51 locks

[skip99]

I bought a set of bear claws for my 51, because I read a lot of posts where guys said they just pop open or whatever.. I am messing with mine now, and I really cannot see how that can happen... they seem to latch really tight..
is there some other reason for bear claws? does it have to do with being able to adjust the originals or that they might come out of adjustment easy?

I'm thinking about keeping the original stuff and converting the driver side to lock like the original pass side..

I am not going to use poppers or shave the handles, the wife plans to drive it too much..lol!

[mr48chev]

Well, as I posted before my wife is sitting across the room with the 32 year old scars on her cheek from falling out of the 48 when the door flew open while I was taking her to work. True she was leaning on the door with no seat belt but the door did swing open.

The first week I had the truck I did a bit of stunt driving when I turned the corner two blocks from the house and the door flew open on me and I was hanging half out and half in by my arm that was luckily laid over the window opening as I was driving down the street. I went straight on to Woody Jackson Chevrolet In McGregor Tx where I was living and bought new latches and striker plates.

I think the general consensus is that sooner or later these latches will wear enough for it to be quite likely that they won't stay latched when you need them to.

Check the striker plate for excessive wear and check the star wheel in the latch to make sure it is in good shape and doesn't wobble on the shaft or have other looseness in it's mechanism.