Entry Door Holdback

[Rick W in MI]

As I was adding the finishing touches to my Boler I was hunting through this site for types of holdbacks. I looked at the 4 & 6 inch plastic ones as well as the stainless steel. The straight ones needed modifications and the 45 degree ones were not the correct angle either. I came across this one from Rigid Hitch Incorporated. Part # DH-304 Door Holdback 4" Hook and Keeper. I like it as it's aluminum and looks correct with the hinges. Because if its round arm end fitting over the pin it holds it in the position based on your mounting of the holdback. I found they sold this unit on Amazon so ordering with my prime membership I had it in two days and didn't have to navigate a new order form from them directly.


Looking at the picture you can just see there is a spring behind the thumb release. To latch it you simply hold the keeper and open the door allowing the spring to go back, slip it over the pin and done.



It works great! The unit price was just under $10.00 Perfect.

[Steve Carlson]

That does look good with those hinges.

[Markz]

Great find. Looks good and matches the hinges.

[Mike Magee]

Yup, I have one on my Hauley. Took a pic and wrote about it for the forum, maybe 3 years ago? That is what should have come on my trailer from the start, instead of the crappy plastic one that kept letting loose in wind.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Yup, I have one on my Hauley. Took a pic and wrote about it for the forum, maybe 3 years ago? That is what should have come on my trailer from the start, instead of the crappy plastic one that kept letting loose in wind.

Sounds like the installer got the angle between the two pieces wrong. When the angle between the two is correct it won't come loose in the wind. I did some testing before I put on the piece that catches the rod to make sure it could not come out of the receiver unless manually pulled up. I have had no issues with my plastic door hold coming loose in strong winds.

[ben_gazara]

Thanks Rock
From André met at wawa ;-)

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by k corbin

Sounds like the installer got the angle between the two pieces wrong. When the angle between the two is correct it won't come loose in the wind. I did some testing before I put on the piece that catches the rod to make sure it could not come out of the receiver unless manually pulled up. I have had no issues with my plastic door hold coming loose in strong winds.

Maybe... I don't know. On top of everything else, the plastic ones bend and that changes the angle.

I looked at it and thought about it, and could not see an angle at which the ball could be popped in and never pop out. If the stress were only in one direction all the time, sure. But in a strong, swirling wind like we get in OK, one second it's pushing the door wider open toward the trailer body and the next second it's pulling the door away from the body.

All I know is, this new style with the spring-hinge catch up above the pintle just does not fail to do its job. The bar is held securely in any type of wind. The door might fail before that hold-back device will let loose.