Posted 2012-01-22 7:55 PM (#140207) Subject: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Beavercreek, OR
I have a 1997 Logan Eventer two-horse slant (steel). While driving, the tack room door flies open. It used to happen only occasionally, but now it's a real problem, as it happens any time I go over a little bump. The door latch is a standard keyed paddle latch, and locking the door does not help. As a test, I got inside the tack room when the trailer was parked and tried to get the door to open so I could figure out what was happening. Oddly, the door would NOT open with me pushing it from the inside (and I pushed hard!).
I took the trailer to a horse trailer restoration specialist in the Vancouver, WA area. He replaced the weatherstripping around the door. He also adjusted the latch strike plate, but this didn't fix the problem (at all - the tack room door flew open on the way home). Because he didn't charge me to do that, I didn't complain. However, due to other reasons that aren't relevant here, I'm not taking the trailer back there again.
So, I'm left to figure this out on my own. Any suggestions?
Posted 2012-01-22 10:57 PM (#140216 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
The trailer's frame may be twisting when it's being towed and allowing the plunger to pull free of the striker plate. I would try to replace the plunger assy with a different lock; perhaps a longer dead bolt style.
Also check behind the striker plate, to ensure there is enough space for the plunger to fully engage the plate, and not partially contact just its taper. If the striker plate doesn't have enough distance behind it drilled into the door jamb, to allow the plunger to fully extend, the door can open when the trailer flexes.
Posted 2012-01-23 5:04 PM (#140247 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316 Location: Illinois
Besides as has been suggested changing the kind of lock on the door. I would seriously inspect the frame of the trailer to ensure there are no major issues there that need to be addressed as well.
Posted 2012-01-23 10:35 PM (#140264 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373 Location: Texas
I agree to check that there is not some structural issues making the trailer flex / twist.
But, and easy fix, that is cheap, although not "pretty" is to just add an eye bolt or some sort of ring etc on the door, and body of the trailer that you can just put a snap between them for traveling to keep door from opening.
Posted 2012-01-23 10:43 PM (#140265 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
Veteran
Posts: 153 Location: Iowa
I had one that did this. My door was treeked just a bit. They put a 2x4 behind the part of the door that touched the frame first and push in on the other part. I cured it for a year then it started again, I repeated what they had done and fixed it again. Other than that, I locked it before the trip home after that and it never came unlatched.
Posted 2020-05-26 12:58 PM (#173095 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviving an old thread. I have a Sundowner Charter and the tack room door opens when driving if not locked. The lock has a separate bolt. I am guessing my trailer is doing what is described in the prior posts, flexing causing the plunger/tounge to wiggle back and forth until it eventually releases from the strike plate (which is actually the edge of the door frame). I looked at the plunger/tounge from the inside and it looks like the tounge is fully extended on the strike plate. I am checking to see if anyone has come up with a solution for this other than remembering to lock the deadbolt after closing the door. Thanks.
Posted 2020-05-28 8:07 AM (#173096 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 785 Location: Tenn/Ala.
If you know that the latch is fully engaging in the hole, and the hole is nice and square, try lubricating the latch well. If it is all dry, the typical flex may be shaking/pulling the latch back and it can't go back in place if too dry. It will also help it to seat fully.
Sundowner weatherstrips their doors pretty tight, and I have found sometimes once I close it I can push on the door and it will allow the latch to engage just a little bit better.
Yes, it is wise to lock the deadbolt. But it usually isn't necessary.
Posted 2021-04-18 3:42 PM (#173632 - in reply to #140207) Subject: RE: Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
Regular
Posts: 80 Location: canada
I had the same problem and as soon as I changed the hitch on my truck to a higher hitch so that the trailer was more level the problem went away. I suspect this was due to there being too much pressure on the trailer tongue from the lower hitch which caused the frame to bend just enough so that the latch couldn't hold when I hit a bump. I used to always have to lock the tack room door or else it woud fly open just as you described but now w/the higher hitch it's fine and I don't have to lock it while traveling. Hope this helps!
Tack Room Door Flies Open When Driving - Help!
