My 75 HighBoy came from a government seizure so it didn't come with keys. Heck there wasn't even a tumbler in the ignition switch. I spent the 9 bucks at the parts store for a new ignition tumbler and got it installed with a junkyard bezel. Now that I had a key to start it with I thought I'd pull the door locks out and see if I could match them to my new key. It worked out well, here's some pics with the step by step.

Step 1 Remove the door panel. Pretty easy on these old trucks so I wont go into detail.

Step 2 Unclip the lock rod from the tumbler and remove the large clip retaining the tumbler in the door.



Step 3 Remove the cover over the tumblers and springs. It prys up with only a little effort.





Step 4 Carefully remove the springs, spring retainers, and tumblers from the lock housing. Do this somewhere you cant lose little parts.




Step 5 Compare the tumblers to your new key. Long tumblers match to deep notches in the key. Short tumblers match to shallow notches in the key. Take your longest tumbler and drop it in the housing where it matches the deepest notch in the key. See if it will turn with the key. If it does go onto the next one. If it doesn't try a slightly shorter tumbler or file the long one down. If it turns out your longest tumbler isn't long enough, you can omit that tumbler or attempt to fabricate a longer one.

Step 6 Repeat step five with each remaining tumbler, trial fitting each 1 in turn until the key turns with all the tumblers. Try to shuffle around your original tumblers before filing to fit. I was able to re-use 2 tumblers in new locations and the other 3 had to be file fit.




Step 7 Match the spring retainers to the tumblers. Short retainers mate with long tumblers and vice/versa.

Step 8 Reinstall the springs and snap the cover back on and flush. Make sure the key will insert all the way without popping the spring cover back up. If it does then you will have to shorten the offending spring retainer.

Step 9 Stake the corners of the spring cover to keep it in place.


Step 10 Re-install lock in door

 

Cool write up. Now I know what the lock smith did for me on my passenger side. I snagged a lock from the yard to replace it and the lock smith charged me $10 to "re key" it to my keys.....

 

Kudos on the write-up and the pics.

I'll add this thread to the Tech Info Hyperlink sticky on the next update.

Reps a comin'.

 

bump to an aside

 

Thanks, great info Duck. I always wondered how those were rekeyed.