V2 Tent Lock Failure

Hey all. Heads up on the new V2 tent lock failures. Had one fail in the locked position and refuse to open. Took an hour of fiddling by headlamp before we got lucky and it released. I am not a locksmith but these seem to be manky little units. Maybe dust, maybe mechanical failure. I would recomend not locking your tent down without testing the operation of the locks with your tent in the unlatched position first. GFC notified, replacements requested, redesign recomended.

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After I got my GFC I would lock the tent, but after a couple of uses I became suspect of the lock and could foresee a malfunction in the future. Looks like my suspicions were confirmed. I don’t know if somebody would really know how to open it up and what they could steal in the first place? With a locking tailgate the thief would have to have a good vertical jump like Jordan to get in the tent.

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I had one fail in the locked position too. I finally got the tent open, and immediately took the locks off. Seems like a redesign is necessary…

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How did you remove the locks?

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what can be done to help prevent this? Maybe some graphite or dry lube? @Mike_GFCUSA

Damn this is looking like a trend. I hope GFC addresses this ASAP.

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Weren’t people just spraying boeshield on them? I thought I saw this fixed up existing problems and prevented the problems in the future.

Sounds like a bandaid. For the price point of these they should def do a redesign. - concerned buyer who just paid his remaining balance lol

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Im concerned too. Im driving 31 hours out there in 4.5 weeks. Dont want to get stuck somewhere

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I’m 8 weeks out but if we’ve had this many failures it’s obviously a design flaw. I’m going to email them and see what they are doing to fix it. Sounds like the hinge problem all over again. Not mad just want to know what’s being done for 8k reasons haha.

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I hear ya! Let us know what they say. I already have a box of things I am bringing, might as well add some more to it if necessary

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@howcox do you have a picture of the failed lock?

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Seems like this is only an issue failing when locked? If so just don’t lock your tent. The risk of someone knowing how to get into a GFC via the tent is very minimal in my opinion, and your average petty thief would just bend the panel open anyways. Not ideal and I am sure GFC will issue a fix for folks, but for your trip I’d just leave it unlocked and not stress about it failing.

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It’s not just the tent lock, all locks are failing from what I’ve been seeing on the Facebook group

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I guess Im not understanding… Is it at the latch that opens the tent part? Or the latches on the side panels?

I am also guessing since it is all 2nd hand info :slight_smile:

I thought it was the part that locks the tent wedge closed. That is the new complicated lock. I am pretty sure the doors are the same southco locks they have always used which work fine.

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That one at the top looks like something that is used to keep vending machines closed. I would think those might be easy to replace? Not sure about removal or lubrication in elements though…

I was a little apprehensive on the tent lock when I watched the V2 rollout video. I had the same type of locks on aftermarket hood locks for my Jeep. They were nothing but trouble even with frequent cleaning and greasing.
I had multiple times when I could not get the locks open and finally tossed them in the garbage. It sucks that there is a potential issue with the GFC ones. I guess I won’t lock them when I pick it up in a couple of weeks until this gets worked out.

Could you just remove the lock and drill the latch to put a padlock there?

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IMO, I wouldnt want to drill something that might void my warranty. I dont have my V2 yet, but this might help with the lock getting stuck?

TL;DW - grind the outside nub flush to the tube. That way the key can still be used to turn the lock…

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I just meant remove the lock and to drill a hole through the latch plate that flips down. I don’t see how that would void anything other than that part. Its still better to void that then to roll into a camp spot and not being able to open your tent.
As I said hopefully they have a fix in the works.