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Subject:Re: wafers for vanagon lock cylinders
From:Ben T
Date:Sat, 6 Apr 2019 17:48:25 -0700

Dan,

You can try taking out each one and reshuffling the wafers. There should only be six different wafers from what Steve Sandlin told me. If you get lucky, you might be able to make them all work for you. Don’t go overboard like I did some years ago. I rekeyed 14 Vanagons to the same key combination. I eventually ran out of the correct wafers and had to scrounge some from spare locks. Don’t be tempted to file the wafers which don’t match your key, as some people may suggest. That can make your locks less secure, as fewer wafers would be engaging.

Later, I saved myself the trouble by sending them off to Steve Sandlin at:
http://www.steveslockshop.com/

Been using him for nearly 2 decades. Cost me less to have several locks done through him compared one at my local locksmith. Way worth the postage. Plus Steve is a long time member of this group and our community.

BenT

> On Apr 6, 2019, at 1:16 PM, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> hi all,
> 
> Anyone knows where I can buy wafers for vanagon lock cylinder?
> 
> the nightmare is I have a van with mismatch keys - only the front doors
> have same keys, sliding door has a different key, the hatch has a different
> key, the gas cap has a different key and the ignition has a different key
> too... I guess the previous keep replacing them when they didn't work. You
> should see my key ring... :-)
> 
> one solution is to remove them all and send them to a lock smith... but I
> want to learn how to do it myself because owning a vanagon is living in a
> DIY world :-)
> 
> thanks in advance
> 
> dan