"Slam shut" swing out latches?

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Are you talking about the ones that Iron Pig uses on their bumpers? I think they're Southco over center lever latches.
http://www.southco.com/product/class.aspx?cid=7383

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Edit: Those don't "slam" shut. You have to pull the lever and close it.
 
Many spring latches would work. Try McMaster-Carr or Google. I found lots of options.
 
or... redneck ingenuity :hillbilly:

car door latch (1).webp
car door latch (1).webp
 
Are you talking about the ones that Iron Pig uses on their bumpers? I think they're Southco over center lever latches.
http://www.southco.com/product/class.aspx?cid=7383

a2_a7.ldt.jpg


Edit: Those don't "slam" shut. You have to pull the lever and close it.

I have the upper right ones myself & they latch like they mean it - you don't want a stray finger in a wrong area, that's for sure! The cam-over "pops" distinctly & solidly, like the way a well built gunsafe latches shut when you turn the engaging wheel.

IIRC, they're like $100 a side though.
 
The father of a friend of mine designed his own "slam shut" style tire and gas can carrier bumper swing out latch. Let me see if I can explain.

The receiver (which was on the bumper) was a rearward facing little cone with a slot in it, on which the spring-loaded latch (which was on the swingout) would fit and lock. To open it, you only lifted the latch, to close you just closed the swingout, the cone would force the latch onto the slot and voila, safely closed.

Does that explain it by any chance?? I wish I had a way of taking pictures but the truck was sold a while ago with the bumper.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I'm thinking auto door latches or hood latches are going to be the way to go.

I'm surprised no one's done this yet. Swingout's make grocery loading very inconvenient.
(did I really just post this)

Pat
 
Alright gents, this is what I came up with:



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A VW? hood latch and striker bolt from eBay. I have a reinforcement/mounting bracket ready to cut out.



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Here's the latch mounted inside the reinforcement plate, which I welded to the swingout. You also see the push pull cable attached.



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The close up of it. I got some Kydex on order that I'm going to use to make a cover and hide this. I will post a picture of that later.



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Here's the T handle to the push pull cable also from eBay. I fabbed a bracket that comes out through the spare tire.



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Here's the inside of the swingarm where I welded the bracket.



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I drilled and tapped threads into the bumper for the Striker bolt.


I'm pretty happy with the way came out. I will post a video of it in action, it got dark so I figured I would wait for daylight.

It's a lot more convenient now for grocery getting.. Ugh, Wait no, I mean going to Home Depot.

Pat

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That's a great idea! Now are you going to fab up a better doohickey for keeping
the swing out open? I know the flimsy L hooks on my old school Kaymar have been
busted for years.
 
92-98 Nissan Pathfinder swingout latch $5 at local Pick and pull

92-98 Nissan Pathfinder swingout latch $5 at local Pick and pull
4x 11MM bolts swingout side..
2 Bolts bumper side.. Fits without modification on the stock cruiser bumper (pintle bolts) just buy the right bolts at Ace.. :grinpimp:

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One more pic..

I have to add works like a charm slam it and forget it.. Even my :princess: can open/close it while holding a grocery bag on both hands!
Gas strut holds the swingout open perfectly.. and adds a little resistance on the closing and opening to keep it nice and super easy to swing without effort even with a heavy a$$ 35" tire. Gas strut was also sourced for $2 at the local pick and pull including mounting brackets from a kia minivan of mid 90's I think.. :cheers: Not bad for $10-11 bucks, and a fun outing to the local junkyard on a Saturday morning.. :hillbilly:
Yeah.... I've been known to say "I love the smell of junkyards in the morning" :hillbilly:

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