Bear claw or Altman

[duramax55]

hi i have a 55 chevy 3100 with shaved handles with bear claw latches. I am having problem with the passenger door popping open to the safety when i hit a bump. had problem when i first tried to get them to latch properly and would pop easy. i then tried adjusting but no difference, so i bought a new set and put them in last fall and they worked fine. Now they started doing it again. i have a friend that is having the same problem. Dose anyone have any experience using Altman latches and are they better than the bear claw? i am done with the bear claw they are junk. when looking at the mechanism i can see that they bearly hook on so any little vibration and they pop.

[Rickysnickers]

I cannot answer your question. However, there are many on here who have used the Altman latches. If you do a search using that name, you should get plenty of hits. I've never read anywhere where those who have the Altman's have had their doors pop open.

[youngrodder]

Altman for the ease of installation. No welding needed and it comes out looking/working great. Made in the USA also.

Marc

[mr48chev]

The trouble with "bear claw" latches is that there are a lot of different quality level sets out there. If you have the cheapie set of Ebay that is probably the problem. The quality level just isn't there.

Still even with the best of latches they have to be adjusted right to function right. If that door is popping open all the time is the adjustment correct both at the latch and in the linkage?

As far as Altman latches there was an issue with some of the older latches but that has been corrected and the newer ones should work fine. As Youngrodder said, one of the selling points is ease of installation plus a quality product. If you can read and comprehend what you are reading you shouldn't have an issue with the install.

Most of the fuss I have seen on the net came when someone tried to do the linkage setup a bit different than what the latches were designed for.

[bosco]

Replaced my stock latches (due to popping open), with a set of Altman latches installed last summer. I had a local shop do the install as the doors needed to be aligned as well. This is key to any latch to operate properly. They were tight at first but getting better with use. Doors have not popped open since and are easier to close. I can't speak to Bearclaw, just Altman.

[mr48chev]

Bearclaw is the style of the latch it's self not a brand.

This being a generic bear claw latch but you can see that the jaws clamp around the pin in what should be a solid hookup.

The Altman shown here for the 55/59 works like a lot of new car latches do and more of a half bear claw. If you go out an look at the latch on one of your newer rigs the latch works pretty well the same as the Altman.

Our trucks rely on what is basically a ratchet roller catching on the striker and hopefully holding and when either gets worn out they often pop open. My wife fell out of our 48 44 years ago when the latch popped open. That was also when she found out that she was pregnant with our daughter.

[jwhotrod]

the true bearclaw latches are manufactured by a machine tool company in Iowa. im sure there are knockoffs from China, etc. i have bearclaws in both of my streetrods and have never had any problems with them.

[duramax55]

jwhotrod where did you get your latches from. name of the iowa shop that makes them. would be simpler if i got the good bear claw then all i have to do is r and r. the ones i got were from a speed shop but sure they were made in china.

[duramax55]

mr48chev i did a lot of adjusting on them and still not working properly. You would think that once they are closed they shouldn't pop on there own. I looked at them and the notches bearly catch so i guess that's the problem. i am sure the ones i got are china made. always thought that bear claw was the name brand but apparently ther are good quality ones out there that are made in Iowa, as jwhotroder mentioned. Thanks for the advice

[mr48chev]

I've got Kenworth truck bear claws on m48. My buddy discovered them when he was working for a truck outfit repairing their fleet of trucks. They are a lot more expensive now than when I bought them from Kenworth in 1981 when I did the suicide doors. It's too late now but I took a hole saw and made the place in the door for the jaws to be exposed and fastened the latch in from the inside. The striker pin was a bit tricky on the drivers side front door jamb and I think I had to take the side vent off to be able to install it.

[56 3100]

are there any version that dont require cutting door? altman/trique say bolt on in webpage thats BS YOU CUT DOOR.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by 56 3100

are there any version that dont require cutting door? altman/trique say bolt on in webpage thats BS YOU CUT DOOR.

Yes the stock ones that don't work well. As for Altman, they are bolt on (NO BS). Yes, you need to clearance the door for the rods and latches but they bolt in once that is done. What would you expect, the stock doors were not designed for this style/size of latch. The are engineered to work with the existing widow channels and such which is a challenge in its own right.

Altman latches are not cheap but good quality never is.

Marc

[56 3100]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Yes the stock ones that don't work well. As for Altman, they are bolt on (NO BS). Yes, you need to clearance the door for the rods and latches but they bolt in once that it done. What would you expect, the stock doors were not designed for this style/size of latch. The are engineered to work with the existing widow channels and such which is a challenge in its own right.

Altman latches are not cheap but good quality never is.

Marc

looks like fairly major cutting not clearancing? do you have pics of your install?

[jwhotrod]

the manufacturer is Trimark Industries, it will be very confusing trying to buy there without a p/n. they make thousands of variations. I generally buy critical parts like that from yogisinc.com Yogis has been a very reputable supplier to the streetrod market for years. good luck.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by 56 3100

looks like fairly major cutting not clearancing? do you have pics of your install?

Our trucks would be different (I have an AD). Google Altman latch install and there will be videos that show detail of installs. I have personally installed the bear claw latch kits from Ebay and Altman. By far Altman requires the least cutting and no welding. Yes it is more expensive but they made the install virtually fool proof.

If you don't want to cut or weld stick with the inferior stock latches.

