[triquemfg]

At Trique Manufacturing our biggest product is our Altman Easy Latch Kit. It is a kit that replaces your old stock rotary latches with tailor made bolt-on bear claw latches that allow you to keep your interior and exterior handles as well as your exterior locks. We currently have several kits, but we are always getting requests for others. We are trying to get a bead on which kits we need to focus on first. We are currently working on the 1947-51 Chevy Trucks and the 1952-54 Chevy Trucks.

What we would like to see from this community is two things. First which cars or trucks do you think would most benefit from this kit? Secondly, we need vehicles. We have been fortunate thus far to have donor vehicles to build these kits from. However, Russellville is a small area and the pond is running dry. We are located in Russellville Arkansas and the way we have done things in the past is as follows:

Someone brings us a vehicle that we can keep for 2-3 months. This allows us to design and test fit the latches on a stock vehicle. After everything has been worked out and the pieces have been finalized, we install a pair of latches in the vehicle, document the install, take some photographs and the owner leaves with a free set of Altman Easy Latches fully installed and working. We take special care of every vehicle that is in our shop and they stay in doors at all times locked up and safe.

So far, all of our donor vehicles have come from people that we know or through word of mouth from people that we have done kits for. We are really trying to boost our product line and need to start getting some donors though.

So again, there are two ways you can help. One, just let us know which kit you would like to see made. Two, if you are willing to talk with us about using your vehicle to design a future kit PM me and we can set something up.

Kits we have finished or have donors for are:
1940-47 Ford Pickups
1948-52 Ford F-1
1953-56 Ford F-100
1939-40 Ford 2-door Coupe
1947-51 Chevrolet PU
1952-54 Chevrolet PU

Below is an example of our 53-56 F-100 kit.

 

[Chevy350Sb]

Why did I buy a truck with shaved door handles >:-1

I have a 1990 silverado single cab the doors are shaved and I hate it, soon as I get a chance I will get some door handles for it any ideas?

 

[MARTINSR]

With all the posts that get deleted with barely a mention of their email address, why is this and the other one started by triquemfg allowed to go on? This is obviously a blatant piece of marketing why in the world is it still here?


Brian

 

[triquemfg]

I have followed the rules of the forum. There is no contact information, no links, nothing sending you to our site or asking you to come to our site. The rules clearly state that I can talk about products that we offer. I am not asking anyone to purchase anything. I am using the community for its purpose. This is a group of enthusiasts that get together and share a common bond......cars and trucks. We develop products for other enthusiasts because at the end of the day we too are enthusiasts. In order to make the best products possible we rely on the help of communities like this one. I am asking for opinions about which kit this community would like to see made. I am also trying to source donor vehicles to develop these kits. The internet is a tool that allows you to communicate with others on a broader base. Read the forum rules and you will see that I am well within the guidelines. I apologize if my posts have somehow bothered you.

 

[robin58]

How you figure there is no link? Click on your name and your homepage takes you directly to where you sell your products. It may not be a direct violation of rules, but it sure is an intent to skirt them as I see it. Like martinsr states, many have had their posts deleted for a lot less.

 

[triquemfg]

I have a 1990 silverado single cab the doors are shaved and I hate it, soon as I get a chance I will get some door handles for it any ideas?

I am sorry that the topic got off track. To answer your question, we develop kits to go on vehicles that did not originally have bear claw latches. You have a couple of choices here. You can buy 2 new door skins and skin the doors. Assuming your latch system is still in tact and just had solenoids connected to them that would be the best way to start. Then just buy some handles and you will be set (after paint of course). Next option would be wrecking yard hunting for doors. Only down side to this is that you are paying for a lot that you may not need. You would still have to paint the jams and outside of the doors. Unless there is no damage (highly unlikely) you will have to repair and paint the outside of the doors. With a skin you will start with a nice surface and it will only require a small amount of jam painting and then of course the outside being painted.

 

[M&M CUSTOM]

With all the posts that get deleted with barely a mention of their email address, why is this and the other one started by triquemfg allowed to go on? This is obviously a blatant piece of marketing why in the world is it still here?


Brian

I just went through this entire thread, and found nothing outside the guidelines. I have NOT looked at other threads, and even if I did they are not within my moderating responsibilities other than to report them (same as any other member) and wait for the appropriate forum mod to do their thing.

Don't believe for a minute that us moderators ARE NOT looking at everything, yes we may miss a little here and there and things remain that shouldn't, for a short time- as we aren't all able to be on the computers or the internet all the time- but this is being looked at right now, and under the guidelines, is still within the boundaries of being fine. I'm not saying he isn't too far inside the line or even riding it, but if you feel any further need to question events, Jon is certainly able to be communicated with.

