Casita Door Lock Cylinder Out...How to Reinstall

[GatorCasita]

The last time we were ready to go camping, I tried to open the Casita 17 FD (2008) door latch lock from the outside. The key is not the original, but was made off or an original. Sometimes to get it to work you have to jiggle it a little to get it to open.

This time when I jiggled it, the entire cylinder came out. I have since been unable to reinstall the cylinder.

When I put the key in, the the little fingers recess, and I am able to work the cylinder back into the lock However, the back larger finger on top, does not retract except when I move the key upward while in the lock. But then a little finger on the bottom (attached to the larger top one) comes out.

Anyway, I can get the cylinder in all but about 1/16 of an inch from flush with the lock. I assume that it is not going in past the last finger that either sticks up on the top, or out down on the bottom. I tried jiggling the key every which way with no success.

There must be someone who has dealt with this before and knows the trick to getting the cylinder back in all the way.

Please let me know what to do, and thanks in advance

[Lockman]

As a locksmith for over 30 years my advice would be for you to take it to a locksmith, the key and the cylinder. He 0r she should be able to make you a new key that will fit and work correctly. They may also tell you how to re-insert the cylinder back into the housing, or they may require you to bring the camper to them to have it installed. Worse case, they may have to go to your location to re-install the cylinder. Only other problem might be that the lock needs to be replaced. They will tell you and can correctly install new lock.

Make sure you have them make an original key and some copies. Then use the copies and save the original to make additional copies later on if needed.

Trust me, I have helped many people with campers with problems such as yours, it's not a big or expensive task.

[jon carpenter]

Over the years I have had to replace several worn out exterior door locks on different Casitas. I first ordered one from Casita but they sent the incorrect lock. It was a different size than my original one. Then I realized I can order direct from the WESCO Fastec company.



On my 2011 and 2012 Casitas the correct lock is #FT-44610. But make sure the lock you order fits the opening in the door. your 2008 may be different. Casita used (unbeknownced to Casita parts dept) different sizes (and different lock model #'s) over the years, both of which were manufactured by WESCO Fastec.



https://www.wescofastec.com/locks-keys


Cost me about $40 or so and came with two keys. I ordered a couple extra keys just in case. They offer several colors but I liked the white better. Took a screwdriver and five minutes to swap out.



Also , be aware Casita installed locks for several years which were on a WESCO recall list. If you locked the door from the outside a person still on the inside could not unlock the door from the inside and would be locked inside until the door was unlocked from the exterior. Wesco site has the information about a free cylinder replacement. You might luck out and be on the recall list and get a free cylinder replacement with two keys and change out key....problem solved for free. Or ordering a new lock may be less expensive than finding a locksmith.

[GatorCasita]

Originally Posted by Lockman

As a locksmith for over 30 years my advice would be for you to take it to a locksmith, the key and the cylinder. He 0r she should be able to make you a new key that will fit and work correctly. They may also tell you how to re-insert the cylinder back into the housing, or they may require you to bring the camper to them to have it installed. Worse case, they may have to go to your location to re-install the cylinder. Only other problem might be that the lock needs to be replaced. They will tell you and can correctly install new lock.

Make sure you have them make an original key and some copies. Then use the copies and save the original to make additional copies later on if needed.

Trust me, I have helped many people with campers with problems such as yours, it's not a big or expensive task.

That is not the kind of solution I was hoping for. I am not wanting to hitch up my trailer and tow it to a locksmith, or pay a locksmith to make an expensive service call. There must be a way to reinstall the lock cylinder. It is in perfect condition and does not need to be replaced. I just need to know how it can be put back in.

Also, I have had no problem with the lock before the cylinder came out...no need to buy a new cylinder, new key, and make duplicate keys....

[jgilliam1955]

Maybe this will help?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px1TYb9_54A

[Jimmy J]

Why not just purchase a new lock and install it. Really easy to do, then, no more jiggle, jiggle. If the cylinder came out once, it will come out again.

[GatorCasita]

Originally Posted by Jimmy J

Why not just purchase a new lock and install it. Really easy to do, then, no more jiggle, jiggle. If the cylinder came out once, it will come out again.

Might be what I will have to do. New lock assembly is only a little over $25.

I just thought that there was a simple trick/solution for getting the cylinder back in place. The lock is not worn or defective in any other way.

Someone must know how the cylinder is held in place and how it can be replaced.

[GatorCasita]

Having not heard any solutions, I solved replacing the cylinder myself.

