DIY Suck Gate Handle levers breaking...

So, I have a DIY suck gate made with the Harbor freight handle. about a month ago, I had the plastic lever that actuates the suction break. Then last week, I had another plastic lever break.

It wasn't a big deal because when I made it I'd bought a spare handle so I just canibalized parts from that one. And the handles were only $8. So not a huge deal. But I was curious if anyone else had experienced this. I looked at the more "robust" aluminum handle from Amazon and while the frame of the handle is aluminum, the levers are still plastic and look identical to the harbor freight levers.

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/...psypzpprt7.jpg

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/...psu3cqbvgr.jpg

Yep. Happened to me too with those red suction cups. There are better ones on some of the aluminum versions


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That is strange. Everyone knows that HF only sells the highest quality products! Ok, just kidding.
I have the aluminum version. I have been using it since the middle of last season and have had no issues at all. I have had to push really hard to lock it in and surprised they hold up.

Is that a plastic pin that broke? The aluminum one's have a hollow aluminum pin going through the pivot point. I have to Dremel the edge to get the pin out then I recreate the flange by whacking it with a Philips head screw driver.

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Originally Posted by 5:00

That is strange. Everyone knows that HF only sells the highest quality products! Ok, just kidding.
I have the aluminum version. I have been using it since the middle of last season and have had no issues at all. I have had to push really hard to lock it in and surprised they hold up.

Is that a plastic pin that broke? The aluminum one's have a hollow aluminum pin going through the pivot point. I have to Dremel the edge to get the pin out then I recreate the flange by whacking it with a Philips head screw driver.

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No, it's the black plastic lever. And I had a buddy give me a hard time saying I should have gotten the aluminum handle like he did off amazon, but when I zoomed in on his picture, the plastic levers were IDENTICAL down to the finest details of the mold they are using.

They've broke on the thinner part of the lever, just inboard of the fulcrum.

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Originally Posted by Stazi

Yep. Happened to me too with those red suction cups. There are better ones on some of the aluminum versions


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Interesting. Well, I guess I'll have to look around, because I know that many of the Aluminum ones are using the same plastic levers as I've got. The body of my handle isn't an issue, just those levers. Weird.

I put a small ss bolt in mine when I painted the springs

For example, here's one of the aluminum handles off Amazon and the plastic levers are literally identical to what I have.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1vlm0oU7hL.jpg

But this one has a different lever on it...https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1000_.jpg

And a different lever on this one too:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1000_.jpg

On mine and the last one above I posted, the lever is really thin to the inside of the pin (or the top of the pin when the lever's pressed down). Basically where you see the least plastic near the pin is where it breaks...

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Originally Posted by jmvotto

I put a small ss bolt in mine when I painted the springs

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My pin isn't breaking. The springs are functioning fine (even rusty). The thing holds on like a boss and has never once come off. Just one of the levers have broke when I was putting it on in the water (now twice)... Not sure how to address that weak point aside from remaking it with a different handle that has different levers. Or I'll just keep a spare handle or two around to cannibalize for parts.

After reading all of that it is strange that the same lever survives in the aluminum version. I guess there are different forces working. The plastic handle will probably flex and move differently along with possibly stiffer or different cups? There is a lot at play there. It could also be that the levers on the aluminum version are made of a stronger plastic but made from the same mold?

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Originally Posted by trayson

For example, here's one of the aluminum handles off Amazon and the plastic levers are literally identical to what I have.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1vlm0oU7hL.jpg

But this one has a different lever on it...https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1000_.jpg

And a different lever on this one too:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1000_.jpg

On mine and the last one above I posted, the lever is really thin to the inside of the pin (or the top of the pin when the lever's pressed down). Basically where you see the least plastic near the pin is where it breaks...

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I bought the last one you posted a picture of


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My H F kept breaking. Ordered aluminum from Amazon. Came with extra set of handles. Have not broke one yet.

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Originally Posted by 5:00

After reading all of that it is strange that the same lever survives in the aluminum version. I guess there are different forces working. The plastic handle will probably flex and move differently along with possibly stiffer or different cups? There is a lot at play there. It could also be that the levers on the aluminum version are made of a stronger plastic but made from the same mold?

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I could just be unlucky. Or that the two levers that broke were off the same original handle and the 2nd one broke shortly after the first?

