Buy a 1/4" or 3/8" spring nut. You can get one at any Lowes, Home Depot, or any wholesale electrical supply house. They cost a buck, maybe.

Blurry pictures, sorry.



Next, remove the spring from the cast nut.



Place sprint over latch stem, and seat with ordinary "non hardening" silicone. There is no lateral pressure to move the spring so silicone will hold it just fine.




I'd put this on EBAY, but it'd be like selling money making ideas...a ripoff.