TheSamba.com :: View topic - Rekeying a lock

Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:31 am

Hi guys I'm trying to re-key my tailgate lock on my 79 bay. I've unscrewed the latch at the back of the lock and taken it off, there doesn't appear to be a retaining clip, should there be one? the barrel is in tight and won't come out.

Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:27 pm

I have removed the lock and cannot get any of the wafers to come out of the barrel. I have thoroughly cleaned it with solvent. All the wafers are nicely sprung, and have uniform movement, except for the one offender which sits high with the key in.

Removing the key and trying to get the wafers out proves fruitless. There must be a way, but I am stumped. I read all six pages of the thread, but didn't see anywhere on how to get the wafers out, just cautions against them from flying out when the key is removed. (I should be so lucky!)

What did I overlook :?:

1977 bus, rear hatch lock.

It's kickin my ass! :oops:

Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:12 pm

Just redid my engine hatch lock on my '71, thx to the O.P.
Saved me some bread :D

Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:47 pm

With the key in the cylinder, and the wafers sticking out... Would it be ok to run them against a grinder to shave down the protrusions?
Or is that a no no?

Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:07 pm

obnoxiousblue wrote: With the key in the cylinder, and the wafers sticking out... Would it be ok to run them against a grinder to shave down the protrusions?
Or is that a no no?

I was going to dremel the offending wafers, but chickened out & just removed them.

Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:14 pm

obnoxiousblue wrote: With the key in the cylinder, and the wafers sticking out... Would it be ok to run them against a grinder to shave down the protrusions?
Or is that a no no?
That would be the hillbilly way to do it, not pretty and sometimes a big fail but better than removing them all. Why not just let the moths out of the wallet and have Steelersbus or Gabe rework it so it'll be 100% good for the next 40ish years?, it really doesn't cost that much and it won't give you trouble in your lifetime, can you say that about the grinding?

You may also want to ask your local oldschool locksmith about it, some are still capable of reworking them properly, be sure to confirm how they plan to fix it before leaving it with them though.

Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:25 pm

:oops: I only had to remove 3, was still 3 or 4 left, felt that it was a better option than the dremel, this way I can still get it done by Steelersbus later. I still have the wafers to put back in.

Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:36 pm

BusDaddy, I already did actually. Gabe did mine a few years ago, and my key works all the doors, trunk and ignition.
I was foolish, in that my handles have some pitting. I'd like to get new handles, and figured it'd be worth experimenting with.
Though, I think ican just put my cylinders in whatever new handes I buy.
Right?

Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:30 pm

obnoxiousblue wrote: I think ican just put my cylinders in whatever new handes I buy.
Right?
Right, as long as they are from a similar year or code prefix group.

Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:01 am

Funny. I have my cylinder and lock all dissasembled, and although all the wafers slide nice and are spring loaded, I CANNOT get any of them to come out. Yes, the key has been removed. They all have the same feel of being locked in or at a limit stop or similar.

All the warnings of not letting them fly out don't seem to apply to mine :?

(1977 bus trunk/rear hatch lock)

Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:38 am

Wasted youth/adulthood wrote: Funny. I have my cylinder and lock all dissasembled, and although all the wafers slide nice and are spring loaded, I CANNOT get any of them to come out. Yes, the key has been removed. They all have the same feel of being locked in or at a limit stop or similar.

All the warnings of not letting them fly out don't seem to apply to mine :?

(1977 bus trunk/rear hatch lock)

I had to GENTLY squeeze a couple of mine to remove them, up as close as you can to the cylinder.

Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:50 am

suffecool2 wrote: Wasted youth/adulthood wrote: Funny. I have my cylinder and lock all dissasembled, and although all the wafers slide nice and are spring loaded, I CANNOT get any of them to come out. Yes, the key has been removed. They all have the same feel of being locked in or at a limit stop or similar.

All the warnings of not letting them fly out don't seem to apply to mine :?

(1977 bus trunk/rear hatch lock)

I had to GENTLY squeeze a couple of mine to remove them, up as close as you can to the cylinder.
Feel fortunate your lock isn't worn too badly :)

Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:58 am

busdaddy wrote: suffecool2 wrote: Wasted youth/adulthood wrote: Funny. I have my cylinder and lock all dissasembled, and although all the wafers slide nice and are spring loaded, I CANNOT get any of them to come out. Yes, the key has been removed. They all have the same feel of being locked in or at a limit stop or similar.

