bear claw latch install pictures please

[sqweaka]

anyone fitted this style of latch on a 49? any links/pictures/help on how to make it work

thanks

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...bcsm/overview/

[dsraven]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=313631

[e015475]

This is a picture of the smaller Autoloc bear claw installed in a '49 door.

Here's the pin on the frame side.


The challenge is to get around the window channel to make the outside door handle operate the bearclaw on the other side of the glass.

To do this, I took a outside door handle and welded an arm to it - it took a little trial and error to get the arm length just right so it'd fit through the hole in the door.

From the arm, I ran a rod downward to a bell crank that sits just below the window glass. From the other side of the bell crank I ran another rod up to the bearclaw.

I fabricated some simple clevises and used hardware store all-thread rod to make sure it worked before I painted the door, but for the final configuration I'll use 10-32 rod ends and solid rods for the actuation mechanism. I'll probably end up putting a return spring somewhere too.

For the inside, I just modified the stock actuator arm to fit the bearclaw.

The issue with the small bearclaw is the lock. For the door without an outside lock, I'll probably end up using a solenoid to lock and unlock it. I'll likely put a solenoid on the lock door too, actuated with either a key or a fob.

This approach probably sounds pretty Rube-Goldbergish to you by now, but if you're interested I'll take some more photos as the prototype mechanism is sitting on the bench

[sqweaka]

thanks i'd like to see those pics please... it was more how to get the door handle to operate it and the locking mech i need help with, i guess you could shave the handles altogether and use remote controlled solenoids

[sqweaka]

dsraven
ive already commented on that thread ... cant see how that set up operates the latch and the original poster of the thread is no longer active, someone commented!

[e015475]

I'll get some photos today and post them up tonight.

I think the problem with your understanding of the post that shows the compact mechanism with the small Autoloc has to do with the difference in door handles between the early and late AD trucks. Early ones like yours are a lever, but the later ones you push a button on the handle to open the door.

I believe that old post uses the later style push button door handle. The later handle simply pushes that pad to open the bearclaw. I would imagine you could modify some push-button door handles to work in your truck to replace the lever type you have now.

[e015475]

Had some time this morning, so here's some photos.

This is another view of the driver's door. I had to open up the 'window' where the arm from the inside door handle went through the inner door skin.

This is the inner door actuator arm modified to fit the Autoloc bearclaw -(this is one I mocked-up from an original arm but will make it look nicer with a modified repo arm)

Here's the modified outside door handle. I cut off the square drive that went into the factory lock mechanism and added a lever (handle is covered in blue masking tape to keep it from getting scratched up)

The bell crank assembly that mounts below the window glass on the inside of the door

A little more detail on the bell crank assembly

I made the clevises out of some nuts and flat stock laying around, but will use these 10-32 rod ends in the final assembly (I think they call them 'rose' joints in your part of the world)

Here's a picture showing where the bell crank assembly mounts in the door. The two top holes are from the factory to hold the window channel and the bottom three hold the foot of the bell crank pivot to the door.

All this clap-trap was assembled inside the door when I was getting the truck ready to paint, and it worked very well. As I said, I'm still not certain what to do about the locks, but my thought right now is to make a double bell crank for the passenger side where the door lock tumbler is and make the linkage mechanical and put a solenoid on the driver's side to actuate the lock. That way I'd have both an automatic lock for the driver and a mechanical lock for the passenger - belt and suspenders for a battery going dead.

[e015475]

PS - I did all this because I didn't like the way the Trique/Altman latch looked like it was 'scabbed' onto the door. $350 for something that ugly rubbed me the wrong way. I spent $60 for Autolocs but imagine I have 20 hours in figuring out the mechanism and another 5-6 hours in shop time at the body shop getting the sheet metal to accept the bearclaw and look decent. In retrospect, you can save yourself a lot of aggravation by just using the Trique/Altman latch.

[sqweaka]

thats excellent, thanks for posting... i just noticed you mounted the latch with the opening mech part to the bottom! does it matter which way up the latch goes? do you have pictures of the fitment when you were welding it in?

[e015475]

I didn't notice that my latch grabs the pin from the bottom as opposed to the top. I called Autoloc customer support this morning to see if there was any issue. They said customers install them both ways and either is fine.

"do you have pictures of the fitment when you were welding it in?" I didn't use an installation kit and all the sheet metal modifications to the door and jamb were made from scratch out of sheet stock. Sorry, but I don't have any photos of when the sheet metal work was being done. If you want some actual dimensions, let me know.

[sqweaka]

thanks for all your help with all this, you have done a cracking job with yours and im just going to try and copy the way you have done yours if you dont mind
with your setup you mentioned a return spring, do you think you will need to fit one to make the door handle return to the closed position after opening?
i'd be interested to see how you tackle the lock on both doors when you get to that part!

thanks again ian

[e015475]

Pleased to help out. Half the fun of building this truck has been talking to other builders. I keep a file of ideas i 'stole' from other guys who's approach to projects I liked. Let me know if you need any more info.

The early outside handle has a return spring in it, but you see a lot of trucks with the handle drooping down. When I built the first version of mine, it would return ok but I wondered if would continue to work as well as it wore.

Additionally, replacing the home-made clevises with rod ends will take all the 'slop' out of the linkage, but it will have more friction (at least I'm anticipating it will)

I may have to put a spring on the linkage to help the return spring on the handle, I'll have to see

[sqweaka]

thanks i've been driving the truck around with a bungee strap to stop the doors swinging open, this should fix things!