I really appreciate this comment. I was hoping that using the thin cedar pickets would have been enough to keep it light. I’m not averse to redoing the gate at some point, or even tearing our the gate posts and using 6x6 posts ajd putting them even deeper, but right now I just need to get these things up and working.

I just don’t know how to add the diagonal brace board with the middle support board in the way.

I thought about that, but the front boards are only 5/8. I don’t trust that long term. I’m going to remove the wheel and put three long ass strap hinges on the horizontal boards. I’m hoping that will distribute the weight better.

Thank you for this very detailed response. Unfortunately I can’t use narrower gates, since both 8 ft gates close in the middle as this is a driveway gate.

I am absolutely planning on putting diagonal brace boards in, but since the front material is only 5/8 in thick, and the back has three horizontal boards, I didn’t know the best way to put the diagonal brace boards in.

I tried using the wheel in the picture, because it’s not directly under the gate, I think it’s what’s causing it to bow. These are our driveway gates, and I have two 8-ft gates meeting in the middle on either side of the driveway. That’s the idea anyway, but currently I just have this piece of shit seen in the picture. The driveway slopes down away from the gate when it opens, which I don’t care about. I just want it to sit level while closed. 95% of the time it is going to be closed and sitting there, and will only be opened when we are leaving or coming home.

While I agree that farmers can have specialized vehicles for different tasks, not all do. We farm sheep, pigs, chickens, and ducks and do not have specialized equipment. We don’t even have a tractor. I also don’t disagree that people who don’t have a use for trucks don’t need them, but I wouldn’t go to far as to say they shouldn’t have them. While objectively worse for the environment than a vehicle more suitable to their lifestyles, it’s a slippery slope (as we’ve seen) once we start legislating morality.

Bottom line: if we didn’t operate a farm business, we wouldn’t have a need for or the desire to have a large truck. More likely, any truck at all. We certainly wouldn’t have one to park in the driveway of the suburban house we would probably live in. It’s just impractical, but not everyone is gifted with innate pragmatism.

Clearly there was some sort of global survey we aren’t privy to.

Stating in your argument “there are no arguments to this” highlights up front how close-minded you are to discussion on the subject. It’s perfectly acceptable to discuss things you strongly believe in while still allowing yourself to be open-minded about opposing views. In fact, I would say it is required for honest discourse to occur.

In my personal experience, I have one of these vehicles with a comfortable and spacious cab. It allows me to have one vehicle for all the tasks that come with a sheep and pig farm, and also allows us to transport our large family comfortably to and fro. I would like my family to be comfortable while riding in our vehicle, which is equally able to perform various work functions related to farming and transport a family. Why would we purchase and maintain two separate vehicles for these purposes when a single option exists?

You can change this in the settings to make the power button a power button again.

Jibjab!