I read some amazon reviews on handles with the different style of levers and saw people complaining where those broke too...

I guess I'll see what happens from this point forward. (and I'll keep another handle with me that I can grab parts off if needed. I mean for $8, I'd rather just pop in a new lever or two than re-fabricate another handle to go with my gate frame.)

Again, I've only broke 2 levers, so it's not like it's an epidemic (yet).

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Originally Posted by JD14Mondo

My H F kept breaking. Ordered aluminum from Amazon. Came with extra set of handles. Have not broke one yet.

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Can you give me a link to the one you ordered that came with the extra set?

GekBot Heavy Duty Aluminum Double Handle (2 cup) Glass Lifter Puller Gripper Suction... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTA9QVX..._tzfqzb7NSQXXN

Came with extra set of levers
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That one has nice circlips. That will make life easy.

Just have your buddy with the CnC machine make you a couple of nice aluminum levers and have them powder coated to match :cool:

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Originally Posted by JD14Mondo

My H F kept breaking. Ordered aluminum from Amazon. Came with extra set of handles. Have not broke one yet.

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What he said ^

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...Berg-Gate4.jpg

I've broken some HF items by just taking them out of the packaging...

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Originally Posted by bergermaister

What he said ^

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...Berg-Gate4.jpg

I've broken some HF items by just taking them out of the packaging...

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Dude. Your pic is the one that has levers that are identical to mine, down to the finest detail of the mold. You're really trying to tell me that you really think the levers you and I have are different plastic?

I might buy it if your lever wasn't one of the ones that was obviously car from the same mold... At least the other link were levers that had a slightly different shape that led me to believe they weren't made in the same factory.

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Originally Posted by bergermaister

What he said ^

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...Berg-Gate4.jpg

I've broken some HF items by just taking them out of the packaging...

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Exact same one I have and not a single problem. Same sticker on it.

All right, thanks for the feedback.

I mean, I would have said the exact same thing as you guys a month ago: "Never had a problem". It's never slipped, never had any trouble sticking to the hull, etc.

Maybe I got a bad one. Maybe it didn't like how I stored it over the winter. Maybe my grip strength is so massive that I have such incredible leverage that plastic is no match for the force I apply!!!!!!!!

Dunno. It's not like my sample size is huge.

FWIW, here's how mine failed and a close up of one of my levers that look remarkably the same as about 1/2 the handles out there:
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/...psqmk3nuht.jpg

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/...psdo0gr4sn.jpg

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Originally Posted by 5:00

Is that a plastic pin that broke? .

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It's a steel pin and no, the pin has never shown any weakness.

Trayson, I have broken 4 of the plastic "levers" from harbor freight as well. I assumed it was from it trying to compress the water that gets between the plastic frame and the rubber cup so I drilled a small (1/8" iirc) relief hole in the plastic on each side. Since then I have only broken one lever, but I think the key is to work the lever back and forth instead of one forceful motion to lock it down.

I ordered that yellow cup last week and threw it in the boat so if another breaks I can switch to those.

just buy one of these and be done with it

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...Fde2wAod8GgIwQ

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Originally Posted by z28ke

Trayson, I have broken 4 of the plastic "levers" from harbor freight as well. I assumed it was from it trying to compress the water that gets between the plastic frame and the rubber cup so I drilled a small (1/8" iirc) relief hole in the plastic on each side. Since then I have only broken one lever, but I think the key is to work the lever back and forth instead of one forceful motion to lock it down.

I ordered that yellow cup last week and threw it in the boat so if another breaks I can switch to those.

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Okay, cool. that's exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. For the yellow one, are you planning on just swapping the levers to your existing handle, or are you planning on disassembling your gate and swapping in the whole new handle?

I'm just going to swap the levers over.

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Originally Posted by z28ke

I'm just going to swap the levers over.

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I'm with ya. No need to change out the whole works if just that little part is broke. :-) If I was starting over from scratch, obviously I'd choose a different direction.

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Originally Posted by z28ke

Trayson, I have broken 4 of the plastic "levers" from harbor freight as well. I assumed it was from it trying to compress the water that gets between the plastic frame and the rubber cup so I drilled a small (1/8" iirc) relief hole in the plastic on each side. Since then I have only broken one lever, but I think the key is to work the lever back and forth instead of one forceful motion to lock it down.

I ordered that yellow cup last week and threw it in the boat so if another breaks I can switch to those.

