Latch Question

[KelloggKid]

My wife is rapidly learning all the various in's and outs of our new 19' FC and is looking forward to going off on solo trips with one or another of the kids or her sister. So far there hasn't been anything about hitching, unhitching, etc. that she can't handle and she has a lot of experience pulling horse and boat trailers so should be good in that department.

There is one thing, however that she absolutely can not do. She does not have the upper body strength to latch or unlatch the rock guard over the center front window (see photo).

Has anyone come up with a different latch that doesn't take a muscle man to operate?

[cwf]

Stretching out the retainers her may improve latch effort.

Our 199 still had a big snap to it. There have been few solutions from my experience... just "needs" her hubby.

Is the problem "grip strength"?

[LBOskiBear]

If she's not as tall, would stepping on a small step ladder (which is something good to have in the trailer) help her with a better angle on it? If she's approaching it from above instead of from below or even laterally?

[DMP54]

"There is one thing, however that she absolutely can not do. She does not have the upper body strength to latch or unlatch the rock guard over the center front window (see photo)."


I have the same problem. You may want to try a small step-stool for some leverage. I can undo it that way, but Doug usually has to refasten it. Please let us know of any solutions!

[dkottum]

Stand directly in front of it, wrap both hands around it and pull straight up with both arms.

[SanAndVin]

At 5' 4" and 108 lbs., I share your wife's woes. The latches are just too high for me to get the leverage to pull them safely. My solution is to use a little stool. I place one foot on the stool and the other on the A-frame. Having a foot on the A-frame allows me to position myself directly in front of the latch as opposed to twisting my back. Another reason I have one foot on the A-frame and the other on the stool is it feels steadier, I worry less about the stool kicking out from under me.

[KelloggKid]

I guess I should have been more specific. My wife is in her 70's, short and has arthritis in her hands. The suggestions to use a step stool are worth trying. If she is up higher it should be easier. I'm also going to see if I can find a latch that would be easier to operate.

[4riveteers]

My wife just said "ya" I can't open that darn thing either". So ok, I got off my couch and I had to take a look at our latches. Just having a thought here. Each part is held on by two small pop rivets. Could you drill out the rivets and flip the two stainless steel brackets around? Rivets may just work on one or two of the original holes? Then your wife would be standing on the firm ground pulling down on the rubber thingy rather than standing on a small step ladder trying to pull up. The rubber would hang off the window but that would be a indicator the window is deployed and a visual aid to not bang your head into it. Maybe hang one of those red "Remove before flight" tags on it...

[KelloggKid]

Originally Posted by 4riveteers

.......Each part is held on by two small pop rivets. Could you drill out the rivets and flip the two stainless steel brackets around? Rivets may just work on one or two of the original holes? ..

Not a bad thought. That would help a great deal. I may just have to give that a try. The idea I had was to replace the rubber portion altogether with a threaded shaft, with a wooden bead on it and a wing nut. The wing nut could be used to secure the bead into the upper metal cup, similar to the way ZipDee hold downs work.

[4riveteers]

Good idea. But does that allow for rattling down the road? I think AS uses the rubber thing to allow for some flexibility while traveling, or maybe just the simple is better concept. The rubber itself probably has a short life span but it's cheap to replace. Your idea has a plus that you are not going into the base of what is already fastened down but at the cost of possibly reducing flexibility in the tie down. I would hate to see a crack in the window cover if things are made too ridged. Good luck. Let me know how it turns out. As Wally says "don't make changes, make improvements".

[4riveteers]

Hey, another thought on your idea. If you can get a small compression spring on your threaded shaft in between the wing nut and the ball, then you keep flexibility.
We should both go to work for NASA[emoji851]