Hello, got some new locks so I now have one key for everything (apart from ignition-what a dream!) however, the cab door handles I’m having real trouble with. Fitting them on absolutely fine but then they don’t seem to be activating the unlock mechanism on both sides. is there a specific trick or something you need to do with the actual lock to fit in with the new handles? Absolutely baffled with it. apologies if this doesn’t make sense I have been at it all day and cold hands!
You may have a more worn out lock mechanism behind on one side, previously having wonky lock barrels allowed more key movement. Does the movement of the barrel feel like it is engaging with the lock inside? Like it comes up against resistance but nothing happens in the lock? [I have had to weld tiny blobs of metal on my locks where there is a slot in the lock which gets hammered longer over time, this improved the action of the turning of the lock barrel. ]
Yeah it’s almost like the key won’t turn all the way to unlock. The old and new handles are almost identical though so it’s so frustrating!!! Is it correct to say the key basically just turns a mechanism to unlock? There’s nothing more complex than that is there really?
The L shaped arm screwed on the end of the barrel either raises or lowers a part of the mechanism. It moves some distance up or down before it hits a part of the lock mechanism inside the door. If the screw holding it on is loose or the mechanism worn, the barrel has to rotate further.. The key moves the biscuits in the barrel so they are all flush, allowing the barrel to be rotated as the biscuits no longer catch in slots in the barrel. The end stops may be different (less worn on new) on the old and new handles..
That bit of the inner mech that the outer handle operates needs a spring on the inner mech to push it towards the outside of the door. That spring commonly breaks. With the outer handle off, press that bit through the hole with your finger - it should spring back.