 

[triquemfg]

I just went through this entire thread, and found nothing outside the guidelines. I have NOT looked at other threads, and even if I did they are not within my moderating responsibilities other than to report them (same as any other member) and wait for the appropriate forum mod to do their thing.

Don't believe for a minute that us moderators ARE NOT looking at everything, yes we may miss a little here and there and things remain that shouldn't, for a short time- as we aren't all able to be on the computers or the internet all the time- but this is being looked at right now, and under the guidelines, is still within the boundaries of being fine. I'm not saying he isn't too far inside the line or even riding it, but if you feel any further need to question events, Jon is certainly able to be communicated with.

Thank you and I hope that this thread can now remain on topic.

 

[mike the painter]

OEM latches work GREAT for me and for something with thin doors like a 32 theres a ambulance supplier that has some real nice ones, cheap, I never could understand why people buy those latches....lack of experiance I guess... my 48 ply has two caddie electric deck latches for the tilt nose and one in the deck... 05 Impala electric door latches in the doors.less than 20.00 all together why would anyone buy that aftermarket stuff when the good stuff is so much cheaper and more fun to install,not to mention the intrest others take in them.

 

[powerrodsmike]

Retrofitting rotary latches is a real fine idea, but that striker bolt sure hurts when you are getting into a car and it jams into your back. I would suggest that if you are going to go to all the trouble to make a cover plate that lets a guy just bolt the latch into a stock door, you do it right and make the plate so it puts the latch closer to the door jamb, so you don't have to use a spacer to get that striker bolt even closer to a guy's backside. ain:

IMO, the single gear latches are not enough latch for a heavy door like what you have installed them on. Those are ok for lighter doors. Trimark says they are for doors up to 75# and with doorseal pressures of 15-20#

The bolt pattern and single "jaw" is the giveaway that you are using that latch..or one very similar to it. I use those on trunklids.

http://www.allegiscorp.com/DisplayP...etailTemp_2.jsp&cat=Single-Point+Slam+Latches

Any full size cars or trucks that I install latches on get the better dual gear latch, like this one...
http://www.allegiscorp.com/DisplayP...etailTemp_4.jsp&cat=Single-Point+Slam+Latches

It's good for doors weighing up to 200#, and doorseal pressures of 50-150#..

Here is a link to Allegis Corp, they are the western states counterpart of AL Hansen. Both supply many aftermarket repackagers as well as manufactured vehicle companies. You can also order latches directly from Tri-Mark, although they have a minimum order.

http://www.allegiscorp.com/jsp/displayLatchCategories.jsp?cat=Latches

Hoffman Group (Auto-Loc),has a chinese knockoff of the dual gear rotary latch , and it's ok for an import, but I like the american stuff.

Later, mikey

 

[MARTINSR]

OEM latches work GREAT for me and for something with thin doors like a 32 theres a ambulance supplier that has some real nice ones, cheap, I never could understand why people buy those latches....lack of experiance I guess... my 48 ply has two caddie electric deck latches for the tilt nose and one in the deck... 05 Impala electric door latches in the doors.less than 20.00 all together why would anyone buy that aftermarket stuff when the good stuff is so much cheaper and more fun to install,not to mention the intrest others take in them.

Well, first off you are working with a car with doors thick enough for just about anything. In most early cars you just don't have that luxury.

Personally, I don't have a problem adapting "bears claw" latches from a Jeep Click here for thread and part numbers. or others.

But for a lot of rodders they are looking for something with less effort and there are a number of companies out there with nice latches to sell them.

It is like everything else to do with building a car, there is time, money and skills. I personally could have painted my Gran Sport myself having been a painter for years. But I didn't have the time or energy so I had a guy at work shoot it for me. Some people choose to buy their latches, no big deal.

Brian

 

[M&M CUSTOM]

Thank you and I hope that this thread can now remain on topic.

I'm not exactly on your "side" here, just looking at things with a bit of scrutiny.

Trique, I don't see in any of your posts, any technical assistance, advice, or even assistance based guesses. I am here just to scrutinize a thread that doesn't seem to have technical merit.

This thread just seems to be started with the question of what else you can do to increase your customer base, like many people I am just posting my opinion. If the IS your intent then, this could be miscommunicated as possible advertising?

I think I'll just remain neutral for now.

 

[powerrodsmike]

Well, first off you are working with a car with doors thick enough for just about anything. In most early cars you just don't have that luxury.

