Gate Fork / Strike Bolt
Definition
A gate fork (also called a drop fork, cane bolt, or strike bolt assembly) secures one leaf of a double drive gate while the other leaf is in active use. The steel bolt slides down into a ground sleeve or locks into a mounted fork bracket. Micah Taintor recommends solid steel strike bars with padlocks over keyed latches as the primary security hardware for gate applications in Iowa — standard keyed latches can freeze in winter (the keyed mechanism collects moisture that freezes), making them unreliable precisely when security matters most. A padlock on a steel strike bar has no mechanical keyed parts to freeze and is harder to force open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Gate Fork / Strike Bolt Matters
How Thrive Fencing Uses It
Thrive installs steel strike bars with padlock provision as its preferred high-security gate latch solution, specifically for their reliability in cold Iowa winters versus keyed latches.