How to keep RV drawers closed while driving is a difficult chore, especially when it comes to maintaining order while driving. Keeping the cupboards and drawers locked when operating an RV is one of the major issues you’ll have.
This can create a dangerous safety issue in addition to creating a messy, chaotic RV. We’ll outline a step-by-step process for keeping RV cabinets and drawers locked while traveling in this post, along with both temporary fixes and long-term alternatives.
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How to Keep RV Drawers Closed While Driving
To keep RV drawers closed while driving you can either use magnetic latches, use spring-loaded catches, use push-to-close latches, use friction catches, use two latches, use a bungee cord, or add shelf liner or Velcro strips.
1. Use Magnetic Latches
RV cabinet and drawer closures may be maintained while driving with the use of magnetic latches. They are a popular option because of their simplicity of installation and lack of need for specialized skills or equipment. To hold the cabinet or drawer closed, these latches operate by employing a magnet.
You will want a set of magnetic catches, which you may get from a hardware shop, to install magnetic latches. The latch and the striking plate are normally included with these in a two-part assembly. While the striking plate is fastened to the RV’s frame, the drawer latch is fastened to the cabinet or drawer.
The magnet in the latch will snap onto the strike plate when the cabinet or drawer is closed, securing it firmly in place. When you need to retrieve your goods, the magnetic force is powerful enough to keep the cabinet or drawer locked while you’re driving yet still manageable to open.
It is crucial to select the appropriate magnetic latch for your cabinets and RV drawers because they come in a variety of sizes and strengths. Stronger magnets might be necessary to keep larger cabinets and drawers closed. For RVers who are worried about the safety of their children, magnetic locks are a fantastic alternative.
2. Use Spring-Loaded Catches
Another well-liked choice for locking RV cupboards and drawers while traveling is spring-loaded catches. To keep the drawer or cabinet closed, these catches operate by employing a spring-loaded mechanism. A set of catches that are spring-loaded must be purchased from a hardware store in order to be installed.
The latch and the striking plate are normally included with these in a two-part assembly. While the striking plate is fastened to the RV’s frame, the latch is fastened to the cabinet or drawer. The latch’s spring will contract as the cabinet or drawer is closed, providing tension that keeps the cabinet doors or drawer closed.
When you need to retrieve your items, you can still easily open the cabinet or drawer thanks to this tension, which is powerful enough to keep it closed while you’re driving. It’s critical to select the appropriate spring-loaded catch for your cabinets and RV drawers because they come in a variety of sizes and strengths.
Stronger springs might be necessary to hold larger cabinets and drawers firmly closed. The fact that spring-loaded catches don’t need an outside force to keep the cabinet or drawer closed is one of their advantages. Spring-loaded catches offer a long-term solution to keeping cupboards and drawers locked while driving, as opposed to bungee cords or other band-aid solutions.
3. Use Push to Close Latches
RV cupboards and drawers may be kept closed while traveling with the use of push-to-close locks. To keep the cabinet or drawer closed, these latches operate using a spring-loaded mechanism. You will require a set of latches, which you can get from a hardware shop, to install push-to-close locks. The latch and the strike plate are usually included in these in two pieces.
The striking plate is fixed to the RV frame, whereas the latch is fixed to the cabinet or drawer. The cabinet latch will click into position when the cabinet or drawer is closed, forming a tight seal that keeps the cabinet or drawer closed. Simple latch-pushing and pulling the cabinet or drawer open are all that is required to open them.
RVers looking for a quick and easy way to keep cupboards and RV drawers closed while driving can consider push-to-close locks as a wonderful choice. Any RV owner may use these locks because they don’t need any additional force to hold the cabinet or drawer closed, making them a practical choice. For RVers who are worried about the safety of their children, push-to-close locks can also be a smart alternative.
4. Use Friction Catches
An easy and reliable solution for keeping RV cupboards and drawers closed while traveling is the use of friction catches. These catch function without the use of any extra hardware by using friction to keep the cabinet or drawer closed. You will require a set of catches, which you may get from a hardware shop, to install friction catches.
