Secure trailer gate closed

[JacksonLawns]

I have a 6x10 open utility trailer. My gate stays closed by a long piece of angle iron that runs from the top of the side rail to about 3/4 of the way up the side of the gate. On each side of the gate is a small rod that is a couple inches long and about 1/4" or so thick, with a small hole drilled through for a cauter pin. The piece of angle iron has a hole an inch or so from the end where the rod on the gate slides through. The pin is placed in the hole on the rod, and the gate is secured. Over the weekend, I noticed that on one side the rod and pin broke off the gate and the angle iron was dragging on the ground. The other side is still intact but has me nervous now, so I have a ratchet strap around the back to put my mind at ease until I can get it fixed.

Hopefully I have described the situation well enough. Now on to my question. I am not a big fan of the way the gate secures right now, but can live with it. i have for the couple of years I have owned the trailer. I have seen a few other ways for gates to close and secure. I am looking for options and more importantly where to go to get something like this taken care of. I have no idea where to even start. If I just replace the rod that broke off, is this a common enough part that I could find it at a hardware store, or Home Depot or Lowes? If so, what is the technical name that I can ask for.

Sorry if this is a dumb issue, but I appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Jay

[seabee1]

this is a little bit to hard to visualize with your description do you have any picture's of the gate and latch ?:confused:

[JacksonLawns]

sorry for the unclear description. I will try to get a picture and post.

[AdvancedLawns]

thats how our equipment trailer has the ramps attached....ill get pics of what we will be doing to it b.c it is not safe to me

[Jelinek61]

My favorite way of securing a trailer ramp is modeled after the way PJ trailers fabricates their latches. go to www.pjtrailers.com and look at one of their small utility trailers. the loop that u see at the back corners of the side rails are spring loaded and fit into a hole on the gate. there are no pins to lose and you can secure it with one hand.
just an idea.

[GravelyNut]

Mine has tubes for a rod to drop into on the ramp and frame. The rods are chained to the frame so they won't get lost. The ramp also has provisions for padlocks that go thru the chains, frame, and tube mounts. That way the pins can't come out without unlocking.