Ghost Controls Gate Motor Replacement Nationwide

Ghost Controls Gate Motor Replacement: The San Mateo Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Ghost Controls-compatible gate motor replacements in San Mateo, with most residential swing-gate motors running between $680 and $1,340 installed depending on the series and whether the mounting bracket and arm geometry need reworking. Same-day replacement is available when the motor is in our San Mateo inventory, which covers the TSS1, TDS2, and newer AXWV series. Most owners discover the motor has failed when the gate stops mid-travel on a rainy morning, or when the remote clicks but the arm doesn’t budge and the control box emits a rapid beep pattern instead of the usual single tone.

Call (650) 293-9440

Which Ghost Controls Models This Applies To

Ghost Controls has released three distinct hardware generations, and the motor assembly is not cross-compatible between them. The TSS1 series (single swing) and TDS2 series (dual swing) use a brushed DC motor with a 22:1 planetary gearbox and a keyed 12mm output shaft. The newer AXWV line, introduced around 2019, switched to a brushless motor with an integrated position sensor and a 15mm splined shaft. The mounting footprint also changed; an AXWV motor will not bolt to a TSS1 bracket without drilling new holes, which we don’t recommend because it voids the wind-load rating.

To identify your motor, check the silver data label on the motor housing itself, not just the control box. The label lists the part number prefix (TSS1-, TDS2-, or AXWV-) and the manufacturing date code. We carry both OEM Ghost Controls motors and quality aftermarket equivalents from US Automatic and GHOST-compatible rebuilds. For the TSS1/TDS2 generation, the aftermarket motors match spec at roughly 30% lower cost and carry the same 3-year warranty. For the AXWV series, we currently stock OEM only because the brushless controller communication protocol is proprietary, and aftermarket units have shown inconsistent limit-switch calibration in San Mateo’s coastal humidity.

Signs Your Ghost Controls Gate Motor Replacement Is Failing

• Gate stops at the same point every cycle. The internal Hall-effect sensor in the motor is reading erratically, or the gearbox has developed a flat spot on the final drive gear. In San Mateo, we see this more often on west-facing gates where morning condensation sits in the housing until noon.
• Motor hums but the arm doesn’t move. The start capacitor has degraded, or the planetary gears have sheared. On TSS1 units built before 2017, the factory capacitor is underrated for cold starts below 45°F, which matters on Peninsula mornings from November through March.
• Intermittent operation that improves after a power cycle. The motor’s thermal overload is tripping prematurely due to winding insulation breakdown. This gets worse as the motor heats up during repeated cycles, which is common when delivery drivers or landscapers trigger the gate multiple times in short succession.
• Visible grease leaking from the gearbox seam. The output shaft seal has failed. Once water mixes with the lithium grease, the gearbox becomes an abrasive slurry instead of a lubricated geartrain. We’ve opened TDS2 motors from Baywood Park properties where the grease had the consistency of beach sand.
• Control box flashes six times, pauses, repeats. This is Ghost Controls’ motor-overcurrent code. It can mean a seized motor, a binding gate mechanism, or a shorted winding. We always check the gate mechanicals first before condemning the motor, because replacing a motor on a binding gate burns out the new unit within weeks.

Before

After

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

The installed total for most San Mateo residential properties falls between $680 and $1,340. What moves the number: whether the existing arm geometry can be reused, whether the gate post has shifted and needs realignment, and whether the control box requires a firmware update to recognize a replacement motor. We write the full scope and price before any work starts, under Haven Standard Clause 1. The motor itself carries the manufacturer’s warranty, and our labor and alignment are covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise.

DIY or Call Us?

There are two things a homeowner can safely check before calling. First, verify that the gate moves freely by hand with the motor disengaged; use the manual release key that came with your Ghost Controls system. Second, inspect the low-voltage wiring between the control box and the motor for obvious corrosion or rodent damage. What you should not do: remove the motor assembly yourself. The arm is under spring tension from the gate’s weight, and the 24V control circuit can deliver a sustained arc if the transformer capacitors hold a charge. We’ve been called to San Mateo properties where a well-intentioned owner stripped the output shaft threads trying to force an incompatible replacement motor onto the original coupler. That turned a motor replacement into a motor, coupler, and control-box repair. Name what you found. Name what it costs. Name what you left behind. Call (650) 293-9440 and we’ll give you the written price before anyone picks up a tool.

FAQs