Has anyone who ordered a set of hardtop locks from HeelToe Automotive recently had trouble installing them?

I ordered a set of red ones back in June and I couldn't get them installed. I noticed that the holes in the locking buttons were off by a millimeter or two compared to the stock buttons so they had problems sliding into the latch. I sent them back and after a very long wait, finally got a revised set earlier this month. It looks like they widened the holes just a tad but it still didn't fit. The offset in the holes compared to the stock button is still there (overall, the locking button is a bit longer than the stock button). I could get one side of the posts of the latch through the hole but the other won't go on. For anyone who's looked at the latch button, the curved part of the button hits the inside of the latch so the locking button won't fall into place.

HeelToe tried the second set of latches with the widened holes on their test latch and they slid right onto the latch. I've tried installing both sets of latches in as many ways I could, even using force which the instructions said wouldn't be needed, and they just won't fit. I bought my hardtop brand new around 2010 or so and it definitely doesn't work on mine so I'm not sure what the difference is.

Right now, they still owe me a set of locks. If anyone else had the same problem, please post here!

 

EP Heart,
I have exactly the same problem as you described with my replacement from HeelToe. It does go further down with the replacement but the curve area prevent the button to set into the right position. If I don't put the lock with an angle, it does not even go half way. I think the bottom of the holes (not the washer or the screw's end) should be wider. Not sure what to do?

 

Hey guys,
I already had the issue with my first set before I shipped them back. I should be receiving my second revised set of locks this week. I'll report back on whether they work or not once I get them.

 

Any updates?

 

Yes any updates? I'm considering purchasing them.

 

i read the comments on the heeltoe lock thread on s2ki and here is a tip to install them:

 

That's odd, I got a set for my hardtop about one year ago and they fit perfectly, not a single problem with them. They went on real easy, and they continue to work fine up to this point in time. I hope they get this figured out.

 

i just installed a set on my OEM hardtop and everything worked except I couldn't get the lock button to lock. I push it in and it pops right out. I realized that after latching it down I need to pull the button out all the way and then it locks. Don't know if anyone else had that problem. I hoping after it gets worn in a bit that button will pop all the way out once latched. Not a big deal but for almost $200, kinda feels cheap.

 

My set has gone through modifications after sending them back to HT 2 times. They widened the holes on mine so they finally fit. When I sent them back the first time, they didn't widen them enough. I STILL have issues with mine, though. When I press the button, the mechanism in the latch is not moved all the way so the hook doesn't completely disengage. If you look at the inner side of the stock button, there's a part that sticks out and that is what presses the latch mechanism. The one on the locking button is a lot shorter than the stock button so the mechanism doesn't get pushed in all the way. I'm afraid that if I keep using them, this will wear out the mechanism on the latch since I am essentially force pulling the latch down a bit. And I take my hardtop on and off pretty often so this is an issue for me.

The second issue is that I'm pretty sure these latches will rattle, even with the supplied spacers. The new buttons already rattle a bit when I move the latches around. Unfortunately, I can't test them out on the road because my car's been put away for the fall/winter a long time ago. Because of all the back and forth and me having to send these latches back at my own cost multiple times and waiting for them to be modified each time, I had to wait until the end of fall to finally get a set that I could actually install but it was already too late by that point.

The third issue I have is the same as what AZH has. You really have to get them in the sweet spot to lock or jiggle them around but it's definitely a hit or miss.

Overall, I'm actually dissatisfied with these locks and am considering sending them back for a refund, if they would even take them back. I've just been sitting on this issue since my last correspondence with them about a month ago so I don't even know if they would. I don't think they'll be redoing/redesigning anything at this time. I think he might've moved to a different supplier or something because it wouldn't make sense that the first batch of these had no problems whereas the ones that I and jza originally got couldn't even be installed.

I understand that some of these things are out of HT's control. The quality is there and I applaud them for making this lock, but for the $200+ that I paid for these, I was really expecting more instead of being a bit like a beta tester.

 

UPDATE
I had mine returned to heel toe and they updated it to the correct specs and sent it back to me. I got them back and they slotted right in! I would def recommend these locks as some additional security.