Does your hinge have a true bearing or a Nylon spacer?
Many
hinges marketed for use on vinyl gates have added a bearing or
bushing to the adjuster rod. Without this feature, a hinge will quickly grind through whatever paint surface is there and start rusting and peeling, squeaking as it operates. Modern
Fence Technologies was the first to use engineered bearings,
specifically made for this purpose to be true self lubricating
bearings, designed to last the lifetime of our hinge, while
preventing metal to metal contact, and preserving the paint for a
lifetime of great looks, and smooth, quiet operation.
To
do this we had to overcome several challenges. First, materials are
needed that can stand up to ultraviolet light without degrading, and
must also be impervious to cold and water, in order to survive
outside in the elements for 15-25 years or more. They must also be
strong enough to support the loads placed on them.
Many
companies use nylon as a bearing material. It is not engineered for
this purpose. Nylon breaks down under UV light, and is affected by
water and cold. It actually absorbs water and swells, and gets
brittle when cold, leading to costly call backs and repairs. It also
tends to deform under load over time.
Instead,
Modern Fence Technologies uses ACS
09MK-MF Nylotron
for bearings on black hinges and a proprietary material for our white
hinges. Nylotron is an engineered plastic that is highly stable and
is load supporting. It incorporates graphite to lubricate the joint.
This specific grade of Nylotron remains flexible in cold conditions
and continues to lubricate no matter the temperature, and doesn't
absorb water.
Our
special blend for white bearings incorporates UV inhibitors, along
with water repellent lubricants and engineered plastics to maintain
resiliency in cold and wet conditions, survive direct sunlight, meet
the rigorous load bearing demands of our Nylotron bearings, while
offering a color matched bearing for our all stainless steel,white
powder coated hinges.
We
have also designed all of our bearings to truly support the load of
the hinge over the lifetime of your gate. Nylon breaks down quickly
in the elements and many of the bearings on the market today are so
small as to be more properly referred to as “spacers” than true
bearings.
Don't
be fooled by the lower cost imports with poor quality bearings, or none at all. They just don't make the grade.
