Help, I was working on the door lock of my van, have shut the door and now cant get it open and cant get interior van access, anyone got any ideas on how to free it.
Cheers
Neil
littledick said
05:30 PM Oct 24, 2015
Neil199 wrote:
Help, I was working on the door lock of my van, have shut the door and now cant get it open and cant get interior van access, anyone got any ideas on how to free it.
Cheers
Neil
Locksmith. Same happened to me in Vic.
Dick.
Long Weekend said
05:44 PM Oct 24, 2015
If it is anything like the door fitted to our van then it will be ridiculously easy to force open. The door locks at three positions and I used a tyre lever (which I had on hand - any long lever would do) and simply applied the lever at the three positions - at the handle/lock then at the top and bottom points.
The center and bottom locks popped without damage but the top broke the tongue off. I put some protection under the lever which avoided any damage to the aluminium cladding. The door still locked but I replaced the broken top lock - cost me about $30 for a new one.
The whole episode made me aware of just how insecure the van doors really are - I sprung the door open in about 30 seconds!
Looking at my door again there may be another way. The three hinges are protected by a flange above and below each hinge - you could bend the flange away with pliers or multi-grips to get access to the hinge pins and drive the pins out. I haven't tried it - of course, that wouldn't work if the ends of the pins are secured in place.
Other than that is there any way you can work a window open? Before using force price window locks - they may be quite cheap and the cost may be worth it. Weigh up the costs versus a visit by a locksmith.
Murray
PS: I left the van keys at home - made that discovery at our first stop 500kms later! At our destination a couple of days later I bought a new barrel for $19.99 and put that into the lock.
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 24th of October 2015 05:48:21 PM
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 24th of October 2015 06:17:05 PM
Explorer said
06:18 PM Oct 24, 2015
Thought I was the only duffer. I removed a window On my van the windows are the aluminium style with a s load of screws. If you can go this way it's best to buy the roll type sealer and replace later on.
Help, I was working on the door lock of my van, have shut the door and now cant get it open and cant get interior van access, anyone got any ideas on how to free it.
Cheers
Neil
Locksmith. Same happened to me in Vic.
Dick.
If it is anything like the door fitted to our van then it will be ridiculously easy to force open. The door locks at three positions and I used a tyre lever (which I had on hand - any long lever would do) and simply applied the lever at the three positions - at the handle/lock then at the top and bottom points.
The center and bottom locks popped without damage but the top broke the tongue off. I put some protection under the lever which avoided any damage to the aluminium cladding. The door still locked but I replaced the broken top lock - cost me about $30 for a new one.
The whole episode made me aware of just how insecure the van doors really are - I sprung the door open in about 30 seconds!
Looking at my door again there may be another way. The three hinges are protected by a flange above and below each hinge - you could bend the flange away with pliers or multi-grips to get access to the hinge pins and drive the pins out. I haven't tried it - of course, that wouldn't work if the ends of the pins are secured in place.
Other than that is there any way you can work a window open? Before using force price window locks - they may be quite cheap and the cost may be worth it. Weigh up the costs versus a visit by a locksmith.
Murray
PS: I left the van keys at home - made that discovery at our first stop 500kms later! At our destination a couple of days later I bought a new barrel for $19.99 and put that into the lock.
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 24th of October 2015 05:48:21 PM
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Saturday 24th of October 2015 06:17:05 PM
Thought I was the only duffer. I removed a window On my van the windows are the aluminium style with a s load of screws. If you can go this way it's best to buy the roll type sealer and replace later on.
Mike.