Gate Hinge Adjustment: How to Fix a Gate That Stays Open at Every Angle

Recently, a customer reached out about his Waterson marine grade spring gate hinges installed on a beachside gate. Although he specifically requested non hold open hinges, he found the gate stuck at 90°, requiring a slight push to close — raising concerns about the gate hinge adjustment and installation.

“The hinges work great, but the small issue is that the gate holds open when at 90 degrees and needs to be manually pushed closed to start the closing process. We’ve tried multiple different settings for the tension, swing and latch speeds but can not find one that will automatically start the closing without needing to start with a slight push.”

So What Exactly Happened Here?

After collecting all the installation information, we recognized that the spring gate hinges are set at too high tension at top settings (S feature – 4 & 6), which are too strong for this lightweight gate.

Additionally, our hinges’ hold open feature typically engages at 90°, but in the video, his gate stops at around 70°. That is due to overly tight speed control on the bottom ends (A feature).

How to Adjust the Gate Hinges

Applicable Gate Types

This adjustment method applies to Waterson spring hinges used in various gate setups, such as pool gates, fence gates, and Cornerstone gates. If your gate has a similar self-closing hinge configuration, these steps can help improve closing performance and alignment.

Since this 90 degree gate hinge issue commonly happened to our customer, Waterson here is the step-by-step guideline on how you can improvise the gate hinges setup. By following that, the door will be…

Step 1: Reduce Tension on Top

Use a 5mm hex wrench to reduce tension settings on the top of gate hinges to 2, 3, or 4 — depending on the weight of your gate.

Step 2: Loosen Swing Speed (Bottom Hinge)

Turn the bottom end swing speed nut counterclockwise to increase swing speed. Lock it using a 3mm wrench.

Step 3: Test and Fine-Tune

Open and close the gate several times. Adjust the tension and swing speed again if needed to achieve smooth, self/soft closing.

For more information, go further with our gate hinge adjustment Instruction here.

“What If I Still Cannot Adjust the Gate Hinges?”

Waterson’s Support Team is always here to help — 24/7. However, to resolve your issue efficiently, we need clear visual information on EACH HINGE settings and installation.
Please follow the steps below before sending your support request:

• Step 1: Take a photo of the bottom adjustment screw and hinge type marking (SA, SA1, etc.) on EACH HINGE.
• Step 2: Take a photo of the current tension setting on EACH HINGE.
• Step 3: Record 10-15s of your gate performance to help us understand your issue and provide accurate support.
• Step 4: Send all the information to Waterson Contact Us Form

Watch a short instruction on how to send Waterson an adjusting request.

Waterson Spring Loaded Self Closing Gate Hinges

Waterson spring loaded self closing gate hinges combine the function of an overhead closer and a hinge into a single, sleek component—complete with optional hold-open and door-stop features. Designed for commercial openings, gates, and glass doors, these hinges are easy to install and adjust to meet ADA and ICC A117.1 standards for opening force, while ensuring quiet and secure closure. Crafted from durable stainless steel, they are NFPA 80 compliant, UL 3-hour fire-rated, and built to perform reliably in both interior and all-weather exterior environments. See all our features.

In addition to these performance advantages, Waterson offers custom hinge services. As a direct manufacturer, we can tailor hinge sizes, finishes, and especially hinge leaf designs to meet the specific structural needs of your doors. This makes our hinges an ideal solution for door manufacturers seeking custom options that integrate seamlessly with their existing frames.

Request For Quote

Please note that Waterson closer hinges start from a size of 4″x4″. If you’re in need of smaller self-closing hinges, we’d recommend checking out some other resources! Also, we only provide single acting closer hinges. Thank you.

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