Any interest in replacement window latches?

I

Isaac

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Nov 20, 2022
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My newly acquired '73 is missing all but one of the window latches somehow. I'm making some new ones since used ones seem to go for $120 a pop. Just wondering if there is a market for these and what they would be worth to those of you in need if I ran off a batch. The final product will be printed in ASA. Feel free to ask questions or give feedback of course.

PXL_20230106_011933015.webp
 
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Matt Colie said:
Isaac,
I have all I need, but I am sure others will be interested.
What material are they ? And
Do you have a projected cost?
Matt
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I will be 3D printing them in ASA, which is a high temp & UV resistant material. I'm trying to gauge interest here and see what people would pay for them to determine if it's worth making some extras aside from what I need for my personal project.
 
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Matt Colie said:
Thanks Bdud.
I am a little concerned for the strength of the ASA material because I have seen several broken latches. I have to admit that I have known more to get lost when the buttons broke.
Matt
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I'm not going to pretend that any 3D printed part is as strong as aluminum, but I'm surprised to hear that anyone has broken one of the original latches. I don't view the latches as much of a security feature, but they definitely need to hold up to normal wear and tear. What part of the latches have you seen fail?
 
Isaac,
The two that I know of that broke were damaged by the owner using sincere force to get the thing to unlatch. Even aluminum has a limit to its sense of humor. Needed vice grips or channel locks to get one of mine open.
I complete honesty, the design of that whole system was never very good. One should color this with the fact that our coaches were designed for a 15~20 life because that was twice the mean service of RVs of the day and a lot longer than that of the typical passcar in the day.
As long as you are starting from scratch and have a dedicated tooling cost of Zero, you might think about how the latch can be improved. The originals were cut from an extrusion and so limited in what could be done with the blank parts.
You might also think about the buttons. I can make about 20/hr on my little lathe. They are a PITA because haven't made the form tool to do the outside and cut-off, so I have to reset and finish the outside. Many of the first batch I made have failed because I made them from the nylon I had in stock. The next run will be black ABS and they should last better.
Matt
 
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Matt Colie said:
Isaac,
The two that I know of that broke were damaged by the owner using sincere force to get the thing to unlatch. Even aluminum has a limit to its sense of humor. Needed vice grips or channel locks to get one of mine open.
I complete honesty, the design of that whole system was never very good. One should color this with the fact that our coaches were designed for a 15~20 life because that was twice the mean service of RVs of the day and a lot longer than that of the typical passcar in the day.
As long as you are starting from scratch and have a dedicated tooling cost of Zero, you might think about how the latch can be improved. The originals were cut from an extrusion and so limited in what could be done with the blank parts.
You might also think about the buttons. I can make about 20/hr on my little lathe. They are a PITA because haven't made the form tool to do the outside and cut-off, so I have to reset and finish the outside. Many of the first batch I made have failed because I made them from the nylon I had in stock. The next run will be black ABS and they should last better.
Matt
Click to expand...
I'll agree it's not the best design but I kind of enjoy the quirky one-off features of these motorhomes. Which buttons are you referring to? Mine was reupholstered so it's not clear to me what's original and what's been changed.
 
Matt Colie said:
Isaac,
The two that I know of that broke were damaged by the owner using sincere force to get the thing to unlatch. Even aluminum has a limit to its sense of humor. Needed vice grips or channel locks to get one of mine open.
I complete honesty, the design of that whole system was never very good. One should color this with the fact that our coaches were designed for a 15~20 life because that was twice the mean service of RVs of the day and a lot longer than that of the typical passcar in the day.
As long as you are starting from scratch and have a dedicated tooling cost of Zero, you might think about how the latch can be improved. The originals were cut from an extrusion and so limited in what could be done with the blank parts.
You might also think about the buttons. I can make about 20/hr on my little lathe. They are a PITA because haven't made the form tool to do the outside and cut-off, so I have to reset and finish the outside. Many of the first batch I made have failed because I made them from the nylon I had in stock. The next run will be black ABS and they should last better.
Matt
Click to expand...
I agree on making these better. Just unlocking then pulling the window open with that tiny latch handle can be a Herculean feat at best.
 
Isaac,
I was referring to the little buttons that penetrate the glass and the latch screws go into said buttons. I'm sure that they are more properly a special purpose blind nut, but buttons is a lot easier to write.
And, with the tooling cost being software only, you can make some that look very original and some that work.
Matt
 
Matt Colie said:
Isaac,
I was referring to the little buttons that penetrate the glass and the latch screws go into said buttons. I'm sure that they are more properly a special purpose blind nut, but buttons is a lot easier to write.
And, with the tooling cost being software only, you can make some that look very original and some that work.
Matt
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I probably should have picked up on that given the context of this discussion, my bad. 3D printed threads aren't terribly strong so I'm still working on how I want to fasten them to the window. This is what I'm currently using:

PXL_20230107_003708312.webp

This is a 8-32 stainless screw going into a backwards rivnut with a spacer to spread the load out over the glass a little more. Not terribly elegant, but it's pretty strong.
 
