MightyMule Gate Openers - Good or Bad?

[PBinWA]

I'm considering putting in a gate opener and was thinking of using a Mighty Mule gate opener.

Has any body had a bad experience with Mighty Mule?

If you are happy with yours how long have you had it?

Thanks,

PB

 

[Bubba Tex]

I'm also putting in an auto gate and found this thread by doing a search:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/99360-tsc-gate-openers.html?highlight=mighty+mule

Good luck

 

[Jimbrown]

They are fair. They work. Are simple to install. Just do not over load them. If you put too big a gate on them the screw mechanism will fail. If possible you need to use the gate latch to keep the wind from constantly moving them back and forth. This will also cause them to fail.

 

[anojones]

I have the 350- for the price it works well. I have a lightweight 12' hollow tube gate, but the wind is still a problem and I had to add the automatic lock. I had to modify the lock bracket as it was too narrow to be reliable. I have to admit, I've spent a lot of time messing with it- but once I got it finally dialed in it has worked well with mininal maintencence.

 

[benji]

i've had the 350 since november and i love it. i had to adjust the lock a little bit but that's it. i have one solar panel connected to it and it's in the shade, but it still works. i have had to trickle charge the battery twice since november. it beeps to let me know it's dying. i don't care if it does take a little tinkering now and then, it sure is better than getting out in the rain when it's 40* outside and locking/unlocking the gate and swinging it open.

 

[ToddW]

I have 2 of them, a 350 and a 500. Used to have 2 350's but one was a victim of lightning and I found the 500 on sale cheaper than the 350. Overall I'm happy with them, like others have said they take some tinkering now and then, but it sure does beat having to get out of the truck in the rain or thunderstorms.

 

[Soundguy]

I've had the 350 since april. So far my wife has backed intot he gate 3 times now.. breaking the gate 1 time, busting the hinges another, and this last time bowing the gate and knocking out the gate post... opener still works.. but everything else is so much a hodge podge of repairs.. that I may have to start all over from scratch ( except for the gate opener itself ).. and get new unbent brackets.. a new non bowed gate.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[gregoryd]

I have had mine (a 500) for about 5 months and it died. Trying to deal with the "tech support" was a nightmare, especially since there was no phone (cell or otherwise) service at the gate location. They insisted I had to troubleshoot it per their instructions, step per step. If they would have just told me what they were after, I could have done it myself and told them what the problem was (but no, we couldn't deviate from the written script on their screen). They would not give me the series of "tests" they wanted done in advance so I could do them, and only deal with one more phone call.

Since I was faced with doing one test, driving back to a phone and waiting 45 (not exaggerating) minutes to talk to someone, only to be given the next instruction I had to come up with plan B. Ultimately, I was forced to uninstall it, drag it up to my garage and play their little script game just to find out it was the battery (I tried telling them that from the beginning but I had to play the game and they wouldn't authorize a warranty replacement until we were done). The "techs" I talked to were not at all knowledgeable or pleasant to talk to.

As you can tell from my rant, I am not at all happy with them and will not consider buying from them again --- but thanks, I feel better after that rant!

The battery did come today, after dealing with them over the last 3 weeks.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

What I tell everyone who is thinking about doing their own gate operator is two things. First is to start looking for gates that have an inoperable operator hanging on them. Second is that the hinge post and hinges are more important than the operator.

 

[weldingisfun]

I have two 500's in service for over 5 years, one on solar the other on AC. Very few problems to speak of. I have an electric lock on my front gate for the reasons already stated, plus the added security. The other gate rests over a cattle guard and closes with the prevailing wind so no wind problems there.
Unlike gregoryd, I haven't had any problems with their Tech Support people, other than the obligatory waiting period, but at least they all spoke American.
The replacement parts, those not available in stores are a bit pricey.
If I was to do it again, I would still go with the Mighty Mule.
Hope this helps.