Bargman L-400 Boler Door Latch

[Grant Jones]

This latch is a unique item to the Bolers and unfortunately Bargman have discontinued it. With demand exceeding supply, replacements sell for high prices. Maybe the Chinese will take up the challenge and start making knock-offs. Ian G (Proud Canadian website) indicated he is working on a change-up but it is still in infancy stages. In the meantime we need to keep the old ones going.
I am writing this article because my Boler latch caused me problems. The first picture illustrates the overall latch assembly. The second picture illustrates the inside plate and handle. Note the handle position. In a properly working latch, the handle should always return to the "home" position as illustrated. Mine did not. Users never seemed to know which way to turn the handle. I took the unit out and examined it. I worked the latch back and forth and discovered that the cam and spring-loaded plate contact surfaces had worn rounded every so little. I put the unit on my bench and very carefully with my mig welder built up the wear points. I then hand filed to a nice square condition as they would have been originally. I now have a perfectly working latch. The third picture illustrates the latch mechanism with the cam and spring-loaded plate. I have two Bolers, both with the same latch, but the cams are different. No matter which one you have the fix should be the same.

[David Tilston]

The L400 is also used on Trilliums.

[Ian G.]

Nice repair Grant.

I am working hard on my solution to the L400 problem ... yours should easily last for a while

[Dudley]

There are 2 different versions of the L400. When I bought my repair kit for the latch (yes I actually found one a few years back for $28) it had 2 sets of cams and latch portion and you used what matched your old pieces. They are also used for Venturas.

[Borden]

Originally Posted by Dudley

There are 2 different versions of the L400. When I bought my repair kit for the latch (yes I actually found one a few years back for $28) it had 2 sets of cams and latch portion and you used what matched your old pieces. They are also used for Venturas.

Are the repair kits still available?

[Dudley]

they do show up on ebay but are rare. I got mine from a RV shop in the states but it was the last one they had. I think it was about $30 for it. Check out local rv repair shops, the older and junkier the better. Never know what will be there. Last one

Bargmann part number is 11-40-901

[pjanits]

Same as the Burro. I found one in a junk pile at an RV dealer a few years back. Since then I have added a deadbolt and use that to lock the camper.

[LiseKen]

Pjanits any chance you could post a picture of your deadbolt install? Thanks!



Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[pjanits]

Originally Posted by LiseKen

Pjanits any chance you could post a picture of your deadbolt install? Thanks!



Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

I really don't think any pictures would help, it just looks like a deadbolt. I will say that it was a Home depot regular cheap deadbolt. Mounted between the top of the door latch and the raised line on the door. About center. After doing the normal drilling of the hole for the deadbolt per instructions, I removed the latch and glued some oak pieces of wood inside the door to strengthen over and under the hole. There wasn't any room for the strike plate on the wall but when I drilled out the bolt area it seems the fiberglass is pretty thick there, so I just used the hole. Twice across country and no problems.

[David D]

Hi Pete,
I see you installed a dead bolt on your Burro. I would like to do the same on my 1979 Triple E surfside, to save the wear and tear on the Bargman L 400 latch.

The door is 1 7/8 inches thick where a dead bolt could be installed, but standard dead bolts are made for doors that are 1 3/4 inches thick. How thick is your door on the Burro?