Personally, I don't have a problem adapting "bears claw" latches from a Jeep Click here for thread and part numbers. or others.

But for a lot of rodders they are looking for something with less effort and there are a number of companies out there with nice latches to sell them.

It is like everything else to do with building a car, there is time, money and skills. I personally could have painted my Gran Sport myself having been a painter for years. But I didn't have the time or energy so I had a guy at work shoot it for me. Some people choose to buy their latches, no big deal.

Brian

I prefer to buy new stuff. I know where to find it, it's usually in stock, and personally I feel my time is better utilized by placing an order with a company like Allegis and then opening a box than wandering around a junkyard. I'm sure my customers would rather not pay me for driving to a junkyard then wandering around looking for something that I can adapt. I have done that many times, but I've had to modify most anything I got out of a junkyard anyway to get it to work how I want it to.

Ball's Rod and Custom sells a good assortment of the most popular latches, and the prices are pretty good too.

http://www.ballsrodandkustom.com/shop/index.php?action=category&id=8

Later, mikey

 

[triquemfg]

Retrofitting rotary latches is a real fine idea, but that striker bolt sure hurts when you are getting into a car and it jams into your back. I would suggest that if you are going to go to all the trouble to make a cover plate that lets a guy just bolt the latch into a stock door, you do it right and make the plate so it puts the latch closer to the door jamb, so you don't have to use a spacer to get that striker bolt even closer to a guy's backside. ain:

IMO, the single gear latches are not enough latch for a heavy door like what you have installed them on. Those are ok for lighter doors. Trimark says they are for doors up to 75# and with doorseal pressures of 15-20#

The bolt pattern and single "jaw" is the giveaway that you are using that latch..or one very similar to it. I use those on trunklids.

http://www.allegiscorp.com/DisplayP...etailTemp_2.jsp&cat=Single-Point+Slam+Latches

Any full size cars or trucks that I install latches on get the better dual gear latch, like this one...
http://www.allegiscorp.com/DisplayP...etailTemp_4.jsp&cat=Single-Point+Slam+Latches

It's good for doors weighing up to 200#, and doorseal pressures of 50-150#..

Here is a link to Allegis Corp, they are the western states counterpart of AL Hansen. Both supply many aftermarket repackagers as well as manufactured vehicle companies. You can also order latches directly from Tri-Mark, although they have a minimum order.

http://www.allegiscorp.com/jsp/displayLatchCategories.jsp?cat=Latches

Hoffman Group (Auto-Loc),has a chinese knockoff of the dual gear rotary latch , and it's ok for an import, but I like the american stuff.

Later, mikey

It is actually not a spacer to get the striker bolt closer it is a block that mimics the original and allows you to bolt it into the stock location. The latch can not be moved any closer to the jam. If you have any less than a 5/32" door gap the latch bolts would rub the jam as it is. These trucks were not designed to have this style of latch, there for there is less space tolerance in this area. This is in regards to the 48-52 Ford truck kit.

The latches that we use are manufactured by us. The paws and all internal workings have been designed to fit together with extremely tight tolerances helping to prevent an slipping that you see occur with some other latches. All our internal parts are also case hardened with stainless steel springs.

I am not certain what our latches are rated at, but I am glad that you mentioned it as we will be testing. I will include the results with our other information.

The fact that other companies use stamp there paws out and then blacken them with no mention of any hardening could contribute to lesser stress tolerances. All of our pieces are laser cut which actually hardens the edges of the metal by itself, then they are case hardened before being coated.

 

[triquemfg]

I'm not exactly on your "side" here, just looking at things with a bit of scrutiny.

Trique, I don't see in any of your posts, any technical assistance, advice, or even assistance based guesses. I am here just to scrutinize a thread that doesn't seem to have technical merit.

This thread just seems to be started with the question of what else you can do to increase your customer base, like many people I am just posting my opinion. If the IS your intent then, this could be miscommunicated as possible advertising?

I think I'll just remain neutral for now.

This particular thread does revolve around getting suggestions for new kits. I see nothing wrong with that, I have been in contact with Jon about this topic and he saw nothing wrong with this thread either. I was not insinuating you being "on my side", that is not my concern. The forum rules clearly state that threads should stay on topic and that is what I am trying to get back to.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/help-getting-rid-body-filler-lines-166416.html

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/aluminum-polish-165829.html

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/dash-paint-166024.html

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/vibrating-polisher-166026.html

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/weld-primer-help-165876.html


None of these posts had any attempt on my part to help or offer an opinion on the subject? Sorry that I haven't been on this board long enough to offer as much help as maybe you have, but we all have to start somewhere.

