Linear Gate Motor Replacement Nationwide

Linear Gate Motor Replacement: The Fort Worth Owner’s Guide

A Linear gate motor replacement in Fort Worth typically runs between $900 and $1,700 installed, depending on your specific Linear model, the actuator’s stroke length and duty cycle rating, and whether the control board or limit switches need attention at the same time. We stock Linear-compatible motors and actuators on our trucks for the most common series (the LRA, APeX, and older L-Series swing and slide operators), so most replacements happen in a single visit. You usually discover the motor has failed one of two ways: the gate stops mid-travel and hums without moving, or it trips the breaker and won’t respond at all. Sometimes it’s quieter than that, a gate that opens slower each week until one morning it just doesn’t.

Call (682) 841-5749

We’re an independent Fort Worth gate repair company, not a Linear dealer or affiliate. That matters because we choose the best replacement option for your specific opener, OEM or proven aftermarket, instead of pushing one product line. Every replacement starts with a written price before any work begins, so you’ll know the real number before we touch a bolt.

Key takeaways:

• Installed replacement for a Linear residential gate motor in Fort Worth: $900 – $1,700 depending on model and actuator specs
• We carry Linear LRA, APeX, and legacy L-Series compatible motors on the truck
• Most replacements are done in one visit, and we’ll match the stroke length and mounting pattern correctly
• 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the work; the part carries its own manufacturer warranty
• Call (682) 841-5749 and a live person answers, day or night

Which Linear Models This Applies To

Linear’s residential gate operators come in three broad families, and the replacement motor has to match the series and the actuator’s stroke length. The LRA series (LRA24, LRA36, LRA48) uses a 24-volt DC actuator on swing gates, and the number in the model name tells you the stroke in inches. A 36-inch arm does not substitute for a 48-inch arm, even though it bolts up the same, it just won’t open the gate fully. The APeX series (APeX-O, APeX-S) runs either a chain or belt-driven slide operator, and the motor is a 1/2 HP or 3/4 HP AC unit with a capacitor that often fails before the motor itself. The older L-Series (L89, L90, L96) is still on plenty of Fort Worth properties, especially in Fairmount and Mistletoe Heights, and those take a specific 115V motor with a thermal overload that trips in Texas heat more than anyone wants to admit.

To identify your correct replacement, look for the silver data plate on the operator chassis, usually near the bottom or behind the cover. It lists the model, serial number, voltage, and stroke or horsepower. Take a photo of that plate before you call, it saves a trip. When it comes to OEM versus aftermarket, we’ve had good results with original Linear units for the LRA series, and with proven aftermarket motors from suppliers like GTO’s replacement line for older L-Series slide units, where Linear’s original parts are hit-or-miss on availability. The honest answer is that some aftermarket motors for the L-Series run cooler than the originals ever did, which matters in a Fort Worth August.

We also work on LiftMaster, Mighty Mule, and Ghost Controls openers, so if you’re not sure which brand handles your gate, call and describe the housing. We’ll tell you what to look for.

Signs Your Linear Gate Motor Replacement Is Failing

• The gate hums but doesn’t move. That’s the motor getting power but the capacitor or the internal gearing slipping. On APeX slide operators this is nearly always the capacitor, which is a $30 part, but if you ignore it long enough the motor burns out. We replace the capacitor first and test the motor under load before recommending the bigger repair.
• The gate stops halfway and reverses. This is typically the travel limit sensors or a motor drawing too many amps and tripping the obstruction sensing. On LRA arms, it’s often the motor itself wearing out, pulling more current than the board expects, and the board reads it as an obstruction.
• You smell something hot near the operator. A failing Linear motor runs warm. In Texas, where the ambient temperature inside the operator housing can already hit 140°F, a worn motor pushing past its duty cycle will smell like warm electronics. That’s your warning, not the day it fails.
• The gate opens slower than it used to. On swing gates this often means low 24V output from a failing transformer or a motor arm losing its thrust. On slide gates it’s usually a chain that needs tensioning or a motor that’s been fighting a dry rail. We check the mechanicals before blaming the motor, because replacing a motor on a misaligned gate just ruins the new motor faster.
• The breaker trips when the gate runs. That’s a dead giveaway of an AC motor shorting internally or a failing run capacitor. We isolate the motor from the board and test it with a multimeter before recommending a full replacement, because sometimes the repair is a $40 part and not a $700 motor.

If the gate is doing something else entirely, call and describe it. Cody Beckman has a saying about this: “Tell me what the gate is doing, and I’ll tell you what it needs, usually those are two different conversations.” That’s not a sales line. Half the time the symptom points at a switch or a limit sensor, and the motor is fine.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

Here’s the honest breakdown for Fort Worth, so you can compare against any other quote with real numbers.

• LRA24/LRA36 swing actuator replacement: $900 – $1,250 installed, including the new 24V actuator, matching mounting hardware, limit adjustment, and a full travel test cycle
• LRA48 long-stroke actuator replacement: $1,100 – $1,400 installed, the longer stroke runs a little more and usually pairs with a heavier gate leaf
• APeX slide motor replacement: $950 – $1,400 installed, including the motor, capacitor, belt or chain tensioning, and rail alignment check
• Legacy L-Series slide motor: $1,000 – $1,700 installed, because the control board and limit switches often need replacement at the same time on an older unit
• Control board or capacitor replacement (if needed alongside the motor): $150 – $450 additional

The range depends on the specific model, how much of the supporting hardware (capacitor, control board, limit sensors, gear train) has been damaged by the failing motor, and whether the gate itself needs track or hinge work to stop the new motor from failing early. Every quote includes the part, labor, removal and haul-away of the old unit, and a written price before we start. There is no surprise line item mid-job. If we open the housing and see something we didn’t quote, we stop and bring it to you before changing the price.

Call (682) 841-5749 for an exact quote on your model. Estimates are free and the price is in writing before any work begins.

DIY or Call Us?

A Linear gate motor is a 115V or 24V electrical component mounted inside a metal housing. If you’re comfortable checking the basics, here’s what’s safe: confirm the breaker is on, check that the wall outlet or disconnect switch is getting power, and look for obvious damage like chewed wiring (Fort Worth squirrels are not kind to gate harnesses) or a swollen capacitor. You can safely measure voltage at the disconnect with a multimeter if you know how.

What we don’t recommend is opening the operator housing and testing live components. The capacitor inside an APeX or L-Series unit stores enough charge to bite, even with the power off, and that’s not a homeowner-friendly shock. The LRA actuator is under spring tension in some configurations, and removing one incorrectly can fire the arm. And the biggest reason not to DIY a motor swap: misaligning the new actuator or over-tensioning the chain is what kills a replacement motor in its first summer. We’ve seen it happen. The good news on cost is that a proper Fort Worth replacement is usually a one-day job, and you’re walking your dog through the gate by evening. Call (682) 841-5749 and we’ll come look.

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