TheSamba.com :: View topic - How to "rekey" VW door handles. A picture tutorial

Sun Jul 14, 2013 4:41 pm

Cool, I would be interested in seeing other tutorials.

For the time being, as a pro locksmith, what you recommend to use to lubricate the wafers and lock cylinders when reinstalling those parts into the door handle?

Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:19 pm

Hello Everett in regards to lock lubricants . There is two ways to go . Tri Flow is petroleum based and has Teflon in it . Works great in areas of the country were it freezes . Or you can use Super Lube which is synthetic . Both come in aerosol and in paste form . The paste form is great when a lock has been torn down or being reassembled . Or if you just want to clean up your original locks . WD 40 works great as a solvent to wash away the old grease and grime . It should never be used as a lubricant . Or a can of parts cleaner . Once the lock plug is clean then apply the above Lubricants I suggested . And your good to go for a few years . I wanted to post some photos of these products to this thread . But Its way to confusing for me . Sorry . :?

Sun Jul 14, 2013 10:23 pm

Thanks, I have been using spray carb. cleaner or another solvent to clean things up when they are apart, then Tri-Flow spray.

I will check out Super Lube too.

Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:53 pm

Just wanted to say thanks for the great post! I could never get my passenger side to work with my drivers door/ignition key. Using the tutorial I was able to swap the pins/wafers around for a perfect fit!

Thanks again!

Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:26 pm

Great tutorial. I've looked into re-keying everything together and this showed me what I need to do. :)

Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:27 am

You guys are welcome, glad to help!

Thu Mar 31, 2016 12:03 pm

I'm a late comer to this thread, which by the way is exactly what I was looking for. I hope someone with an answer is still watching.

I took my drivers side outside door handle off and then removed the lock to see what was holding the push button partially in. There is a rectangular rubber piece that goes around the lock, in a groove, that was brittle and broken. Is this piece necessary and is it available? I am assuming it is there to keep out dirt and water.

I searched several of the parts distributors and didn't find anything.

Thu Mar 31, 2016 12:43 pm

Sounds like you're describing the door handle seal.

https://chircoestore.com/door-handle-seals-4pc-vw-...hgodIR0Obg

Thu Mar 31, 2016 1:51 pm

I've done this a couple of times (back in the day) knowing it was hack, but did it anyway.
I wish a locksmith would show the easy way to mix and match wafers.
I tried that and that's very time consuming.
A note of caution, if you're going to get a key made from scratch and there is no code to work from DO NOT LUBE LOCK.
Locksmiths need a clean and dry lock to start with.

Thu Mar 31, 2016 2:18 pm

Keith, the rubber seal (?) in question is inside the handle, in a groove, around the lock body.

Thu Mar 31, 2016 5:14 pm

I'm wondering what the difference is between a filed-off wafer and a wafer of the correct height. Aren't they both now the same height to fit the profile of a particular key? The key doesn't know whether the wafer was filed or not. As for other keys working in the lock, that would happen regardless. I must be missing something :D .

Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:06 pm

The idea is that all the wafers are the same size and the difference is where in its height the slot for the key is located. The top and the bottom of the wafer are leveled with the lock cylinder when the correct key cut is under the wafer. If one end of a wafer sticks up the other end is recessed in the lock cylinder.

Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:32 am

Bob Hollingsworth wrote: Keith, the rubber seal (?) in question is inside the handle, in a groove, around the lock body.

Correct, it fits in a groove around the push button, don't really know if it keeps water out, but I'm sure it helps, I think it's more to keep the Button from vibration rattling. I've seen a few for sale recently, but hard to find for the most part.I made a pair out of some bike tube. works fine

Fri Apr 01, 2016 2:23 pm

Do you remember where you saw them for sale?

Tue Sep 13, 2016 8:37 am

Great tutorial on how locks work Keith and everyone else. Just did this to a '63 Notch that came with no keys and/or ignition. Pics showed me what I was looking for and verbiage was very informative. I ended up buying an OG lock with two keys on here and using the key to swap out the wafers in the OG lock with the locks on the car. Now I have three OG door locks that open with the same key. Thanks very much for taking the time to post this and all the detailed pics.

Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:28 am

Huge thanks to @Keith Ovalteen for this great tutorial with excellent pictures and some helpful comments from others too. You all help'd me get my buggy's engine lid lock working with the same key as for ignition.

Had to use the key barrel from a big old Beatle engine latch, because the nice smaller and more fitting (for my light weight fiberglass engine lid) latch was from a VW bus, which uses a totally different key (VB type) from my ignition (K type).

Sat May 04, 2019 3:22 pm

EverettB wrote: Thanks, I have been using spray carb. cleaner or another solvent to clean things up when they are apart, then Tri-Flow spray.

I will check out Super Lube too.

Tri Flow is used around these parts. It was recommended to me over graphite.

Thu Aug 01, 2024 12:37 pm

When I got my 1964 beetle only had one key (ignition) and driver’s door lock no key…watched step by step tutorial and filed the standing above the cylinder surface the tumblers of the door tumbler after disassembly with the key in…no problem and now works perfectly with the ignition key…thanks for the information and what a time saver and no expense at all.