Mighty Mule Gate Opener Repair - Success

[attaboy]

that make sme steaming mad when someone pushes my gate open to walk thru, KNOWING it has a gate opener on it...

soundguy

I concur. Not just people trying to get through though .. I had an arm bent back from a wind gust .. outside tube must be alum 1100 or something .. should be 7075 ... geesh. Bent like a cheap coat hangar.

My main complaint with MM .. is the remotes. We have multiple (MM) gates on two ajoining parcels .. figured I'd reduce the number of remotes by one, by getting some two button remotes .. same price as singles at TS .. hmmmm.

As it turns out ... the two button MM remotes .. only use a 4x3 digit code (times two), instead of the 9x3 digit codes used in the single button remotes. Sooo .... the two button remotes are totally useless, unless you wanna open up the controlers .. and have them re-"learn" what the two button remotes are set to. We have four MM openers installed here (22 acres) and two more planned. Even my Jag can accommodate 3 .. but it's a real pita to juggle all this "remotes" stuff.

I was really suprised and dismayed, when I opened up the 2-button MM remote, to find they just split the hardware inside. While indeed ... this is mountain rural here .. code security is not the issue .. but don't need one remote opening 3 gates .. lol.

Anybody make a MM compatible multi-gate remote besides the one built into a Jaguar (still only 3) .. please post ... and Much Appreciated ... TIA

 

[speedy2]

Get on internet and search, there is a company in Colorado that I bought a new board when lighting destroyed mine. I think it was somewhere around 55 dollars plus shipping. I have since lost the address but if I find it I will post it. Good Luck!

 

[Soundguy]

took my wifes yukon 'forever' to learn the code to our MM gate.. but it did.

it also learned the code to t he apollo gate at my moms house.

here's the funny deal. everyone sells these remotes that EITHER work on apollo OR the MM.. but not both.. yet you have these multi-openers in cars that can learn 3 codes like my wifes truck.. and it will open both.. plus the 3rd code is my MIL's garage door... go figure.

i have my old mm hanigng in my shop. has a dead board. wouldn't mind getting a new board for it.. or otherwise it's a spare motor and arm if my other one bends.

soundguy

I concur. Not just people trying to get through though .. I had an arm bent back from a wind gust .. outside tube must be alum 1100 or something .. should be 7075 ... geesh. Bent like a cheap coat hangar.

My main complaint with MM .. is the remotes. We have multiple (MM) gates on two ajoining parcels .. figured I'd reduce the number of remotes by one, by getting some two button remotes .. same price as singles at TS .. hmmmm.

As it turns out ... the two button MM remotes .. only use a 4x3 digit code (times two), instead of the 9x3 digit codes used in the single button remotes. Sooo .... the two button remotes are totally useless, unless you wanna open up the controlers .. and have them re-"learn" what the two button remotes are set to. We have four MM openers installed here (22 acres) and two more planned. Even my Jag can accommodate 3 .. but it's a real pita to juggle all this "remotes" stuff.

I was really suprised and dismayed, when I opened up the 2-button MM remote, to find they just split the hardware inside. While indeed ... this is mountain rural here .. code security is not the issue .. but don't need one remote opening 3 gates .. lol.

Anybody make a MM compatible multi-gate remote besides the one built into a Jaguar (still only 3) .. please post ... and Much Appreciated ... TIA

 

[Steve W]

That is a great thread. I have the same problem. Went down to my local hobby shop and picked up a titan 550. Your correct looks like the same motor the Might Mule Gate opener uses. One question noticed the Titan 550 has a key slot in the pilot shaft. Did you also put a new 11 tooth gear on the shaft or re-press the old one on. Appreciate your input.

 

[Airsafety]

The Traxxas motors seem to work. Has anyone had any success rebuilding the gearbox with Traxxas gears? My guess is that just like the motors come from an unrelated application, the gearboxes do, too.

It is kind of chicken for MM to refuse to sell the parts to rebuild something that is built so light.

 

[Soundguy]

the kicker is on mine.. i've had 2 circuit boards die and the motors and gear boxes are fine.

1 motor had junk in it that was cleaned out easilly..

think I am gonna make a manual switch to open close setup using the 2 spare motors/LA I now have.

 

[mikim]

Neighbor has an apollo -- it's always broke. He fixes it and a couple months later broke again. I bought a MM500 for a 16' light tube gate. Been about a year and the only issues I have with it are on the keypad. Going to change it out for one that works on cellular. People can pull up, hit the call button, and I can answer even if I'm not at home. They don't need to know I'm not there.

 

[Soundguy]

i've worked on a ton of apollo gates and controllers as we use them at work and at our outside facilities. I bet I can install one of them faster than a mighty mule..

99% of our problems involve vehicle collisions.. trees falling on them and direct lightning strikes.

did have one wher ethe small gell battery died.. and caused a werid open close problem due tot he charger surging a bit on the open battery.

easilly fixed..

 

[Airsafety]

Just as a datapoint for anyone having Mighty Mule 500 problems - I ran all their tests and the board checked good so customer service said it had to be the ($38) revolution counter. I replaced that and the motor would still only turn a few revolutions then stop. Customer service then said it had to be a motor so I ordered the Traxxas motor from Amazon. And after seeing how light the unit was built, I also ordered ($209) a refurbished arm assembly - figured I'd just keep a spare repaired. Glad I did.

When the motor arrived, I tore in to the gearbox to remove the motor. The grease in the gearbox was full of metal shavings from the gears so it was time to install the refurbished unit. I was amazed that the new assembly was almost silent in operation. The original unit was easily audible in operation from my house more than 200 feet away. Obviously, the original gearbox had been poorly setup and it was surprising that it had lasted the three or four years that it did.

The point of this is that if you install a MM500 and it is loud, send it in under warranty. In the meantime, I have spare everything except the gearbox and if the unit gets noisy I'll send the spare in for overhaul.

FWIW, it is difficult to see the screws that hold the arm together. They are T25 heads. Don't forget to unscrew the cap on the arm and cut the labels. I suspect that the gears are off the shelf - probably Traxxas - but I wasn't in the mood to experiment. Since those and the motor are about the only "wear" items in the arm, it would break GTO's stranglehold on refurbishments if someone could find a source of supply for them. <hint, hint>

 

[Soundguy]

any of these common to the 350/

I have 2 spare 350's now with good jackscrews and motors.. but bad boards