Date:         Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:34:59 -0400
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      follow-up rear hatch lock cylinder rehab
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTim=H+Q4doL6t0TQXB0R2uLz7kmyEhoAynnRKSO1@mail.gmail.c om>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Follow up on my recent lock repair.  You can see the original msg
below.  So there is a piece on the back of the lock assembly that
actually hits the release (to open the hatch) when the cylinder is
turned to one position but not the other.  This piece is held on by a
pin that goes all the way through the shaft of the lock
cylinder.  It's not a set screw or tiny allen head screw like I
thought.  Once I got an appropriate device to drive that pin out I
was fine.  I put the key in before removing the cylinder as someone
suggested.  Took it all out and carefully cleaned everything without
mixing up the tumblers or losing any springs.

I found some tri-flow at a local bike shop by looking on the tri-flow
website.  A few drops and all those lock pieces moving really nice
and smooth.  Tri-flow may be my new favorite lube.  I wonder if it
could be used on electric motor bearings?  Anybody know if that would
be appropriate?  After that cleaning an lubing, the lock would now
turn freely most of the time with the key in one way, but not as much
with the key in the other way.  If I pulled the key to one end in the
slot, it would turn fine.  So I took the cylinder out and studied
what was happening when I did that.  1 or 2 of the tumblers sticking
up a little bit until I pulled the key to one end of the slot.  So I
took those out and filed the top a little.  Probably not what a
locksmith would do, but seemed like a viable solution to me.  What
are those tumblers made out of?  They look like brass but didn't'
file like brass.  They seemed much harder.  Anyway, that helped some
too.  Then an impending camping trip arrived and I had to put it all
back  together.  It is much better than when I started on this
project when I really couldn't get that lock to turn at all.  It
still does catch when the key is in one way vs. the other.  I now
want to clean and tri-flow all the rest of my locks and the sliding door latch.

Edward

At 01:59 PM 2/28/2011, Edward Maglott wrote:
>I was sort of following the advice of a recent lock thread that
>suggested carb cleaner to clean and then tri-flow to lube.  I know
>locksmiths hate most lubes, I think it was Steve who recommended
>tri-flow.  I do have several keys for the van but none are original
>and they could be all copies of the same worn one.  I can't figure
>out how to get the cylinder out of the piece that I removed from the
>hatch.  any tips on that?  The back end looks like it has tab that
>is held on by a tiny set screw.
>
>Thanks,
>Edward
>
>On Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 9:54 AM,
><<mailto:mcneely4@cox.net>mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
>I use graphite (brand called "Lockease"), despite being told by some
>locksmiths to never lube a lock.  But, it has worked for me.  Just
>keep it off of anything you don't want really dirty.  mcneely
>
>---- Edward Maglott <<mailto:emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>emaglott3@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> > I have long had trouble with getting the key to turn in the rear
> > hatch cylinder.  It takes a lot of jiggling and moving in and out and
> > sometimes I have just given up.  So I decided to take a look at that
> > problem tonight.  Got the assembly out of the hatch and used some
> > carb cleaner on it.  Moved the key in and out a lot, sprayed some
> > more cleaner, repeat, etc.  Now I can't get it to turn at all.  It
> > did seem to feel crisper in there after this treatment, like the
> > tumblers were moving more freely.  I was thinking about taking the
> > cylinder out of the assembly that moves into the hatch and hits the
> > release.  Oh Vanagon lock experts, what say you?  Am I going in the
> > right direction?
> > Edward
>
>--
>David McNeely
>