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AfterFAAC Gate Motor Replacement: The Kennedale Owner’s Guide
If your FAAC gate motor has quit, we stock and install FAAC-compatible replacement motors for most 400, 412, 740, 750, 770, and C720/C721 series operators. Installed replacement in Kennedale typically runs $650 to $1,400 depending on the model and whether the control board can be reused. Most swaps are done in a single visit, and we carry the common FAAC motors on the truck so we’re not ordering and coming back next week. Usually the first sign is a gate that hums without moving, or one that starts fine in cool weather and stalls out when a Texas July afternoon hits the capacitor.
You’re reading this because a FAAC motor gave out. That’s not a failure on you. FAAC builds a good Italian motor, but time and Texas heat work on everything. Here’s what you need to know before you spend a dollar.
Key Takeaways
- Typical installed cost in Kennedale: $650 to $1,400, quoted and agreed before work begins.
- Most FAAC motor swaps: completed in one visit, with the motor on the truck.
- OEM vs aftermarket: we explain the honest trade-off below, no upsell.
- 90-Day Done Right Promise: written, no arguing, applied to every motor we install.
Written by Victor Salinas, Owner & Gate Repair Specialist at Ironworks Gate Co., serving Kennedale and nearby areas.
Which FAAC Models This Applies To
The FAAC lineup most homeowners in Kennedale run includes the 400 series (swing gates), the 412 operator, the 740 and 750 slide gate operators, and the newer C720 and C721 series. The motor itself is not universal across these. A C721 motor will not drop into a 412 housing without a fight, and sometimes not at all. This is the single most common mistake we see from well-meaning DIY parts buys online.
If you’re unsure which model you have, open the operator cover and look for the silver FAAC rating plate. It lists the model and serial number. If the plate is missing or sun-faded past reading (which happens after a decade facing west in Kennedale), measure the motor body length and mounting bolt spacing and call us at (817) 286-7391 with those numbers. We’ll match it from the truck or the parts shelf before we roll out.
On the OEM versus aftermarket question: FAAC OEM motors are the safest bet for newer C-series operators. For older 400 and 750 series, a quality aftermarket motor built to the same frame spec often outlives the remaining control board anyway. We’ll quote you both when both exist, with a straight recommendation rather than a markup-driven pitch. Ironworks Gate Co. is an independent service provider; we are not affiliated with FAAC, which means we answer to you, not to a factory parts program.
Signs Your FAAC Gate Motor Replacement Is Failing
- The motor hums but the gate doesn’t move. The capacitor is weak or the start winding has failed. In FAAC 400-series swing operators, this is often the first warning that the motor is near end of life, not just a bad cap. A quick capacitor swap can buy time, but if the motor is over eight years old, the repair window is closing.
- The gate moves slower than it did last year. Worn brushes or bearing drag in the motor body make the operator work harder against the same load. On slide gates, the problem worsens as summer heat thickens the grease and adds rolling resistance. A tired motor pulling more amperage will eventually trip the thermal overload in the middle of a cycle.
- The gate stops mid-travel and reverses without obstruction. The motor is overheating and the control board is cutting power. In older FAAC 750s, this is the classic thermal-protection cycle. It usually starts on the hottest afternoons, then becomes more frequent until the motor refuses to run at all.
- You smell a hot electrical odor near the operator housing. That’s motor winding insulation breaking down. It is not a smell that fixes itself. When we open these up, the varnish on the windings is often dark amber and brittle, with that burned-plastic smell that tells us the motor has been cooking for weeks.
- The gate runs in one direction but labors or fails in the other. In FAAC swing operators, the motor reverses polarity through the board. A motor that behaves differently between open and close direction often has a damaged winding on one leg. This one fools owners because the gate still “kind of works” until the morning it doesn’t.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
In Kennedale, an installed FAAC gate motor replacement typically lands between $650 and $1,400. The range is driven by three things: which FAAC model you have, whether we can reuse the existing control board and capacitor, and whether your gate itself needs adjustment at the same time. A gate that’s been struggling with an underpowered or dying motor often has hinge or roller wear that should be addressed on the same visit so the new motor isn’t fighting the same load.
Every quote is settled before a single bolt is turned. You’ll know the motor cost, the labor, and any gate adjustments needed before work starts, and the final invoice will match the quoted number. No hourly surprises, no “while we’re in there” add-ons without your approval. The work is covered by the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, and the motor carries its manufacturer’s warranty. If it’s not right, we come back and make it right. That’s the Keystone Standard, on every motor we hang.
DIY or Call Us?
If you’re comfortable with a multimeter, you can check the incoming voltage at the operator and confirm the capacitor hasn’t swollen. You can also check for a tripped breaker or a photo eye knocked out of alignment. Those checks are free and won’t hurt you.
What we don’t recommend is opening the motor housing yourself and attempting a rebuild. FAAC motors are not high-tension like a torsion spring, but they do involve line-voltage wiring, capacitors that hold a charge even with power off, and gear assemblies under load. A capacitor discharge across your hand is an experience you don’t need. If the motor is confirmed dead, the fastest and cheapest path back to a working gate is usually a phone call: (817) 286-7391. We’ll tell you what we think it is before we even send a truck, and the estimate is free.
FAQs
In Kennedale, a well-maintained FAAC motor typically lasts 8 to 12 years. The two things that kill them early here are heat and gate drag. A FAAC motor mounted in full western sun on an unshaded gate will run hotter every day of July and August, and motors that overheat daily burn through their service life unevenly. Gates with worn hinges, bad rollers, or wind-loaded panels force the motor to work harder, and that extra amperage shortens the motor’s life by years. If yours died young, the gate itself is often the silent accomplice. Call (817) 286-7391 and we’ll check both, not just the motor.
Sometimes, yes. If the failure is a capacitor, a set of brushes, or a loose connection, we’ll repair it and send you on your way with change in your pocket. If the windings are burned or the motor has been overheating for months, a rebuild costs close to replacement and rarely lasts. We’ll show you the numbers for both and let you decide. We don’t rebuild a motor we wouldn’t put on our own gate.
Most FAAC gate motor replacements in Kennedale are done in one visit, typically two to four hours. We carry the common FAAC motors and capacitors on the truck, so there’s no parts-ordering delay on the most popular 400, 412, 740, 750, and C-series units. If we need to order a specialty motor, we’ll tell you before we schedule and give you a firm date rather than a window.
We stock the FAAC motors that fail most often in the Tarrant County climate: 400-series swing motors, 750 slide motors, and C-series replacement units. We also carry compatible motors for LiftMaster, Mighty Mule, and Ghost Controls systems, so the truck is loaded for whatever is on the driveway. For anything unusual, our parts counter can typically have it in hand in two to three business days.
Get Your Gate Back to Work
A gate motor that quits doesn’t just inconvenience you. It leaves your property open or locked in a way you didn’t choose, and that needs to be fixed by someone who won’t make it worse. If your FAAC motor is failing or already failed, call us at (817) 286-7391. A live person answers, day or night, not a voicemail tree. We’ll give you a straight answer on what’s wrong, what it costs, and when we can be there. As Victor Salinas puts it: “If the gate’s not working right, it’s not done.” That’s the standard we’ve built this company on for over 42 years, and it applies to every FAAC motor we hang in Kennedale.
Written by Victor Salinas, Owner & Gate Repair Specialist, Ironworks Gate Co. at Ironworks Gate Co., serving Kennedale and nearby areas.