All the warnings of not letting them fly out don't seem to apply to mine :?

(1977 bus trunk/rear hatch lock)

I had to GENTLY squeeze a couple of mine to remove them, up as close as you can to the cylinder.
Feel fortunate your lock isn't worn too badly :)

I was sweating bullets the whole time I was messing with it, don't like messing w/small delicate stuff like that [-o<
Bigger parts where if ya slip a little & it don't matter are more my style :twisted:
I could take my key all the way out & all the wafers would stay put :shock: thats when i got nervous trying to figure out what to do, cause everyone was saying to be careful that they go flying, when all of mine were stuck!

Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:04 pm

I found out after I finally got one of them out today that mine have a second shoulder, a little lower down. It seems to be designed to retain the wafer so it doesn't come flying out when beginning to disassemble. It also seems as though when wafers are installed, a slight peening action on the barrell body is made to trap that lower shoulder.

Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:45 pm

Wasted youth/adulthood wrote: I found out after I finally got one of them out today that mine have a second shoulder, a little lower down. It seems to be designed to retain the wafer so it doesn't come flying out when beginning to disassemble. It also seems as though when wafers are installed, a slight peening action on the barrell body is made to trap that lower shoulder.

I've just been rekeying my tailgate lock on my split tonight (to match my cab doors). I dug out all my old handles and stripped them down for parts, and the tailgate had that exact same 'peening' over. It made them a little more troublesome to get in and out, but it did at least stop everything flying off everywhere :-)

Mon May 27, 2013 4:22 pm

Had a key stolen, so I replaced the ignition switch and then rekeyed all of the doors, courtesy of this post! Much appreciated!

Wed May 21, 2014 3:10 pm

I bought another bus on the weekend and the sliding door handle lock won't turn with any of the supplied keys, given it a soak with penetrating oil and nothing. Decided to take the lock tumbler out and key it to either the ignition or passenger door keys. Got the little grub screw out easily but the tumbler is stuck fast.

What I would like confirmed and like to know is

1. does the deadlock not come out unless the tumbler is out?

2. with the grub screw removed will the tumbler rotate inside the handle.. i.e. could i put a flathead screw driver and turn it free to remove

3. any tips on getting the tumbler out? I don't have the key for it so was just using another spare to try and grip inside to pull it out.. no luck. Also tried heat on it with no luck.

Thanks Paul

Wed May 21, 2014 4:03 pm

Read page 2 again, the cylinder should come out locked or not once the grub screw is out unless it's corroded in so bad it won't even wiggle a tiny bit, you'll likely have to lift the wafers down in the keyslot with a tiny screwdriver or wire a little as you pull on it to get them over the outer edge.

Wed May 21, 2014 4:26 pm

It doesn't move in any direction sadly. I have read page two over a few times can you confirm points 1 & 2 thou please

Also can you elaborate a little on 'lift the wafers down in the keyslot with a tiny screwdriver or wire a little as you pull on it to get them over the outer edge'

Wed May 21, 2014 5:27 pm

No the deadbolt won't come out until the cylinder is out at least 1/4"
Removing the screw does nothing to unlock the cylinder, the screw keeps it from coming out of the handle.

When you put the properly coded key into the cylinder it retracts all the wafers so the cylinder is smooth on the outside and can turn freely, with no key they are all sticking out both sides and engaging slots in the handle so the cylinder won't turn. To remove the cylinder with no key remove the set screw and bend a piece of wire so you can hook it into the key hole and pull the cylinder away from the handle (out), then while pulling on that reach in there with a tiny screw driver and simulate a key pushing up and down on the spring loaded wafers so they are lifted/pushed out of the slot in the handle and can clear the non slot area surrounding the end of the cylinder on the outside of the handle. It takes some fiddling and experimenting to find the right spot where each one clears but if you keep pulling while you play and don't let the cylinder go back in you'll get it out one little notch at a time, don't pull so hard you restrict the movement of the wafers, just a gentle steady pull is usually enough.