LOKKLATCH DELUXE GATE LATCH

This works great! Very sturdy. Pretty easy to install. One tip- leave a tad bit more space in your gate opening than they say. Both the post side and gate side have part of the latch wrapping into the opening. Ours hit together. We had to sand down the gate side before we could install the latch bar.

Made from high strength plastic so it feels a little light in the hand but once installed it seems quite durable. I do wish there was an available option to purchase it with a specified keyway and not be forced to buy it with the Kwikset keyway installed already... Pro: Solid feel, easy operation, pretty simple installation. Cons: Stuck with Kwikset Keyway at purchase (can be changed with any knob style keyway, 6 pin I believe), finicky alignment of shaft from exterior button to interior latch mechanism... DIY install level: Easier than a door lock with the exception of needing to drill your own holes Operation: Once PROPERLY installed this latch is great. It requires a little patience and/or precision to get everything lined up and working well but everything is great once done right. From the latch side you have access to a key cylinder and the thumb lift of the anvil portion of the lock. When unlocked this functions much the same as the cheap anvil/shaft locks from any hardware store (lift anvil to open gate, shaft lifts anvil when closing gate). When locked however there is a cam inside this side of the lock that prevents the anvil from lifting and the gate will neither open or latch (if open and you try to close it in the locked state the anvil will not lift to allow the shaft to latch within the anvil). From the outside you have access only to the key cylinder which also serves as the button to open the anvil/gate. When unlocked the button will be able to be depressed towards the gate, lifting the anvil and allowing the gate to be opened (I advise a handle kit from either D&D or any other hardware store). When locked however the button will not depress (giving little to no indication to the common thief that this is the intended method of opening). Please note in the installation portion below the need to adjust the twist on the shaft when assembling as this will affect how sensitive the key cylinders are to locking and unlocking. Installation: The installation was pretty straight forward (only problems were with my gate). The majority of the issues that will come from the latch itself revolve around the alignment and length of the shaft: 1) When cutting the shaft be sure you hold it pushed all the way away from the latching side (towards the button side) and don't be afraid to cut it long, remember you can always trim it more, you can't however add anything back. 2) I held the unit in place and tested the outside button before installing the screws to the latch side (old trick from door installer days, check function before tightening screws). I did find that nearly any deviation from straight on the shaft alignment will result in the button sticking after being depressed. 3) The shaft can be twisted in either direction prior to mounting the latch over it (this is because of the design of the tailpiece and it's normal function in deadbolt/knob locks). Depending on the amount of rotation you apply before you mount the latching side over the shaft your Lock/Unlock side will change from a quarter turn for one and a full turn for the other (leading to accidental shifts in condition) or a solid 3/4 turn for both. Turn the shaft all the way to one side then reverse it back halfway to the other before installing the latch and you should be in the right configuration.

Works well now, but had to work on it. Fence guys installed it, but soon began having problems. Turns out it had to do with the cut length of the center bar. It has to be juuuust right, not too short, not too long, for it to work best.

Excellent lock, but be sure you drill the hole in your fence level! I had to refill the hole a lot bigger so it would work and lock properly. Not a fault of the lock I'd say. I tried getting a duplicate of the provide keys at one of those automated key cutters at orchard supply and it wouldn't recognize the key. Appears to be a normal house key

It arrived earlier than expected which was great. We removed the old gate latch, followed the included instructions and attached the new gate latch. Sturdy, works perfectly.

Please save your money. We purchased this lock for our new fence. Once the contractor saw that there wasn’t enough space between the gate he uninstalled one of the gates just to make enough space for the lock. Then after an hour of installing the lock - the latch would not stay down. Once you close the gate, the gate just slides open. This is beyond ridiculous. The contractor spent more time trying to make the latch stay down but nothing worked. We now have to pay more money for a new lock and pay the contractor to install another lock.

If you install this lock, and then find, to your dismay, that as soon as the screws are all tightened, the latch is being pushed (lifted) by the "tail" piece and the key does not work at all... I can tell you what's going on. The instructions packaged in the baggie told you how to trim the "tail" (the piece that goes through the post to activate the locking mechanism on the other side) are badly written, AND the bushing (that receives the tail on the latch body) that allows the movement of that tail (in and out as the button is pushed and pulled back) is much too short. When the tail is properly trimmed so that it is not pushing the latch open when everything is tightened down, it is so short that our first one came out of the bushing and fell down the middle of the metal fence post. It's a good thing they include a second one in the package. I ended up jimmy-rigging a length of a hardened plastic straw with superglue and duct tape (no lie) to extend the bushing so that the tail could move as freely as it needs to, trimmed as short as it has to be to avoid pushing the latch open part-way. The long and short of it are this: 1. This saved me $400 and having my entire metal fence gate sent into a metal shop for a week to have a keyed entry lock installed. So... YAY! 2. The instructions packaged in the baggie are maddeningly sparse. I don't know if they paid per word and were trying to get a bargain, or what, but it was just nearly impossible to figure out what each picture was indicating should be done next. (A much better set of instructions can be downloaded on their website LokkLatch.net/downloads.html specifically lokklatch.net/stuff/VGHDD1035_Inst.pdf ) 3. The bushing is just too short to prevent the "tail" from falling out and I'm nearly certain that this DESIGN FLAW is the cause of most of the "my keys never worked" or "it just stopped working" complaints against this product. FINALLY: Hey LokkLatch! If you guys are reading this, good for you for caring!!! You've got a great idea here, and it can be made to work -- probably perfectly -- by extending that bushing by about 5 little millimeters.

Installed on wood 6x6 post. The hole through the post is close to the edge. Make sure you drill the hole straight since the push rod binds if the front and back don't line up exactly. I had to drill oversize so I could get the parts to line up properly. The hole is fully covered though so no issue. Looks nice when done. Feels solid. Key looks like a regular house key and can probably be copied if necessary. I wish the screws were a bit longer but there enough of them for the latch to feel secure.

Best gate latches i have ever used. Very simple installation. I have had some of these installed for years now without any issues.

... if a bit pricy.