Isaac,
That is a good answer. Infact better than most. If it is stainless, that can survive. I have seen some where the owner replaced those with an aluminum fitting that has a rubber gasket and they use the original self-tapping screw. This is a problem down the road because that self tapping screw corrodes and then will not come out of the aluminum. Boy, won't it NOT come out......
In the OE mushroom buttons, the screws were not exposed to the weather. That was good for the screws, but the buttons died of sun poising.
One of the small and little known features of the OE plastic buttons was that if you needed to get the latch out of the situation and the screws were uncooperative, a sharp chisel could cut the caps off of the buttons.
Don't even try to print the internal threads. Just make it a round (within the capability of 3D printing) that is about the tap drill for the screw.
Matt
 
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Matt Colie said:
Isaac,
That is a good answer. Infact better than most. If it is stainless, that can survive. I have seen some where the owner replaced those with an aluminum fitting that has a rubber gasket and they use the original self-tapping screw. This is a problem down the road because that self tapping screw corrodes and then will not come out of the aluminum. Boy, won't it NOT come out......
In the OE mushroom buttons, the screws were not exposed to the weather. That was good for the screws, but the buttons died of sun poising.
One of the small and little known features of the OE plastic buttons was that if you needed to get the latch out of the situation and the screws were uncooperative, a sharp chisel could cut the caps off of the buttons.
Don't even try to print the internal threads. Just make it a round (within the capability of 3D printing) that is about the tap drill for the screw.
Matt
Click to expand...
No chisel was needed on mine, just a little tug on the latch and they pulled right through the window. I've actually made the buttons already (6-32 tap matched the OE screws) and just didn't think it would last which is why I'm exploring other options now. I appreciate your input on this as I have no experience with these motorhomes and am trying to get up to speed on them.
 
Isaac said:
My newly acquired '73 is missing all but one of the window latches somehow. I'm making some new ones since used ones seem to go for $120 a pop. Just wondering if there is a market for these and what they would be worth to those of you in need if I ran off a batch. The final product will be printed in ASA. Feel free to ask questions or give feedback of course.

View attachment 7453
Click to expand...
hello

yes i am interested.
i just found mine not working and no lock at all..
 
You might try searching more online for replacements. At this moment I don't remember where, but I have seen those latches somewhere and they weren't any where near $120. They may have been in a nother RV parts catalog, or possibly a marine parts catalog I have hit the jackpot with marine parts a couple of times. Very few parts on our coaches were special manufacturer, but were off the shelf somewhere.
 
RoadWarrior said:
You might try searching more online for replacements. At this moment I don't remember where, but I have seen those latches somewhere and they weren't any where near $120. They may have been in a nother RV parts catalog, or possibly a marine parts catalog I have hit the jackpot with marine parts a couple of times. Very few parts on our coaches were special manufacturer, but were off the shelf somewhere.
Click to expand...
www.gmcrvparts.com

WINDOW LATCH - GMC MOTORHOME

We are a major supplier of GMC Motor Home, RV Parts. Serving GMC MOTORHOME owners everywhere.
www.gmcrvparts.com

Care to share where you are seeing them cheaper? I'm making these for my own personal use, but don't see them listed anywhere but applied. And I wouldn't purchase from them after my last transaction anyway.
 
Isaac said:
www.gmcrvparts.com

WINDOW LATCH - GMC MOTORHOME

We are a major supplier of GMC Motor Home, RV Parts. Serving GMC MOTORHOME owners everywhere.
www.gmcrvparts.com

Care to share where you are seeing them cheaper? I'm making these for my own personal use, but don't see them listed anywhere but applied. And I wouldn't purchase from them after my last transaction anyway.
Click to expand...
As I said, I don't remember where and didn't save a link. I was going through some of the information I have when you replied, but haven't found anything yet. I am sure it was not on a GMC MH site but something like marine parts, bus parts, or some company that manufactures latches; maybe a window parts catalog.
 
That looks like the window latch in my 77". I don't know if anyone has tried using the later model latch in a early. Someone may chime in, or you might search "gmcmhphotos.com" . You might also check out bdub.net; there was a 3D printer file for duplicating your latch in there, although I am not sure plastic would hold up. I suspect that file could be used for a CNC however. You might also contact these folks: http://www.hehrwindows.net. I am still looking; as I remember I was looking for the rollers for the bottom of my residential windows when I saw that latch, but didn't know at the time it fit the early GMC's or I would have kept the info.
 
Applied GMC

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