Re-using lock cylinder pins

["Al Powell" <apowell@agcom.tamu.edu>]

When replacing the lock cylinder on the driver's door, my experience 
was that the cylinder pins could easily be pulled out of the original 
cylinder and intersted into the new one.  No measuring required.  The 
procedure went something like this:

1)  Insert key in old cylinder; remove keepers from the end of the 
cylinder; withdraw the cylinder from the door.  Lay old and 
new cylinders side-by-side; compare carefully.

2)  Gently pull the pins out of oiginal cylinder.  Each has an arm on 
one side, so you can tell which side goes L-R.  However, make sure to 
keep them in sequence front-to-back.

3)  Now go back to the original cylinder and look in the tiny round 
holes under the arm which sticks out from each pin.  There is a tiny 
spring in each hole.  Remove them and insert into the corresponding 
round holes in the new cylinder.  These springs are vital to proper 
functioning of the lock.

4)  Return attention to the pins; add a small dab of grease to each 
to make sure it won't fall out of the new cylinder in handling.  
Insert each in the cylinder.

5)  Insert key in cylinder; all pins should retract fully so the 
cylinder is smooth across the top, allowing you to re-insert it in 
the door.

(Then re-attach keepers, etc. and test to make sure the lock 
functions correctly before completely re-assembling the door.)
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Al Powell, PhD             Ph:  409/845-2807
Ag Communications          Fax: 409/862-1202
Texas A&M University
http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/satellit/alpage.htm
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