The catch and the strike plate are the two pieces that are commonly included. The RV’s frame is where the strike plate is fastened, and the catch is where the cabinet or drawer is attached. The catch will press on the strike plate when the cabinet or drawer is closed, sealing it shut with a strong seal. By just exerting a little more push until the catch releases the cabinet or drawer, you can open the cabinet or drawer.
RVers who seek a quick and inconspicuous way to keep cupboards and drawers closed while driving will find friction catches to be a perfect alternative. For any RV owner, these catches are a practical solution because they don’t need any additional force to hold the cabinet or drawer closed. RVers who are worried about child safety may also find friction catches to be a useful alternative.
5. Use Two Latches
Using two locks might be an easy and practical fix if you’re having difficulties keeping RV cupboards and drawers locked while traveling. Cabinets and drawers are less likely to open when the RV is moving thanks to the stronger and more reliable seal created by two locks. Installing a second latch on each cabinet or drawer is necessary if you want to use two latches.
This may be accomplished by getting a second pair of magnetic or spring-loaded catches and mounting them on the cabinet’s or drawer’s opposite side. When it comes to kid safety, using two locks might also provide parents with more assurance. It is possible to make it more challenging for kids to open cabinets and drawers and reach potentially dangerous objects by adding two locks to each one.
Making sure that both latches are installed correctly and that they are firmly fastened to the RV frame and the cabinet or drawer is crucial when using two locks. By doing this, you may be confident that the drawer or cabinet will stay shut while you’re driving.
6. Use a Bungee Cord
To keep RV cupboards and drawers shut while you’re traveling, use a bungee cord. It’s an easy and affordable option. If you don’t want to install long-term fixes like locks or catches, a bungee rope might be an excellent interim option. You need to connect a bungee cord to a nearby anchor point, such as the RV frame or any other piece of furniture, by wrapping the cord around the cabinet or drawer handles first.
The cabinet or drawer will stay closed while you’re driving thanks to the strain from the bungee rope. It is simple to install and remove a bungee cord, which is a plus. A bungee cord is an excellent choice if you simply need a short-term fix. A widely available option, bungee cords may also be acquired at most hardware or camping supply stores.
The use of a bungee cord, however, could not be as secure as alternative permanent solutions like latches or catches, which is a possible disadvantage. The drawer or cabinet might still open while driving if there is insufficient stress on the bungee rope. A bungee cord can also be ugly and could not match your RV’s design scheme.
7. Add Shelf Liner or Velcro Strips
By increasing the friction between the objects within the cabinet or drawer and the surface they are resting on, adding shelf liners or Velcro strips can help keep things from sliding about. To use a shelf liner, just cut a piece to fit the bottom of the drawer or cabinet and insert it there. The cabinet or drawer won’t open while driving if the liner is used since it will block things from moving about inside.
The same applies to Velcro strips. A strip must be fastened to the surface it sits on, and a second strip must be fastened to the underside of the cabinet or drawer. On the road, the strips will adhere to one another and aid in keeping the cabinet or drawer closed. The simplicity of installation and removal is one advantage of employing Velcro strips or shelf liners.
Additionally, they may be modified to suit any size drawer or cabinet, giving them a flexible option. Additionally, shelf liners can shield your possessions from harm while you’re driving since they offer a cushioned surface. The fact that these solutions could not be as secure as other possibilities like latches or catches is one possible disadvantage of employing them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you may make sure that your cupboards and drawers remain locked throughout your upcoming RV vacation now that you have gone through our guide on how to keep RV drawers closed while driving.
To summarize, the main takeaways from our discussion are:
- For the sake of safety and to guard against property damage, it’s crucial to keep RV cupboards and drawers locked when traveling.
- Cabinet and drawer closure options include magnetic latches, spring-loaded catches, and other mechanisms.
- Unlike spring-loaded catches, which depend on a spring to hold the latch in place, magnetic latches employ a magnetic force to keep the cabinet or drawer closed.
- To close a cabinet or drawer, push-to-close latches need that the object be pushed in; friction catches require that the object be held in place by tension.
- There is more friction between the objects within the cabinet or drawer and the surface they are resting on when shelf liners or Velcro strips are added.
Your RV will be better organized and you will feel confident knowing that your possessions are safe whether you choose a long-term remedy or a quick fix.
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