Tech tip : Make your locks fit your key (+ bootlock)
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:15 pm
Ever had to replace the ignition barrel and ended up with two keys? Well, here's how to make your door locks match your key.
First of all remove the door handle from the door (if you need me to tell you how to do this, then you really needn't read on). This is a mk1 handle but the same will apply to a mk2 handle -
Undo the screw in the picture above and carefully remove the lever as there is a spring underneath. Here's the spring in it's correct position - remember this.
Now withdraw the barrel from the handle
You can see the ends of the 7 tumblers sticking out
Withdraw these carefully (there are tiny springs within) and you will notice each one is numbered from 1-4, so making up an individual code for each lock/key - this one is 4-1-4-4-1-3-2
This means that there are effectively only 16384 different combinations for the millions of VWs with the same barrel mechanism....
Anyway, here's a pic of one of the tiny springs in each tumbler chamber
This is a good time to remove all the springs, thoroughly degrease the barrel and relubricate with an appropriate grease.
Now, if you put the tumblers back where they came from and insert the new key you can see that the tumblers stick out. This would mean that the barrel would not turn inside the door handle.
Remove the key and the tumblers. To correctly code the new key it helps if you have lots of spare tumblers from old barrels -
Starting from the end of the barrel, insert a no."1" tumbler into the slot and try the key. If the tumbler sticks out with the key in then try a no."2", "3" or "4" until the tumbler sits flush with the barrel. Repeat this for all seven slots and the result will be this -
Make a note of the new sequence and repeat for the other door lock. Refitting is, of course, the reverse of removal
OK, the following applies to mk1 boot locks only but I'm pretty sure that mk2 ones must be similar.
As before, remove the boot lock from the tailgate - it's pretty straightforward (honest) but as my car is away I can't take pics.
To remove the barrel you first need to remove the lever
Squeeze the barrel and this will expose the pin that attaches the lever to the barrel. You will notice one end is wider than the other - you must knock through from the narrower end! The pin is (poorly) circled below.
Use a vice (or a friend/sibling who can stand to lose a digit or too) to hold the lock in the appropriate position.
Once the pin is removed you can dismantle the assembly.
The procedure for coding the barrel is the same as for the handles - they even use the same tumblers :)
special thanks to Mr Brown for this thread, I just needed to source and resize the pictures......
**ADDITIONAL INFO ADDED 24/05/2019
The mk2 Scirocco boot lock barrel has a lock pin that must be removed but it can't be knocked through - it must be levered and then pulled out. I used a pair of vise grips but even then I managed to squish the pin. It was barely reusable.
If you have different keys for ignition and locks, ALWAYS try and code the locks to the ignition key. The reason for this is that removing the ignition lock barrel is far more involved than the door handles or boot lock. And once you've removed it you'll find that the tumblers for the ignition lock are larger and not compatible with the door/boot tumblers.
There are two types of keys on mk1 and mk2 Sciroccos, the profile is slightly different. AH keys have two flat grooves running the length of the key whereas HV (earlier type) have one flat groove and one V groove. I found that whereas both types of keys would work in the same door locks, the HV key would not physically fit into an AH boot lock barrel. Worthwhile checking to see what you have before you start.
First of all remove the door handle from the door (if you need me to tell you how to do this, then you really needn't read on). This is a mk1 handle but the same will apply to a mk2 handle -
Undo the screw in the picture above and carefully remove the lever as there is a spring underneath. Here's the spring in it's correct position - remember this.
Now withdraw the barrel from the handle
You can see the ends of the 7 tumblers sticking out
Withdraw these carefully (there are tiny springs within) and you will notice each one is numbered from 1-4, so making up an individual code for each lock/key - this one is 4-1-4-4-1-3-2
This means that there are effectively only 16384 different combinations for the millions of VWs with the same barrel mechanism....
Anyway, here's a pic of one of the tiny springs in each tumbler chamber
This is a good time to remove all the springs, thoroughly degrease the barrel and relubricate with an appropriate grease.
Now, if you put the tumblers back where they came from and insert the new key you can see that the tumblers stick out. This would mean that the barrel would not turn inside the door handle.
Remove the key and the tumblers. To correctly code the new key it helps if you have lots of spare tumblers from old barrels -
Starting from the end of the barrel, insert a no."1" tumbler into the slot and try the key. If the tumbler sticks out with the key in then try a no."2", "3" or "4" until the tumbler sits flush with the barrel. Repeat this for all seven slots and the result will be this -
Make a note of the new sequence and repeat for the other door lock. Refitting is, of course, the reverse of removal
OK, the following applies to mk1 boot locks only but I'm pretty sure that mk2 ones must be similar.
As before, remove the boot lock from the tailgate - it's pretty straightforward (honest) but as my car is away I can't take pics.
To remove the barrel you first need to remove the lever
Squeeze the barrel and this will expose the pin that attaches the lever to the barrel. You will notice one end is wider than the other - you must knock through from the narrower end! The pin is (poorly) circled below.
Use a vice (or a friend/sibling who can stand to lose a digit or too) to hold the lock in the appropriate position.
Once the pin is removed you can dismantle the assembly.
The procedure for coding the barrel is the same as for the handles - they even use the same tumblers :)
special thanks to Mr Brown for this thread, I just needed to source and resize the pictures......
**ADDITIONAL INFO ADDED 24/05/2019
The mk2 Scirocco boot lock barrel has a lock pin that must be removed but it can't be knocked through - it must be levered and then pulled out. I used a pair of vise grips but even then I managed to squish the pin. It was barely reusable.
If you have different keys for ignition and locks, ALWAYS try and code the locks to the ignition key. The reason for this is that removing the ignition lock barrel is far more involved than the door handles or boot lock. And once you've removed it you'll find that the tumblers for the ignition lock are larger and not compatible with the door/boot tumblers.
There are two types of keys on mk1 and mk2 Sciroccos, the profile is slightly different. AH keys have two flat grooves running the length of the key whereas HV (earlier type) have one flat groove and one V groove. I found that whereas both types of keys would work in the same door locks, the HV key would not physically fit into an AH boot lock barrel. Worthwhile checking to see what you have before you start.
