Re-keying your locks, The how-to thread Options

[markb]

If you have a glove box or a front trunk lock but no key, can the tumbler be removed?

Yep. You need to have *A* key to insert to get the tumbler out, but they will come out without the proper key.

[evan]

Ok, so now after reading all this, I feel confident that I am quite capable of screwing up my locks all by myself. I have one key with a red rubber top looks original and another larger key looks like a copy. The red key works the doors and front trunk and ignition as well does the plain key. However, neither key works the rear trunk. Will the above instructions make it so the rear trunk lock works with the red key? And if my door locks are really hard to turn where I am afraid that I may break the key, will this procedure loosen them up?
evan

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smiley_notworthy.gif) awesome work for the thread. thanks

[markb]

Re-keying the rear trunk lock is pretty easy, so you should be able to do it without much trouble. Eventually I'll do a walk-thru on each lock, but I'm too lazy at the moment. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
If your keys are getting hard to turn, spray the inside of the tumblers with either of the items shown above, and see how they do. A lot of gunk gets built up in these in 30+ years. If it doesn't loosen them up, there may be other problems (like the door mechanisms needing to be lubed).

[craig downs]

Excellent thread. I would like to see this make it to the classic section

[dflesburg]

911 ignition switch?

[markb]

I've done an SC switch. Maybe after all the 914 ones I'll do one. Pain in the butt, but once you find out how to drill *next to* the blind pin to get it out, it's not too bad. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[So.Cal.914]

Thanks, informative thread.

[DEC]

I love this place.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)
Thanks for sharing, very interesting doing.
This expands my knowledge.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[r_towle]

get off your ass and do the rest of the locks...come on hup hup hup

[markb]

Geez, pushy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


I'm waiting for an early column I've got coming, so I can do an early ignition switch. I got to do a late one today, and finally figured out the trick for getting it apart. If you don't have the original key, you're SOL. Learn something new every day. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Instru-Mental]

Thanks Mark!

This was an awesome thread. I experimented on my Brother-in-laws Jetta on the weekend (he had three different keys) It worked great rekeying all to the ignition key!

Now for the Teener.....


Cheers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[r_towle]

I did one better...

This thread inspired me.
I went and looked through my pile of keys.
As all of you guys, my car has locks from several different cars...

I found the key that unlocks my car...wwwhooooo

Now, I can finally lock my car.

But, I would love to do the rear trunk...so do that one next...please...

Rich

[John]

I've been following along this thread and there is some really good info here.

I have but a couple questions:

1. If all you have to make a key from, where/how can you obtain a "good" new key?
(Mine are so worn you must jiggle them in the locks to get them to work)

2. Apart from other 30 year old tumblers, where does one get new lock pins? Are they Porsche parts or simply a german metric standard lock pin? Perhaps I just need to raid all my lock stashes.

3. Are all the lock pins (with the exception of the valet flagged pin) the same? (i.e. can I use a rear trunk lock pin in an ignition lock tumbler?)

There you have it. My questions.

Thanks

[markb]

I'm really glad this is making sense, I'm never sure I convey my thoughts well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

John, to answer your questions:

1: To have a brand new key made, if you already have a key that kinda works, take it to a good locksmith and have him hand cut a new key. Or, (if all the locks are keyed the same), take the passenger door handle or the glove box lock to a locksmith and have them make a key for it. Pricey, but you get a brand new key.

2: The lock "pins" are called wafers. I don't really know if you can get them new, but I haven't had any problems using used ones. If you really want "newish" wafers to use, take apart the glovebox lock and the front trunk lock, these are the least used locks on the car. Re-key the ignition & drivers door lock with these wafers.

3: Yes, with the exception of the valet wafer, they're all the same. *With an exception* If you have a later VW ignition switch, the wafers *may* be different. I've seen wider, thinner, and taller wafers.

I'll do all the others once I get that early ignition switch done. I kind of want to keep it close to the other ignition switch in this thread. Patience, grasshopper! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/locust.gif) (sorry Barry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

[markb]

The Early Switch

Since these are quite a bit different than the ones we’ve just seen, I’ll show taking the column apart too.
Take the steering wheel off, then this is what you see:

There are 4 screws holding the horn plate on (OK, so I took 3 out, sue me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )
The last one has the horn wire attached to it.

Here is the switch housing. 4 more screws hold it on at the corners.

The turn signal switch does not need to come all the way off. Just pull it far enough out so you can get to the 2 bolts holding on the piece that retains the switch.

Here you can see the 2 bolts that hold the ignition switch retainer in place.
Remove them.

[markb]

Now you can get to the housing. This housing has the wires hard-wired onto it, so make sure they’re straight, and use a pair of pliers to gently pull the housing forward. The key needs to be turned to release the steering wheel lock. You don’t need to remove the whole housing to pull the switch (Yes, I know, the key on this one is broken off).

Once the housing is pulled forward, you can access the hole that you use to release the tumbler.

This tumbler is much smaller than later years.


Here is a rear view of 3 tumblers. Left to right:
An unbroken tumbler, next is a broken one. This has happened to me a couple of times when pulling the tumbler apart. It develops a crack at one of the holes when you pry the back off. Notice the holes are different sizes so it only fits on one way. The last is a JB Weld fix done by a PO. I’ve used the same method myself, and it seems to work OK.

Once you’ve pried the back off, you see the 3 pieces.


Re-key the tumbler. Assembly is just the reverse of disassembly.
When you reassemble the tumbler, tap the pins that hold the back on with a punch or chisel to spread the pins slightly. If the pins don’t spread enough to hold the back on well, you may need to JB Weld it as shown above.
Not as tricky as the later (75-76) are going to be.

[markb]

The Later (75-76) Switch

On this one, it seems the whole dern thing needs to come out of the column.
I didn’t do that, so I’m afraid you’re on your own there.
This is what it looks like off of the column.

Sorry again for the blurry pics, I forgot to set the macro on the camera.
This is where the release is (in that recess)

Once again, turn the key to release the steering wheel lock, and pull the tumbler free.

[markb]

Here is the pin that needs to be pushed through.


Now it gets a little more complicated than what we’ve done before.

You have to have a working key to get the tumbler any farther apart. Turn the key to release the rear of the tumbler.

There are 2 “ears” that fit into a slot, that need to line up with their release slots.

Once the rear is out, then you can line up the “ears” with their slots for the front of the tumbler.

[markb]

Now you have the tumbler apart.

Notice the 2 pins that fit into slots at the very front of the tumbler.

Put the pins and the front piece back on, and re-key the tumbler as explained previously.

Now you can begin to reassemble. Put the front piece on, getting the “ears” in their slots.

[markb]

Once the front part is on, put the spring and rear piece in place.
The rear piece is what I found I needed to get the “ears” in their slots first, the replace the front “ears”.

Now you can put the pin in, and assemble back in the housing. Make sure the pin is in far enough to allow the end piece to fully retract, or the steering lock won’t engage. The tumbler will fit back together 2 ways, only one of which is correct, so make sure it’s correct when it goes back into the housing.