Cooler latch issue - FYI

Ken & Peggy

Ken & Peggy

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Staff member
Donating Member
I know there's a thread here about the Coleman Steel Belted cooler latch not closing the cover tightly enough for some people, but I couldn't find it.
I had sent Coleman an email back in April asking if there was some way for me to improve the latch seal. Well, they replied to my email last week - just over 2 months later - and said they'd ship me a new latch.
I got it today and put it on the cooler. If anything, it might even be a bit looser than the original, so I put the original back on. Luckily they sent it at no cost. So if anyone is wanting to try a new latch, at least be sure you get them to send it to you free, because it will probably not improve the seal.
 
Ken,
Somebody had mentioned in this forum concerning the latch on the coleman coolers, that they had loosened the screws on the hinges and pushed down on the cover while tightening the screws back up, and it helped the latch problem. I tried it while on my last trip just to see if it would help and it did. It still isn't perfect but it is definitely tighter.
Good Luck,
Charlie
 
Ken, It turns out to be you who talked about the hinge adjustment helping the seal/latch! lol, Well at least you helped my cooler latch better.
thanks,
Charlie
 
Charlie, I think I was referring to one of the hinges on the cooler. Adjusting it did help some, but I thought someone here had had some luck replacing the latch. The cooler does a fine job as is, so I'm not going to sweat it. I really just wanted to be sure that no one actually paid for a new latch since that fix seems to be hit or miss at best...
 
Thanks everyone for the update. I have the same problem with my cooler. Plus one of the handles does not work correctly. Coleman's quality seems to be very mixed. I bought a collapsable stand to use with their water heater. It's also a piece of junk.
 
This is mostly a test find out if I have what it takes to post photos here.

I got this cooler for $100 at Overstock.com and it looked like it got caught up in a tornado. It had the latch and handles shown and it seals well. Coleman used to use latches like this. At least my 1977 steel belted one does. I turned this one into a Sub-Zero prototype. And no, you can’t buy one.

The color of the bottom was changed to reflect heat. The black & clear tubing wrapped handles are now the widest points of the cooler and fit in the Camp-Inn snuggly with a 32nd inch to spare, so there is no metal to metal contact and little movement. The shelves are custom polycarbonate and with the trays one can come up with many combinations to keep food high, dry & cold. With both shelves in, there is still room to get a beer out. Also, the shelves being clear make it east to check ice & how many beers are left. Now it’s just a bit better than my green ’77 Coleman, but it’s missing the bottle opener.

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Hilditch
 
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