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Did yours come with a pair of extra levers too? if so, got a link to the one you ordered? I see two yellow ones on amazon at $15 and $16 respectively. And then the silver one that someone said came with extra levers. If I order anything getting a new handle with extra levers seems the way to go.

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Originally Posted by trayson

Maybe my grip strength is so massive that I have such incredible leverage that plastic is no match for the force I apply!!!!!!!!

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This is probably the actual problem.

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Originally Posted by 5:00

This is probably the actual problem.

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Damn straight. I'm glad people finally can see the substance of the issue.

Life is rough when you're too burly for the suck.

I've done more suck gate testing than I'd care to admit, but here's my two cents:

The HF handles stick well and are plastic, which to me is a big advantage over the aluminum version. The levers and cups of the HF, while they appear identical, are both inferior to the aluminum handle versions (at least the 3 aluminum ones I've tested.) Same mold maybe, but clearly different chemistry.

Obviously the Seastow is my favorite overall handle and design, but if I had to use a different handle I'd use the cups and levers from the aluminum on the HF handle.

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Originally Posted by brain_rinse

I've done more suck gate testing than I'd care to admit, but here's my two cents:

The HF handles stick well and are plastic, which to me is a big advantage over the aluminum version. The levers and cups of the HF, while they appear identical, are both inferior to the aluminum handle versions (at least the 3 aluminum ones I've tested.) Same mold maybe, but clearly different chemistry.

Obviously the Seastow is my favorite overall handle and design, but if I had to use a different handle I'd use the cups and levers from the aluminum on the HF handle.

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Amazon prime Link to the best aluminum handle that comes with extra levers to cannibalize for use with my HF handle?

The ones I tested last year aren't available from the same sellers anymore but look for one like Berg's. That same sticker was on mine. The whole handle smelled like it would give you cancer but man that thing would peel fiberglass off the hull before coming unstuck.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4540895cf1.jpg

I got this one since I could tell the levers were different than the harbor freight

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Originally Posted by brain_rinse

The ones I tested last year aren't available from the same sellers anymore but look for one like Berg's. That same sticker was on mine. The whole handle smelled like it would give you cancer but man that thing would peel fiberglass off the hull before coming unstuck.

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I left mine on the back seat overnight with the cups face down, big mistake. It left two yellow stains that are still there. Who knows what they make that stuff out of.

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Originally Posted by z28ke

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4540895cf1.jpg

I got this one since I could tell the levers were different than the harbor freight

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Perfect. I ordered this one. I want to have some spare levers to take on my trip next week. a week at the lake with no spares would be no bueno! (although my listed wave is pretty damn good, so I don't even really need a suck gate but it's nice to have one)

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Originally Posted by 5:00

I left mine on the back seat overnight with the cups face down, big mistake. It left two yellow stains that are still there. Who knows what they make that stuff out of.

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I made the same mistake. Thought it was rust from the springs on inside. Interweb articles suggested a combination of lemon juice and salt mixed in a paste to clean it up. I tried that and it didn't do a whole lot. Maybe lightened the ring colors but they are still there if you know what to look for.

Let me know if you have any better luck removing them.

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Originally Posted by bergermaister

I made the same mistake. Thought it was rust from the springs on inside. Interweb articles suggested a combination of lemon juice and salt mixed in a paste to clean it up. I tried that and it didn't do a whole lot. Maybe lightened the ring colors but they are still there if you know what to look for.

Let me know if you have any better luck removing them.

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I'd try star brite vinyl cleaner. or magic eraser if that doesn't work.

I guess next to the toxic stains, my broken levers don't seem so bad.

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Originally Posted by bergermaister

I made the same mistake. Thought it was rust from the springs on inside. Interweb articles suggested a combination of lemon juice and salt mixed in a paste to clean it up. I tried that and it didn't do a whole lot. Maybe lightened the ring colors but they are still there if you know what to look for.

Let me know if you have any better luck removing them.

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I didn't touch them because I am in the process of replacing all of my vinyl and that piece is #2 in line for replacement. It has lightened up a lot like yours did. I don't put it on the vinyl even for a second now.

Ended up just making my own handles. Still have to clean them up but I doubt these will ever break, lol.
Attachment 25794

hope you made a bunch, traysons gonna need some .

You could start a mini enterprise right there.


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