Replacement Lock for 1973 Land Yacht

[Paul McClure]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

So, when you say it is "locked," do you mean that you simply cannot open the door using the latch, or that even if the latch engaged as it should, the mechanism is still locked?

Well, I pulled out my retired KT lock, and took some strategic pics as you see attached.

If you have been living right, then the flappy handle is merely spinning on the shaft (it looks like it is only held in place with a couple of tiny pins). See the first pic. If this is the situation, you might be able to get hold of that shaft with some funky needle nose locking pliers and give it a twist.

If not, then what has happened is the lever that is welded to the top of that shaft has let loose (see the next pic). If that has happened, then You are probably not going to be able to get in by actuating the mechanism, unless you are willing to drill straight up through the housing so that you can reach in with a pick or screwdriver and hit that mechanism--and even if you did that, you don't know whether the lever on the shaft failed, or if the pin it presses against failed.

You might be best off just attacking the strike, and trying to use a couple of small screwdrivers, maybe a pic, or a putty knife to back it out of the strike pocket. This may seem an unorthodox suggestion, but you might CAREFULLY use a couple of floor jacks to twist and flex the body to "open up" the space between the door and the jamb. These crappy locks fly open on the road all the time.

Good luck!

Well. Ended up getting the window next to the door open. The inside latch won't move. I guess whatever attaches the lock cylinder to the latch has come loose. Took the 3 screws out. The whole mechanism is loose. I guess the only screw left is the one in the jamb that my flyfishing buddy told me about. Why not take the hinge screws out ??

[cole3444]

My 72 has one hinge and the nuts are inside the wall and not accessible without cutting the interior skin. If you have the three screws out see if the back of the lock won't pry out and get ahold of the latch rod.

[Paul McClure]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

So, when you say it is "locked," do you mean that you simply cannot open the door using the latch, or that even if the latch engaged as it should, the mechanism is still locked?

Well, I pulled out my retired KT lock, and took some strategic pics as you see attached.

If you have been living right, then the flappy handle is merely spinning on the shaft (it looks like it is only held in place with a couple of tiny pins). See the first pic. If this is the situation, you might be able to get hold of that shaft with some funky needle nose locking pliers and give it a twist.

If not, then what has happened is the lever that is welded to the top of that shaft has let loose (see the next pic). If that has happened, then You are probably not going to be able to get in by actuating the mechanism, unless you are willing to drill straight up through the housing so that you can reach in with a pick or screwdriver and hit that mechanism--and even if you did that, you don't know whether the lever on the shaft failed, or if the pin it presses against failed.

You might be best off just attacking the strike, and trying to use a couple of small screwdrivers, maybe a pic, or a putty knife to back it out of the strike pocket. This may seem an unorthodox suggestion, but you might CAREFULLY use a couple of floor jacks to twist and flex the body to "open up" the space between the door and the jamb. These crappy locks fly open on the road all the time.

Good luck!

Got lucky and hit the striker just right and it released the door. when using the outside latch, it actuates the little arm properly. But the little arm that you circled in your picture is missing the little washer as it goes past it. Looks like the very small pin that goes through the shaft has slipped out of one side. It also looks like the door lock doesn't work also. The key will turn but it doesn't affect the latch. The latch operates whether locked or unlocked