Door Key Barrels

Post by **woo** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:21 pm

Having just replaced the Ignition key Barrel in my car, I want to see if I can change the Door key to match. Has anybody any experience of just changing the key barrel in the drivers door of a 2 door? To replace the ignition barrel you don't need to take the lock out. Is the door similar?

Thanks

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 2:07 pm

Well I would have done it the other way and got a lock to match the doors.

Post by **Matt** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 2:11 pm

Well I would have done it the other way and got a lock to match the doors.

Thats far to cunning!

Post by **Alec** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 2:34 pm

Hello Woo,
if you like you can modify the new ignition barrel to fit your door key. Remove the new barrel and fit the door key, there should be some flat pins projecting, simply file them down flush with the barrel and replace in the ignition switch. Your door key now works your ignition.

Alec

Post by **TerryG** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 2:43 pm

thats not a very secure way of doing it, you should realy get new pins match the barrel up to the key, then again hot wiring a mog can be done in 5 secs so it doesnt realy matter that much

Post by **woo** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 4:49 pm

Unfortunately I've had to do it this way.

I know that nothing I can do will stop a determined crook, but I want to make the car a bit more secure. I've fitted a battery isolator, but the door and ignition locks are so worn that any key (including the garage key) will turn them. The boot had a new lock fitted when I bought the car, so I needed to match to the boot lock. I have filed a pin down on the locking petrol cap to match that to the boot lock. I've done the ignition lock and now I need to do the door lock.

So, has anybody got any experience of changing door lock barrels?

Thanks

Post by **simmitc** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:13 pm

It's easy but fiddly (if that makes sense). You might not want to bother though..... First remove the door lock. Ah ha! You'll find that that means removing the trim panel. That means removing the door pull, interior handle, and window winder. Also, to get the lock out, you need to remove the window frame - one or two nuts can be difficult to reach and rusted. When you've done all that you can disconnect the operating arm and fiddle the lock assembly out. Now find the retaining pin, push it out, and remove the barrel. "reassembly is a reversal of the above process" as they say. When fitting the barrel back make sure that the locking lever (if fitted) locates properaly along with a small spring that rotates the lock to the central position after turning the key. Allow a good few hours for what sounds as though it ought to be simple. Good luck.

Post by **Alec** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 7:49 am

Hello all,
as an aside but relevant to the security issue, I seem to remember that GPO vans etc had Yale type locks fitted.

Alec

Post by **newagetraveller** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:59 am

Taking the key barrel out of the lock is easy compared with taking the lock out of the door.

Post by **woo** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:37 pm

Taking the key barrel out of the lock is easy compared with taking the lock out of the door.

That's music to my ears. Any tips as to method?

Post by **newagetraveller** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:47 pm

In vague general terms if you were taking the door apart the lock/handle would be the last thing to come out so:

On the inside of the door take off the handle, window winder, door pull and the big piece of trim that covers the inside of the door.

Take out the window assembly. The runners are that disappear into the door are bolted to the door inside in some barely accessible place and the front of the window assembly has one or maybe two bolts connected to it which disappear into the door at the top front of it. These are held on by bolt(s) which are inside, hard to get at and may be rusted up.

Then undo the screws and/or bolts that hold the lock/handle in place and take it out.

I think you should find the key barrel is held in place by a pin going through the lock.

Post by **samheath100** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 9:14 pm

it only takes 5 seconds to hot wire a mog if u dont have an imboliser fitted!

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 9:59 pm

Yup, that's right, but the etiquette here is *not* to give any more details here, for some sort of securitie's sake.

Post by **woo** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 1:43 am

Samheath100

You are right of course. I have fitted a battery isolater which will help to confuse the more simple minded. My philosophy is that you can't stop your car being stolen or broken into. If they want it enough they'll trailer it away. If they can't open the door they'll use a brick through the window. All I'm trying to beat are the young kids or opportunists that might do something on the spur of the moment and give up if they can't get it right away. Anyone more professional than that will get the car whatever you do.

Post by **TerryG** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 1:52 am

I remmember reading in the local rag a few years ago a bloke had bought a low loader like the ones the council use for towing illegally parked cars, stuck brent council logos on the sides and went around lifting cars with parking tickets on them. Aparantly he had been getting away with it for months and only got caught when he tried lifting one from outside the police station!