Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 16:22:37 EDT
Reply-To: CarlMarin@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: CarlMarin@AOL.COM
Subject: Locks and Keys
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Attention Key Jigglers:
Here's a bit of advice based on ownership of two Westies now. Treat yourself
to a new key! Not a new key copied from that worn out tab of metal on your
keyring now but a genuine key code cut key from the Vdub dealer. Both of my
vans had locks that would barely work or locks that would not work at all with
the keys I got from the PO. I sprayed out the locks with WD40 to get the
gooblies and crud out and this generally helped alot but when I got a new key
cut from the key code, whoa! All the locks worked like new, even the tailgate
lock I thought was busted!
Some dealers have the conventional hand tool that snaps out the little
notches, the first one I had done was done this way. Took the guy a couple or
three tries but I got a good key in the end. The second time I went to a
dealer that had this very cool electronic key grinding machine. Just stick
the blank in, punch in the code and 30 seconds later out comes a perfect key.
Since I had removed the passenger side handle (least wear side) and tailgate
lock myself and had them cleaned up going in the parts guy only charged me
about $7.50 for the job to cover the cost of the keyblank.
My standard procedure for cleaning out a lock once removed from the car is to
spray it out with the WD40 working it in with the key as I mentioned before.
I will then usually spray the lock with some brake cleaner to remove most of
the WD40 as it eventually will coagulate and gum up the works. To finish off
I hold open the little lock hole flapper with a small screwdriver and spray in
a generous portion of dry graphite. Work it in with the key. It will be very
smooth! BTW, I generally don't spray liquid in the ignition lock as mine
usually don't need this treatment but I do give it a squirt of the dry
graphite powder. Once cleaned up the locks will just need a occasional squirt
with the dry graphite to keep them slick as new.
The key code is stamped on the little actuating fingers of the door handle or
on the cylinder part. To find these just remove the one screw hidden behind
the weatherstrip on the inside edge of the door (where the little half moon
cutout is) slide the handle toward the front of the car and it will unhook.
You may need to wirebrush the parts around the lock on the inside to see the
numbers if there is much crud. There was also the same number stamped on the
lock actuator for my tailgate lock on my '85. Just remove the three allen
screws, lift out the catch plate and the lock cylinder just kind of falls out
then. My 84 looks a little different in the tailgate lock area from the
outside and I never had to remove this particular lock so am not sure if the
key code is on the '84 but imagine that it probably is.
My next project is to try and find the right blank to get an extra water tank
key made. Anyone have any success with this? The key making guys I've tried
never can match the blank.
Carl Turner
84 and 85 Westies (Life support systems should always be redundant in case of
failure)
