TheSamba.com :: View topic - Rekeying a lock

Tue May 26, 2009 12:09 pm

Great tutorial - I did mine this weekend with no problem, also made the cylinders move much more cleanly as I got a bunch of gunk out of all of them...

Blaize (or anyone) - is there a part no for the "tumbler wafer kit" or somewhere online that's got loose wafers?

Tue May 26, 2009 12:28 pm

Be careful going to the dealer and ordering "late 90's Cabrio tumblers" I just did and got the kit, but they are not the same as the OG wafers in our locks. They are approximately 1-2 mm longer and have a different profile on the side for the spring catch. I have pm'd Blaize but not yet got a response. The kit was a lot more than $20. May have been due to the wrong part or the time discrepancy (2003-2009).

Sun Jun 14, 2009 2:26 pm

Thanks for this post done my front door handles & now I can lock & unlock them. :D

Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:12 am

rekeying a lock is relatively simple but as good bus door locks are getting harder and more expensive to find I hit upon a simple and cheap solution for those that don't have enough 'waferes' to key the lock correctly

Beetle handles are easy to find and are chock full of wafers. A little bit of work with a file and they fit. They are slightly longer and wider than bus lock wafers but they do work. Fit them so that one side of the wafer is flush with the barrel then file the other side down. One side is usually quite thin though. FIle this down too much and it will break and snag your lock. Try to always file down the 'fat' side of the wafer.

One thing I have systematically failed to do is get the lock out of an ignition switch to key that one. My GF has a repro ignition in her 72 and the fat, badly made key is doing my head in and I want to swap it out for an ignition keyed to her drivers door key.

Does anyone know how to get an ignition barrel out? Oh, and then for it to be in a condition to put it back in again ;)

Sat Jun 27, 2009 10:09 pm

I can't seem to get the wafers out of my ignition lock. I was told that the key use to work for the ignition but doesn't anymore??? So I was going to take the wafers out and compare them to the sliding door lock which I know will work with the same key. So, why won't the wafers come out? I've tried working them out with a small screwdriver but that doesn't seem to help.

Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:26 am

Try pushing them the other way, the opposite to what looks logical. :D

Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:33 pm

No luck. I've done this before with the front door handles with no issues but the wafers are just not coming out of the ignition cylinder lock. They seem to move with ease but won't come out. Is it possible that the barrel turned into the "accessory" or "on" position somehow? Seems a little weird that that would happen with the key being removed.

Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:47 pm

Marv go to www.type2.com and go to the library section. Click on ignition and then go to lock cylinder replacement.

Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:56 am

I don't care what anybody say's you did an excellent job with the photos. I couldn't of done better myself :lol:

SAMBA IS THE PLACE FOR WHAT EVER YOU NEED OR WANT!!!!!!!!!!

Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:04 am

Sawsalesman wrote: Marv go to www.type2.com and go to the library section. Click on ignition and then go to lock cylinder replacement.

I remember seeing this one some time back and did take a damn good look at it.

Although I have an early bus and early ignition, the bit I want to salvage the lock barrel from is a late bay column and can't find anything on that.

I guess i'll just have to brutalise it and get some knowledge the old fashioned way :D:D:D

Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:06 pm

I HAV A mystery decklid handle lock(unknown year). it came with a free box of splitty and bay parts. but after trying to insert my key i noticed it was going in crooked. so i pulled out all the wafers and still crooked, is it possible this lock is for a splitty and a diffrerent 66 down profile? i ordered a bay one from a member with keys in it but id like to have one key all around then spring for nice vw logod correct keys frome gabriel and get them cut. any input on the decklid lock differences? thanks Raul.

Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:31 pm

Ack! Reactivate your account or move your pics to the gallery. I can't see them anymore!

Tue Jan 19, 2010 2:52 pm

skid wrote: Ack! Reactivate your account or move your pics to the gallery. I can't see them anymore!

No pics :cry: :cry:

Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:16 am

Sorry about that. havnt been on here for a while. Hopefully sorted now.
Cheers.

Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:17 pm

Thanks for fixing them! I ended up figuring it out, but your post helped a lot. I've only got one more door to do!

Tue Feb 02, 2010 3:14 pm

Nice rekeying tutorial. I actually swapped out the lock centers and ignition switch from a junk bus that I happened to have the key for. I put them into a '73, the reason being I didn't want to pay a locksmith $160 for rekeying just 3/4 of the locks on the bus. I did exactly the same thing cleaning and assembly-wise that you did, and it really helps those locks turn nicely in the door handles, lemme tell ya! If I ever need to redo a lock from scratch I will remember this procedure. Thanks again for posting the tutorial, adn hopefuly your flash works by then! :lol:

P.S.: Watch those retaining springs. If they don't sit right in their holes then the lock won't spring back after you turn the key.

Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:38 am

Wow was that easy.. I had no keys for my bus, zero, and I am starting school soon.. I was sooo stressed on leaving my bus in the school parking lot.. I keyed the drivers door and the back cargo hatch so now I can lock my bus tight. Thank you..

Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:47 pm

nice pictures - but- the key is 180 degrees off. the "P" shape on key it should face rear of bus when inserted into handle not towards front,but nice try tho'

Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:29 am

i was just going to give this a try after buying a set off ebay, put my key in and it turned the lock :shock:

Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:30 pm

just found this thread and am excited to give it a go, I got 2 keys and no lock in the passenger door, and no key for the slider, but a bunch of extra handle.

the g/f just yelled at me for making to much noise while prepping the rear floors for rust repairs and paint tomorrow, so guess ill go finish my beer on the couch and play with some locks :lol: