Changing door locks

[IanT90]

Why is nothing ever simple or have I missed something ?

Just got a new rear door latch assembly and decided to invest in a new ignition lock which comes with 3 matching door locks. Great I thought now one key operates all the locks and ignition.

Just came to fit the new barrel in my new rear door latch but struggling to work out how it secures in place.

Now bare with me I am not totally stupid, there is a spring loaded pin in the end of the barrel which I guess locates in a small hole in the back of the latch where the barrel slots in. My problem is how the hell do you keep the pin depressed until its in it's correct position ?

Checked the back of the latch and conveniently there is an access point to push a wire or rod in, which allows the pin to be depressed when removing a barrel ?

Is it one of these jobs where you put tape around the pin, which gets pushed off when it gets to its position ? or is there another technique I am missing.

Or have I missed something more basic and fundamental ? ie the barrel housing comes off to give access ? not tried in case it shouldn't come off.

Please help as I also have new door locks to fit as well.

Thanks Ian

[rich broom]

Does the pin not run on a ramp inside the lock casing?

Or do you need the key in the barrel.

[IanT90]

Think I have discovered the problem, the new barrel apears too short (the others fit the door handles fine and just slipped in). The new barrel is recessed when inserted by about 10mm and appears to stop on a shoulder inside the housing.

I checked my existing door and the barrel is flush with housing ! So either the barrel requires an adapter or I need another barrel of the correct size and have a spare new barrel for my front doors.

I could always use the old barrel from my existing door, but it means I would have a seperate key for rear door. The plan was to have 1 key for all the door locks and ignition.

Any ideas ?

[qwakers]

take the leaves out of the new barrel and fit to the old. working barrel and same key.

[IanT90]

Easier said than done, never took one apart before could end up with 2 barrels not working

Are there 2 different lengths of barrel ? looking on Flea Bay they all seem the same length ? the only difference is the barrels for 2002 onward are a wider diameter ?

If its the latch that's wrong size I could send it back and get one which fits this barrel then problem solved. But even easier I could just use my existing barrel from my old latch, if its the right length and keep the new one as a spare in case the lock ever needs replacing on one of the front doors.

Not too much of a hardship having just the back door on a different lock.

However, then I have to work out how to get the barrel out the old latch

[Retroanaconda]

Later barrels are longer and wider I believe. To allow use of ignition key for doors.

[IanT90]

I was informed when I bought the lock set, that this was a set of locks with std diameter to fit all pre 2002 models. The barrel actually fits diameter wise or so I thought ?

Maybe this could be the expanation that I was sold a rear door latch for a later version Defender which requires a longer barrel ! doesn't explain why the diameter appears right though ? If the barrel was wider I would have guessed the problem straight away.

May be wrong on this one but I believe std width is 16mm and later models after 2002 are 22mm.

I will speak with both the supplier of the latch/handle and supplier of the barrel tomorrow and get to the bottom of it.

Thanks for all the advice, thought I was having a brain melt down today just couldn't fathom out why it wouldn't fit.

[Scotts90]

To remove the barrel, insert key to retract the tumblers, push spring loaded pin in whilst pulling the barrel/key. You should be able to pull the whole lot out.

I bought a cheap lockset from flee bay and the pin didn't budge on the new barrel to allow them to slot into the handle assembly...consigned to the bin and a subsequent purchase of a genuine later lockset (I have an 07> rear door) fitted perfectly.

[IanT90]

See what the suppliers come up with today between them, considering sending new latch back and getting a new one which does accept the new barrel.

The supplier of the barrel does supply a latch/handle that is certain to accept the barrel might go with them only down side is £10 more for new latch compared with the one I have recently bought and then there is the P&P sending the other latch back !

Going to remove the existing barrel off my old door today, if that fits the new latch I have already bought I may go that way.

Keep you posted.

[IanT90]

Well that was a worth while task the original latch is std and accepts my new barrel, its in good condition too so I will probably re-use that one.

I compared the two side by side and it was obvious, the new one had a larger opening and was visibly deeper, so must be for a post 2002 model Defender.

Been in touch with the guy who sold it and told him I want a refund and will return it. To be honest I don't think he knew it was off a later model, but he does now.

Anyway another thats another minor crisis resolved.

I can now carry on getting the rest of my parts together for the door assemblies.

Thanks for the advice appreciated.

[mike4444244]

It's the diameter that's the main difference, when I changed mine in sure I had to unscrew the end off the old one and transfer it to the new one, it might account for your new one looking shorter?

Mike