge is set at the lowest tension for shipping. Increasing the tension will help close a heavier gate.

3. Were proper grounding procedures used during welding? If not done properly, the sealed bearings may have been damaged. Remember to always ground the electrical current on the side you are welding on. Please see our Welding Tips included in every package, at the back of our catalog and on our website.

4. If the fence post is round, was a bar channel welded to the yoke first? If not, it could be the two hinges are not in alignment and are working against each other.

5. Are the hinges level (plumb) so that the gate is not swinging uphill? Make sure all surfaces on the gate and hinges are level.

6. How many hinges are on the gate? Shut It recommends only two per gate. One self-closing hinge and one non self-closing hinge for gates up to 300 lbs (136kg). If three or more hinges were installed then there could be misalignment and binding. This will prevent closing and will do damage to the bearings. If the gate weighs more than 300 lbs (136 kg), you may want to consider using two self-closing hinges. Never use more than two hinges per gate.

7. Shut Its self-closing hinge swings a total of 115 degrees from -5⁰ to 110⁰. This helps to ensure the gate successfully latches and locks in case of installation anomalies or gate sag after installation. It is recommended to install an external gate stop at the 95⁰ open position to prevent the hinge from being damaged if the gate is slammed open. This could cause damage to the hinge preventing it from properly closing.

8. If all included guidelines were followed, and you want to submit a warranty claim, please remove the hinges and send back to Shut It for review. We will first send you a prepaid UPS shipping label to send it back to us. If the product is found to have been defective, we will send a replacement back to you.

No, they are not damaged. We use ‘Stover’ type lock-nuts on all of our products. These will only screw on by hand half way until it hits the locking threads (deformed threads). Then finish tightening the nuts using a wrench. The deformed threads of the Stover type lock-nut can be re-used two to three times in case the nut needs to be removed after installation for some reason. Since the Stover type does not use a nylon insert it can be powder coated without damaging its locking ability.

Our warranty is based upon the expected life of the hinge, not the person buying it. As long as all guidelines are followed, you can expect the product to last from 15 to 20 years. Our lifetime warranty is on all components except the sealed bearings. They have a 5 year warranty.

No. The warranty is voided whenever any of our products are modified. The only exception is when welding bar channel to the yoke in order to make it fit onto a round surface.

In your shopping cart! All SHUT IT products can now be purchased from this site. Or you can call our customer service department for a distributor in your region at either 520-320-0680 (Shut It) or 714-677-1300 (D&D Technologies).