Southco M1 Latch Repair - Anyone done it?

[TimD]

Howdy -  One of the Southco M1 latches on our 2021 LEII failed with a bent / broken roll pin, which is an internal part of the latch.  I've removed the bent pin but so far have been unable to install a new pin.  Seems like a fixture is required.

Southco, once you get them on the phone as they don't answer emails nor voice mails, are completely unhelpful.  

So, I have a $60+ latch, perfectly good otherwise, heading for the trash, or at least the recycle bin.

Any tips on how to press or hammer the roll pin in?

Thanks
Tim

 

[Geronimo John]

I would tap the hole and insert a fully threaded SS bolt with locktite red.  Then cut the head off the bolt.

GJ

[ScubaRx]

Do you have a mounted bench vice?

[Patriot]

4 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

I would tap the hole and insert a fully threaded SS bolt with locktite red.  Then cut the head off the bolt.

GJ

Bingo! 

[TimD]

Thanks for the replies.  I do have a bench mounted vise.  What isn't obvious from the photo:  A collar has been removed to expose the hole for the photo.  The spring-loaded threaded rod needs to be pushed in far enough to expose the hole past that collar, and then the roll pin has to be positioned correctly, held in place, and either pressed or hammered in. 

I haven't been able to do all of those things simultaneously. I think I'm pretty handy with this kind of thing.

I like the machine screw idea  and have various types of thread locker on hand, but I do not have a tap set.  I'm always in favor of adding to my set of tools but in this case (and at my age) I'm not sure it is worth it.

I'm working with Southco to see if they will accept it in return for repair (so far they won't, not least bc. they don't have a business process for that.  "We could put you in touch with one of our distributors mumble..." - that's unlikely to help.  Maybe they'll offer a replacement.   I have already replaced this latch on the trailer so the item in question would be a spare, or could be offered up to the community.

Thanks again
Tim

 

 

[jd1923]

I see the roll pin in the picture and it doesn’t look bent. What is keeping it from be driven wit a punch back into the opening. It will take 3 hands!

[TimD]

That's the new roll pin.  I suppose I could ask my travel partner (my wife) to help, haven't done that yet.

 

Edited October 23 by TimD
typo

[ScubaRx]

@TimD I see you have discovered the difficulty in starting the installation of a new roll pin. Here's a trick that has always worked for me. And, as usual, there's a You Tube video for it.

 

[TimD]

Thank you @ScubaRx, that's worth a shot.

Tim

 

 

[TimD]

An update.

I drilled the hole to 1/8" and hammered in the 1/8" roll pin sourced from the local hardware store (we are fortunate to have a reasonably well-equipped HW store nearby).  The OEM roll pin was a little bit smaller in diameter, possibly a metric size (3 mm = 0.118").  That in turn suggests the latch was made overseas, like a lot of stuff these days.

Sometimes the best fix is the simplest fix.   Thanks for the support and encouragement!

Tim

[topgun2]

9 minutes ago, TimD said:

Sometimes the best fix is the simplest fix.   Thanks for the support and encouragement!

AND - 

not only was the repair less expensive but you also kept additional stuff out of the landfill!

Good job!

Bill