 

[MARTINSR]

My original objection was to the fact that your company logo is your avatar and your company name is your posting name. Your url to your company web site is your name plus .com.


If ALL you wanted was suggestions you would have posted without any of this marketing and simply said you are a company who makes latches and want some input.

I have watched over the years people who offer a LOT of info here in regards to fabrication, paint, and actually BUILDING cars who have been barred from posting their email address in their signature!

They were banned from posting anything they offered for sale, even the mention of the product was prohibited.

Then I open your post and see "we make" this and that with your company logo right at the top of every post. Doesn't seem fair to me!

That being said, I have complained in the past about the lack of leniency in this matter. I see NOTHING wrong with your posts (well you are pushing it with the logo), mentioning your name and all, I see nothing wrong as long as there is SOME dialog concerning these latches and how they are used. Maybe some help in insulation for instance.

But being it hasn't been allowed in the past with other posters, that is what I was questioning.

If the mods and Jon have changed the rules to allow this, I welcome the change.

Brian

 

[Jon]

Here are the applicable forum guidelines:

--Hotrodders.com Guidelines.
--Business Affiliation Guidelines.

If anyone notices a violation here, or in any other thread, or with any other user, please PM a mod or me. If you see a rule being inconsistently applied at the moderator level, please bump up your communication to the administrative level with a PM directly to me. I certainly agree that, in this particular situation, there were some initial violations. However, I believe that they've been rectified. If you disagree, PM me.

If anyone wants to suggest an update, modification, or clarification to any of the guidelines, please post your suggestion in the Site Suggestions and Help forum. No rules are perfect, certainly including our own, and we've adjusted them many times over the years. In addition, we are all prone to the occasional screwup.

Most of the guidelines are intentionally worded to be as clear-cut as possible. However, there is an interpretive catch-all in the Business Affiliation Guidelines: rule #3, which covers "aggressive promotion".

 

[powerrodsmike]

It is actually not a spacer to get the striker bolt closer it is a block that mimics the original and allows you to bolt it into the stock location. The latch can not be moved any closer to the jam. If you have any less than a 5/32" door gap the latch bolts would rub the jam as it is. These trucks were not designed to have this style of latch, there for there is less space tolerance in this area. This is in regards to the 48-52 Ford truck kit.

The latches that we use are manufactured by us. The paws and all internal workings have been designed to fit together with extremely tight tolerances helping to prevent an slipping that you see occur with some other latches. All our internal parts are also case hardened with stainless steel springs.

I am not certain what our latches are rated at, but I am glad that you mentioned it as we will be testing. I will include the results with our other information.

The fact that other companies use stamp there paws out and then blacken them with no mention of any hardening could contribute to lesser stress tolerances. All of our pieces are laser cut which actually hardens the edges of the metal by itself, then they are case hardened before being coated.

If you have room for a 3/4" spacer , you have room for the latch to move closer to the door jamb....I am referring to the picture of the 54-56 ford pickup latch you posted.

I don't know why you go to all the trouble to manufacture an exact copy of a latch that you can buy for about 20.00 from the American company that has been making them for many years...In the exact same fashion that you describe...

It sounds like a sales pitch to me.

BTW, I worked for a body manufacturer, and while I worked there, I designed a few of those retro fit latch kits for sale to the public. I would show them to you, but as I still do contract work for them, and could indirectly profit from any sales that company makes, I consider it advertising.

I looked at your website, all you have are CAD drawings of the latch by itself, how about some real pics of the latch.

I am interested in seeing how you are going to test and rate them. You must have a pretty sophisticated test lab there...

Later, mikey

 

[MARTINSR]

I was too busy picking on the sales in the post and hadn't even taken a look at the design, so I could pick on that. Just kidding latch guy, but I do wonder about that myself now that I look at it.

You said in your response to Mikeys question that if you moved the latch further out it the bolts would hit? HUH? I am lost on that one. If you are able to move the striker OUT towards the latch, and there is room to do that, why couldn't you move the latch towards the striker? I am lost as why that doesn't work, I have done it.

The striker blocked out like that just doesn't do it for me. The idea is to make it smoother, make parts more like they were designed with the car, not as an afterthought.

Now, I have never laid out to make "kits" for door latches and I would assume it is a hell of a lot harder than us armchair quarterbacks (not refering to you Mikey, you HAVE done this for a living) can imagine.

But if the door is being modifed at all, and it must be, then why not have a stamped steel mounting plate that gets welded onto the door right where the old latch was that mounts your latch further out as to eliminate the "afterbirth" block that the striker is sitting on.

