Cabinet Door Latches (Southco Grabber Catch)

Make it comfortable inside
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nvestysly
Seasoned Traveler
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 4:22 pm
B190 Year: 1998
WBCCI: 16771

Cabinet Door Latches (Southco Grabber Catch)

Post by nvestysly »

I'm continuing to work on the 1998 van for my sister-in-law. One of the issues I found is the cabinet door are very difficult to open and close. Upon investigation I found Airstream used (at least on our 1998) a 10 LB retention Southco Grabber Catch to latch the cabinet doors. Southco also makes a 3 LB and 5LB retention latch. I replaced a few of the latches with the 3 LB variety and they work much better. I haven't had any problems with the door remaining closed during driving. I can't imagine why Airstream used the 10LB latch - it's overkill!

My sister-in-law is trying out the van for the first time this week. She agrees the 10 LB latches are too difficult to operate. I think the 10 LB latches also contribute to the cabinet doors splitting.

So I am obtaining prices to replace the latches. Our 1998 van requires 19 door latches and in those quantities the price for the Grabber Catch is around $4 each. I've asked the supplier to provide prices for higher quantities. If the prices drop is significant for larger quantities I may be in a position to sell latches to other B190 owners.

Is anyone else having problems with their latches? Would you like to upgrade to the 3 LB variety?
Attachments
The supplier drawing indicates the latches are available in 3 LB, 5 LB and 10 LB retention.
The supplier drawing indicates the latches are available in 3 LB, 5 LB and 10 LB retention.
Southco_Grabber_Catch_0001.jpg (246.82 KiB) Viewed 7389 times
We sold our 1998 B190, V-10
Currently own a 2010 Airstream Interstate
nvestysly
Seasoned Traveler
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 4:22 pm
B190 Year: 1998
WBCCI: 16771

Re: Cabinet Door Latches (Southco Grabber Catch)

Post by nvestysly »

Here are the prices I received for the Grabber Catches:

C3-203

20 4.05EA
50 3.62EA
100 3.50EA

1 week, factory stock if out of stock 5 weeks

Right now there is factory stock available. I plan to order 20 pieces later this week (Friday August 8, 2014). Let me know if you're interested in jumping in on my order or I can post the contact information for the supplier.

By the way, Out of Doors Mart sells the Grabber Catch but they don't have the small keeper so the part will not fit in the normal location on the cabinet door and may not work at all in some applications. In addition, the price from Out of Doors Mart is about $7. Don't get me wrong, I like Out of Doors Mart but when I'm buying 19 latches I want/need to save some money.
We sold our 1998 B190, V-10
Currently own a 2010 Airstream Interstate
Keystone
Seasoned Traveler
Posts: 199
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1994
Location: Boulder, Colorado

Re: Cabinet Door Latches (Southco Grabber Catch)

Post by Keystone »

My van doesn't have the original latches. The P.O. replaced them all with bulldog latches. They work pretty well (a reasonable combination of willingness to stay shut and fairly easy to open...) except for the rear closets, which routinely fly open and spew out my inflatable kayak, toolbox, and loaded backpacks. I think before you swap out all of the beefy latches, you might query your S-I-L to verify that only lightweight items will be stowed. Otherwise, there is an argument to stay with the 10lb latches, at least for a few cabinets. That said, I am routinely traveling on rough terrain--she may not go off the pavement.

Bottom line--I might like to buy 4 of your 10lb latches as you replace them. PM me if interested.
nvestysly wrote:I'm continuing to work on the 1998 van for my sister-in-law. One of the issues I found is the cabinet door are very difficult to open and close. Upon investigation I found Airstream used (at least on our 1998) a 10 LB retention Southco Grabber Catch to latch the cabinet doors. Southco also makes a 3 LB and 5LB retention latch. I replaced a few of the latches with the 3 LB variety and they work much better. I haven't had any problems with the door remaining closed during driving. I can't imagine why Airstream used the 10LB latch - it's overkill!

My sister-in-law is trying out the van for the first time this week. She agrees the 10 LB latches are too difficult to operate. I think the 10 LB latches also contribute to the cabinet doors splitting.

So I am obtaining prices to replace the latches. Our 1998 van requires 19 door latches and in those quantities the price for the Grabber Catch is around $4 each. I've asked the supplier to provide prices for higher quantities. If the prices drop is significant for larger quantities I may be in a position to sell latches to other B190 owners.

Is anyone else having problems with their latches? Would you like to upgrade to the 3 LB variety?
Keystone
1994
B190 4x4
User avatar
skater
Site Admin
Posts: 2569
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1991
WBCCI: 13270
Location: Annapolis, MD

Re: Cabinet Door Latches (Southco Grabber Catch)

Post by skater »

I had a gallon of water all over the floor one time after one of the doors popped open even with the standard latch while driving. I'd been going for years without a problem, keeping the water in that cabinet, then one day I hit the right combinations of bumps that got the water sliding back and forth inside the cabinet, and it managed to pop open the door. I wasn't even going very fast; I was just pulling out from a gas station. I wouldn't go with lighter ones.

Our trailer has fairly strong ones, too, although a different design. Haven't had any pop open. Part of it depends on the design of the cabinet of course - some of the overhead cabinets in the trailer have no latch at all, but they do have a lip that stops things before they actually hit the door. (The door still has a tension mechanism holding it shut, of course, but it's not doing most of the work holding the stuff inside back.)

You get used to the harder pull and don't even notice it after a few times.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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Minniemouse
Weekend Camper
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1996
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Re: Cabinet Door Latches (Southco Grabber Catch)

Post by Minniemouse »

Five years of pulling to open doors and drawers! Lighter latches would be a problem, as they could open when traveling!!
Solved the problem with bin pulls and cabinet knobs. They look great and make it so much easier to open and pull. We added two to the bed pull out as well. You can find good prices on-line and order as many as you need. Bin pulls work well since they have rounded edges to prevent injury or damage from falling against them. We used knobs that do not protrude much, and are also rounded. We made sure the knobs were added at the same location as the latch. For example, the closet doors are very hard to open. the latches are at the top of the door, so the knobs were added there, to make the doors easier to open. What a difference when pulling out the under sofa drawer!!
Our 190b is a 1993 model.
Minnie Mouse, North Carolina southeastern coast
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