Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Curb side engine latch mounting failure  (Read 647 times) previous topic - next topic

Curb side engine latch mounting failure

In searching the forum I find previous examples of this latch pulling free.  It appears to have been simply riveted, somehow, into the fiberglass of the engine hatch cover.  Should this entire latch pull free, before repair, is there a suggested solution for holding the side of the door closed while running down the road?

A previous repair attempt used a large "fist sized glob" of material that may be JB weld that didn't hold and is now still attached to the latch.  How best to remove this material?

What is the best solution for permanent fix?

Thanks

Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Curb side engine latch mounting failure

Reply #1 –
Any chance for a picture?
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Curb side engine latch mounting failure

Reply #2 –
Randy, lots of ways to do this.  Fix it once and forever.  Here is my suggestion.  Good chance you will get others to pick from.

I have fixed a couple of these in other locations by making marks so that you can accurately reattach the latch and then remove the old latch.  Cut a 1/8" aluminum plate bigger than the latch and position it where you want it.  Mark around the edges with marker.  Sand down the area inside the marking with coarse sandpaper until you are into clean materal.  Remove all dust and debris. Drill a hole near each corner of the aluminum plate for 3/16" pop rivets.  Position the plate and drill the holes through the fiberglass.  Put a layer of 3M 5200 adhesive on the aluminum plate and poprivet it in place.  Position the latch on the plate and mark the holses.  Drill holes through the plate and the fibergalss behind.  Use long enough 3/16" poprivets and attach the latch.  You might need to reposition the latch pin inward a bit.  Poprivets can be aluminum or stainless steel.  The ss ones this size are hard to do with a hand popriveter.

The 3M adhesive takes some time (days) for 100% cure so don't overstress it for a while. 
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Curb side engine latch mounting failure

Reply #3 –
Randy,
I am not sure about the area under the latch, but there are areas of the engine hatch that have wood laminated between the outer and inner layers. For instance, the bottom of the hatch where the ladder is attached has a fiberglass and plywood sandwich to give the ladder mounting flanges something substantial to screw into. I suspect that the same applies wherever the hatch is thicker. Anyway, the point is that if water has gotten in between the layers and the wood is compromised, there isn't much structure to hold whatever is mounted to it. On ours, the lower ladder mounting screws were not holding. I opened the area around the screws and dug out the rotten wood and then filled the area with fiberglass reinforced marine filler. I then through bolted the ladder mounting flanges so that the filler isn't doing anything but taking up space. I think Roger's suggestion is a good one as long as the area under the aluminum plate isn't spongey do to rotted substrate.
Don
Quote from: floridarandy –
In searching the forum I find previous examples of this latch pulling free.  It appears to have been simply riveted, somehow, into the fiberglass of the engine hatch cover.  Should this entire latch pull free, before repair, is there a suggested solution for holding the side of the door closed while running down the road?

A previous repair attempt used a large "fist sized glob" of material that may be JB weld that didn't hold and is now still attached to the latch.  How best to remove this material?

What is the best solution for permanent fix?

Thanks


The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Curb side engine latch mounting failure

Reply #4 –
Both Roger and Dons posts are relevant. I'll post pics tomorrow of the phase one attempt. The factory rivet solution held for 17 years but isn't a good fix for the reason Don mentioned. The glass in new more than an 1/8 thick and if there was an inner cavity even if there was once wood.

Rogers solution would work if the area is reinforced first.

Pictures tomorrow if Phase 1 fix works.
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Curb side engine latch mounting failure

Reply #5 –
If the latch was riveted on from the beginning then there may nor be any wood behind.  The picture in the first post looks like that.  Make a plate that goes up and down about 3 inches or so.  You can use more rivets to hold the plate on if needed as long as they don't interfere with the latch.  Somehow you have to repair/reinforce the broken out piece.  Bonding a piece of aluminium when you need it works well.  It give the latch a solid mounting place where loads get spread out over a big area.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Curb side engine latch mounting failure

Reply #6 –
So here's the pictorial. This picture shows the latch as I discovered it. Rivers had pulled loose on the drivers sid3 and had been previously repaired with some type of epoxy material that hadnt bonded tonthe fiberglass.

We drilled all 4 rivets from both brackets (4 per bracket).  We inserted brass inserts in the cleaned out holes preceded by generous amounts of 2 part, 5 minute epoxy in the holes and around the inserts which were turned into the holes an$ left overnight.

Inboard holes on each side were drilled through.

A day after screws were inserted, with lock washers in the inserts and through bolts were secured by nylocks.

Holes requiring epoxy must be cleaned out to allow sufficient epoxy to provide security for the inserts.
 
Job seems complete and is holding.
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"