Brian

 

[triquemfg]

If you have room for a 3/4" spacer , you have room for the latch to move closer to the door jamb....I am referring to the picture of the 54-56 ford pickup latch you posted.

I don't know why you go to all the trouble to manufacture an exact copy of a latch that you can buy for about 20.00 from the American company that has been making them for many years...In the exact same fashion that you describe...

It sounds like a sales pitch to me.

BTW, I worked for a body manufacturer, and while I worked there, I designed a few of those retro fit latch kits for sale to the public. I would show them to you, but as I still do contract work for them, and could indirectly profit from any sales that company makes, I consider it advertising.

I looked at your website, all you have are CAD drawings of the latch by itself, how about some real pics of the latch.

I am interested in seeing how you are going to test and rate them. You must have a pretty sophisticated test lab there...

Later, mikey

We went to the "trouble" of making our own latches so we did not have to depend on others to make a key component to something that our company is selling. Too many alterations would have to made to a universal latch to accomplish the things that we do with our own latch. None of our latches are the same. Each one of them has different cover plate, levers, pivot points, etc. to make them work with the stock handles and locks the way they do. The first kit we created was based on a universal latch that we added our levers and other components to. Then the company started changing components and latches began failing or in some cases were even shipped to us with obvious defects. It was at this time that we decided that it would be better for us to have quality control over our latches.

In regards to testing, we are far from a highly advanced facility with a big testing facility, but it is something I would like to look into to provide a better product. Maybe someone with your knowledge on the subject could be helpful to a growing company like ours. That is why I have always enjoyed participating in forums like this one. The amount of knowledge, from the do it yourselfer to the highly educated engineer is all right here. I have done some reading on DOT's websites concerning requirements of door latches and how they should perform in certain tests as well as how they should perform during collisions. However, we will need to seek the help of someone with more knowledge about the subject than we currently have.

This thread was started to get ideas from other enthusiasts. Am I promoting my company within the guidelines set forth by this forum you are darn right I am. I even followed direct examples that are put in the business affiliation guidelines portion of this site. I have no shame in admitting that I want you to know what we do and what we are about. With that said I do not try to break rules in doing so.

From the beginning we have said that we want to be a company that listens to our customers and feeds off of their ideas. As "car guys" we had approached other companies about ideas and were looked at like we didn't know what we were talking about. Like we were wasting the time of someone by trying to better a product. So we decided to do the things ourselves and swore we would always communicate with others openly about our products.

I am not even close to being finished with our website design, nor do I have all of the content up that will be on it. If you think people would like to see detailed pictures of our latches we would love to accommodate and will do so.

As far as the striker goes I did not realize you were referring to the F-100 latch. If we had embossed the latch plate and moved the latch 3/4" closer to the jam it would have created more linkage problems to overcome and someone probably would have made a remark about that "look" as well. We try to listen to our customers, but also realize that we will never please everyone. I will say you are the first to have mentioned it. We have actually had people that have done their own bear claw latch conversions come to us and buy just the striker block and comment what a nice piece it is. Just goes to show everyone has differing opinions. The striker block that we made was designed to fit in the stock location and resemble the stock striker that the truck came with. We could have designed a kit that with some more cutting and a little welding could look really sleek and nice, but we are trying to keep the DIY person in mind. We try to make kits for the person installing it in his/her driveway who may not even have access to a welder much less want to do the filler/paint work etc. to finish it out.

I have to say that I have felt like your responses have been more derogatory towards our product than helpful. I felt like you were attacking my thread for whatever reason. As a matter of fact I was going to post this and then end the thread. It is not serving it's purpose. It seems to have become a battle ground for whether or not I was right or wrong in originally starting the thread. When I look back at it though it has been helpful, even though at times it seemed like you were trying to hurt rather than help. This could just be my perception and I could be completely wrong. If that is the case I apologize for my assumption. Bottom line is you have helped. You have made me think of things that we may have overlooked or need to look into. For that I thank you. I stated before this board has a wealth of knowledge and I hope to gain more myself by being here.

I am asking that this thread can go back to topic. If anyone has a suggestion for a kit please let me know. We would love to know what kits would benefit the community of car enthusiasts the most.

I have removed my avatar and our website from my profile even though they were both within guidelines. I also do not plan on creating any more threads concerning our products or services on this board even though that is allowed as well. With that said I will still be around on the forum because I still think it is a neat place and I hope to learn from it. I even hope to pass what little knowledge I may have to contribute.