Bedroom Closet Latches

DRGalligher

Well-known member
Just bought our 3055RL and already broke one of the bedroom sliding closet door latches. Going to the dealer Tuesday to order replacements - getting extras just in case. This is not a big deal. Our last RV, a Komfort TT had the same problem and that was all it had, so this doesn't upset me much. Have any of you replaced with a different latch that is more durable? In this case, the plastic part that bends back busted at the fold and basically locked so we had to pry to latch off from the door. Thanks!
 

Two Hands

Well-known member
I don't know what year Big Horn you have, but when you mention plastic closet latches it brings back memories. I had the latches replaced at least twice before heeding advice from a sage member of this forum. Unfortunately, I don't remember who that was. I just could not believe that velcro would work to hold those two big sliding mirrored doors shut. I finally tried it and the velcro worked great. Run a search and you can learn more than you ever wanted about plastic closet latches.
 

Wharton

Well-known member
We broke one of our door latches 5 minutes after getting the trailer home. I told my wife it was a latch, she assumed it had a hinge and snapped it right off. She called customer service and they sent 2 new ones for free. If it breaks again we will go to velcro.

We have used velcro for years. It works great on doors. We use it as a solution for many things. We velcro together our entertainment center units, we have a piece of velcro that will hold the microwave door open in case we are tilted a little bit, velcro on the printer so it doesn't slide around, same the the external hard drive. Have it on the GPS so it doesn't slide around and we can position it just right, have it on our cell phones so the cell phone is attached to the dashboard. All sorts of uses, handiest thing that came out of the space program. Velcro the pictures to the walls. Use the velcor wraps to tie up wires so they are not all over the place.

You don't need a lot of velcro. I tend to put too much on and my DW can't get whatever is velcroed off.

We try to get the commercial velcro from Lowes or HD. Doesn't wear out as fast and it has more sticking power.

Velcro does wear out, I think the little hooks are the main culprit.
 

DRGalligher

Well-known member
Thanks for the feedback Two Hands and Wharton. I'll be calling customer service for the replacements and looking to replace with velcro if it happens again.
 

hogan

Past Mississippi Chapter Leader (Founding)
We just got a #3670 Big Horn and one of the items on my "Gotcha" list was poor installation of the closet mirror door latchs. One of them had both screws stripped out in the very thin paneling that they were attached to. I put in hollow wall fasteners and that appears to take care of it. Our's would have broken also if I had not noticed they were so loose.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Been using velcro for 2 years now. Works great and no more $%#@& cut fingers. BTW, it does not take very much. DW could not get the doors open. "Hey, you didn't want them to come open." I guess I need to go fix it sometime.....well maybe.
 

TGLBWH

North Central Region Directors-Retired
I will join the group with broken latches. two so far in a 2011 Elk Ridge. will definitely switch to velcro with one more break unless someone has a better idea. has anyone seen a metal hinge of that sort. Seems as though it would be sturdier.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Gerry, I think, I would rethink a metal latch of any kind. You are dealing with very thin "GLASS". Go with the velcro.
 

Willym

Well-known member
The owner of a new RV should not have to jury rig Velcro to keep his closet doors secured. Both of mine broke on my rigs maiden voyage, and I am expecting my dealer to replace them with good replacements - not ones with the skinny plastic pins. I've had an S.O.B. before with similar latches which did not fail. If this is a common Heartland problem, then the factory should be looking at the cause of the problem and implementing a solution.
 

DRGalligher

Well-known member
Good point Willym. I called the dealer yesterday and asked them to replace it and provide two latches. They have to order. The Komfort we had previously had plastic latches but they were of a different design. When I saw these in the BH, I was happy because they looked like a better design. Well, not so. Still, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and maybe, just maybe this one was faulty. I could be wrong though as it's happened before.
 

nscaler2

Well-known member
I don't know what year Big Horn you have, but when you mention plastic closet latches it brings back memories. I had the latches replaced at least twice before heeding advice from a sage member of this forum. Unfortunately, I don't remember who that was. I just could not believe that velcro would work to hold those two big sliding mirrored doors shut. I finally tried it and the velcro worked great. Run a search and you can learn more than you ever wanted about plastic closet latches.
We too gave up on the plastic latches years ago. We travel at least 2000 miles a year in our 3055RL and live in it about 4 months. The heavy duty velcro works just fine. We have never had a sliding door work loose while traveling on some very rough roads. When we get to destination, we reverse the order of the slide doors and the velcro is then on the "wrong" ends and don't constantly require releasing to use the closets.
 

DRGalligher

Well-known member
When we tried the velcro, they just wouldn't hold. I put these on last year and they are the best thing since sliced bread!
http://tweetys.com/mirrored-door-latches.aspx

Those are the exact latches that our 2011 3055RL came with. So . . . I'm hoping that the one that broke was faulty and the other two the dealer has ordered for me will do the trick and that will be the end of it. Thanks for posting the link with the picture.
 

wazz_zup

Active Member
Some of you may still have these little meat-grabbing-flesh-ripping buggers still on there. Our '08 came with them.

IMG_2914.jpg


We had one break on us, so that was a good to time to swap 'em out.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
That's the same ones our '09 came with, and they were nasty. Fortunately, a passing moderator took pity on me while they were in our campground last year and bestowed a set of the better black ones upon me. Magic wand, or something (I don't think he was a fairy??). But they work great and do not seem liable to easy breakage.
 
Our first latch broke during the walk through with the dealer tech, he replaced it. We now have two broken ones and not sure if I want them to be replaced based on this forum
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
We have the black ones and have never had a problem with them. And they are not flesh eaters either.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
Our 2008 BH came with the hard plastic type. Heartland sent me new ones that are black and are much softer. Works great and have had no further problems.

BC
 

DRGalligher

Well-known member
Our 2008 BH came with the hard plastic type. Heartland sent me new ones that are black and are much softer. Works great and have had no further problems.

BC

Ooo . . . maybe that's the key. The black ones on our closets were hard. I'm waiting for new ones from Heartland through my dealer so hopefully they will be the softer ones.
 
Top