Marc

[57tailgater]

I am not to the point of addressing my latches, but I do want to upgrade from the stock ones. I had my door come open once and I don't want that to happen again! Funny this thread has come up as I have been thinking about this topic lately for my '57. Then the engineer in me comes out. You can find a few videos on YouTube where guys have installed this on TF trucks. Yes, there is cutting out of material from the door - their website instructions show this too - then it looks like to be a bolt on after that. I see their panel on the door has a slightly raised area that covers the latch. I assume this is done to clear window tracks and keep the latch mostly hidden. Plus the outside button come through behind the door panel. I have also seen in a couple of the videos where the arm going up to the outside button may need some slight mods (only speaking per the videos I saw). Then to compensate for that they have a bracket for the latch pin that comes out away from the door jamb so things align. I wonder if one wasn't concerned with hiding the latch, if a latch could be mounted on the outside of the door panel and the latch pin mounted on the surface of the door jamb. I also wonder about the single vs double jaw latch as to which is sufficient/better. No expert here - just some random thoughts as I ponder the installation like others.

[mr48chev]

The website for Altman latches https://triquemfg.com/collections/al...asy-latch-kits

55/59 latches https://triquemfg.com/collections/al...=7185124589626

Note that they have specific instructions for each year of TF and if you want to use the "short" or "long" panel.

[duramax55]

thanks guys i should have mentioned that my latches are reversed meaning that the pin is on the door and latch on pillar. The reason for that is that i have shaved door handels and this way i could have a manual way to open door in case electric release didn't work. have a hidden cable i can pull to open door. thanks to jwhotrod for the reply. will try those guys.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by duramax55

thanks guys i should have mentioned that my latches are reversed meaning that the pin is on the door and latch on pillar. The reason for that is that i have shaved door handels and this way i could have a manual way to open door in case electric release didn't work. have a hidden cable i can pull to open door. thanks to jwhotrod for the reply. will try those guys.

My buddy did the exact same thing on his truck using the same latches I did. In fact he was the guy who steered me onto the latches. That makes for a simple setup and I have a set of latches in an OT rig that while GM is actually a Toy--- in disguise for a donor.

Usually I would rather suggest that guys use known quality items rather than suggest donor pieces in a situation like this as I have no clue as to their skill level or their level of being able to visualize and think outside the box. Unless you know for positive someone is up to being a bit more than creative it's best to stick with the known quantities and leave it at that. That is not a knock on anyone's ability but not everyone is able to visualize something nor does everyone have the ability or maybe the tools in the shop to accomplish it.

[duramax55]

mr48chev not getting exactly what your saying , do you mean that gm have a similar latch to bear claw? as far as fabricating i have done a lot of it. adapted a electric motor to my wipers instead of vacuum, turned my roll up window in to power using original mechanics, just added electric motor to them. and a lot of other things. i guess i am cheap, lol i like to go to pic a part and adapt to whatever when possible. to bad i am not more savy with computer and posting pics or i would have shown some of the things i did to my truck. thanks for your info Denis

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by duramax55

mr48chev not getting exactly what your saying , do you mean that gm have a similar latch to bear claw? as far as fabricating i have done a lot of it. adapted a electric motor to my wipers instead of vacuum, turned my roll up window in to power using original mechanics, just added electric motor to them. and a lot of other things. i guess i am cheap, lol i like to go to pic a part and adapt to whatever when possible. to bad i am not more savy with computer and posting pics or i would have shown some of the things i did to my truck. thanks for your info Denis

Bearclaw is a design not a brand.

The Kenworth truck latches I showed in post 10 are what everyone calls "bear claw latches. meaning that the pin goes between those two claws and the claws clamp around the pin from each side. The car has the twin cam 130 hp 4AGE 16 valve four in it and that is why I have hung onto the car. I don't have a safe dry place to stick the engine to keep it for a project.

The only reason I would use those latches is that I have them and I know they work well and stay latched in severe conditions. A search shows that replacements are expensive and that may knock me out of using them as a pair of replacement latches cost more than an altman kit. When I bought the Kenworth latches new from the Kenworth dealer they were just under 8.00 each for just the latch and no other pieces. Now those latches are 60 each online.

It comes down to how well you can visualize, how well you are able to think outside the box and your engineering and fabricating skills. The Altman latches are simple, safe and reliable. They are super easy to install. If I used the Geo latches it is probably going to take a full day on each door to adapt latches. That includes figuring where to mount the latch, where to mount the striker, deciding if the linkage will clear the glass and other pieces and not interfere with the glass. Using any donor pieces is going to take that. When I was 30 I didn't mind spending a couple of days to figure out something like that, at 75 that time may be far better spent on a different project and just spend a bit of money on latches that fit easily. On the other hand many of us older retired guys are at the advantage, we can spend a day out in the garage on something like this and not really have to give up anything else. We can do it during the day and not miss the grand kid's ball game, We don't have to decide about working on the truck or going to do something interesting on a Saturday. Most of the time our wives are happy to have us out in the garage out from under foot and out of their hair. Younger guys often have to budget build time down to the minute. Being there for your kid's ball game as long as you behave yourself and don't embarrass him/her is way more important at that point in life than getting a truck done a few days or weeks earlier. The one thing you never want is for the kids to think that your truck is more important than them even if they sit the bench at the game knowing that you took the time to sit in the stands the whole game is something they carry the rest of their lives.

[duramax55]

mrchvey48 well said and i get what your saying. i am 72 and retired so i am in my shop everyday. When the grandkids come over they always want me to go to the shop with them so i let them play with some tools and they think their a great help. So neet to have grandkids around

[_Ogre]

idk... truk is running stock repop latches and they've worked great for 36,000 miles so far
i have shaved doors and debated what latch and stayed stock
maybe you have a bad latch, i'd try replacing it with another stock repop
i do remember getting them in and one side was miss bent and returned it

[duramax55]

Oger to late to go back to repo latches truck is finished and i did a reverse instalation post is on door and latch on cab. i did that so i could have a hiden manual release.