Here is a quick summary of what I had to do to solve it, just in case it might help someone else in the future.

First, I think I know why the cylinder came out in the first place. On the cylinder, there is a wider finger all the way in the back (from outside) that apparently is what holds the cylinder in. I found online that there are special keys for removing cylinders, and they do that by having the tip of the key extend further in, and making that finger recess.

In my case, the key was a copy that was made from perhaps not exactly the right blank. The tip of the key extended into the slot and depressed that finger. An original (not copied) key that I have, did not reach that far into the cylinder.

In order to reinstall the cylinder, I cut a piece of aluminum flat stock exactly the width of the key (as wide as it was before being cut to make a new key). I inserted that strip into the cylinder until it reached the last finger and depressed it. Then I noticed that a couple of the other fingers were not completely depressed, so I filed the strip where it was holding those fingers up, until they depressed flush with the cylinder.

I then inserted the cylinder into the lock. At first I was disappointed that it still would not go all the way in. However, when I rotated the cylinder 90 degrees, it went all the way in, and when I pulled the strip out the cylinder was fully in place and worked perfectly So that 90 deg. rotation is the "key" to solving the problem (excuse the pun)...

I think that the same thing could have accomplished the same thing by just putting the key in the cylinder and making all the fingers recess flush. Then I could have stuck something into the other end of the cylinder that would have make the larger, inner finger recess. Then I could have poked something into the key and made that piece fall out.

Knowing that this might be difficult to follow without pictures and diagrams, feel free to contact me in the future if you need to do this or change cylinders.

[Glenn Baglo]

Your description reminds me that Fastec had a recall on lock cylinders. They would send a "key", a new cylinder, and instructions on removing and replacing the cylinder ( which I did ). They talked me through it on the phone.

If yours is a Fastec, you might check for a recall. Note that my Escape 17 is a 2009.

[Cfbrand3rd]

Originally Posted by GatorCasita

That is not the kind of solution I was hoping for. I am not wanting to hitch up my trailer and tow it to a locksmith, or pay a locksmith to make an expensive service call. There must be a way to reinstall the lock cylinder. It is in perfect condition and does not need to be replaced. I just need to know how it can be put back in.

Also, I have had no problem with the lock before the cylinder came out...no need to buy a new cylinder, new key, and make duplicate keys....

With all due respect; if it were in perfect condition, the cylinder wouldn’t have come out.🤷*♂️

[GatorCasita]

Originally Posted by Cfbrand3rd

With all due respect; if it were in perfect condition, the cylinder wouldn’t have come out.🤷*♂️

Apparently not due respect...if you had due respect, you would have read the detailed reply -- for which I spent time and trouble to write in case it would help others -- in which I explained that the cylinder came out, not because of condition, but because the copied key was just a little too long at the end. That is probably a one-in-a-thousand thing to happen, but as I explained, it is why the cylinder was able to come out.

[jon carpenter]

Randy,
Thanks for posting how you corrected your lock issue. I'm sure others may have a similar problem in the future and benefit from your experience.



But please do look into whether your lock is one of the WESCO fastec cylinder locks recalled as i mentioned in my earlier post. The change key you mentioned is part of their solution. I don't know when the recall started and/or ended, but it may help prevent someone from needing to use the emergency window to exit the camper. I had two of the recalled cylinders and sure glad I fixed them before they were a major emergency problem.



later.....jon

[GatorCasita]

Originally Posted by jon carpenter

Randy,
Thanks for posting how you corrected your lock issue. I'm sure others may have a similar problem in the future and benefit from your experience.



But please do look into whether your lock is one of the WESCO fastec cylinder locks recalled as i mentioned in my earlier post. The change key you mentioned is part of their solution. I don't know when the recall started and/or ended, but it may help prevent someone from needing to use the emergency window to exit the camper. I had two of the recalled cylinders and sure glad I fixed them before they were a major emergency problem.



later.....jon

Thanks Jon,

How can I tell if my cyinder locks are the WESCO locks that you mention?

[jon carpenter]

Here is the link to WESCO Fastec FIC cylinder recall notice. Check your key number and see if it is on the list. If it is on the list, follow the instructions to get a replacement cylinder, keys and the change key. I also ordered a couple spare keys...just in case.



https://97c1552f-a34d-4d73-9d1f-1cee...f1f3cdc526.pdf


Both of mine were on the list and I received them in a couple days. As I mentioned before, they also sell replacement locks. Just make sure you order the correct one because there are different sizes and Casita used different ones over the years.


Good Luck...jon