Trying to find a Cylindrical Roller?

Question

I need to build an arm to stabilize an automatic gate. The gate is made of cyclone fencing with 1 1/2” top and bottom rails. I want to have a steel arm fabricated that will press a Cylindrical Steel Roller to the top rail of the gate, holding it in the upright position, and rolling as the gate opens and closes. What I’m looking for is a cylindrical, tube shaped roller about 4 to 6 inches in length and perhaps 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter that would have a threaded rod extending from each end for attachment. Does anyone know what the proper name of this type of roller is. And where I might buy one? Thank you. I hope my explanation is adequate to help you to understand what I’m after. A drawing would be so much easier.

Answer 1

I understand what you are describing...Youre looking for, basically, a caster without the rubber....and the wheel will be cupped to match the shape of the fence rail. The easiest and quickest way to find the right part, is look for the manufacturer info on the gate. If you can locat a name/address then you can locate them, and they will most likely have what you need.

Some other choices are to look for the part in a large supply catalog.. like Grainger, or to check with farm/ranch supply stores...they will often carry this type of item. Some typical names Ive seen for this type of part, are "gate caster", "support wheel", "top retaining wheel", etc. The typical automatic gate will have an actual wheel, of some sort at the bottom, and then this 'steel cylinder' (it actually looks like an oversized pulley, hehehe) as youve called it, will hold the top of the gate in place.

Here is one link to such a part, as you are looking for, below.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

call your local Fence companies, the guys that specialize in this. They should have what you need and be able to tell you how to install, or install it for you.