So here is a close-up look at the Bear Claw latch mechanism. Notice the "L" shaped lever at the top of the latch. This is the lock lever that simply hooks to the car's door lock pull knobs. The lower "L" shaped lever is the arm that, when pulled, releases the latch to open the door. Spending some time inspecting the mechanism before installing it will give you a better understanding of not only how the latch works, but also of the simplicity and quality of the design.