dowels for lock barrel

As per the guide available on this site has anybody got a bag of the lock barrel dowels I can borrow (and pay for the dowels I use) so I can code mine to one key.

Incidently I have taken my lock barrel apart to have a look & the dowels in there are not numbered….should they be or does this suggest my door handles are not OEM?

thanks

Martin

Gammygolf has some it might be worth dropping him a pm to see if he can help you.#

Dave.

you don't need the numbers, some are stamped very lightly and hard to see.. you'll be able to match them up by eye anyway.

Aha cheers guys

I will give Gammy a pm. Not exactly rocket science is it re the dowels - I suppose the difference between the different shapes is quite obvious by eye rather than referring to the numbers….

Hey guys, I'm looking for the same dowel repair kit and thought I'd post info that might be of use…

I've been ringing dealerships both in the UK and Ireland today in search of one of thgese sets. Most have told me that, although it shows as 'qty.1' on their systems (I did an online parts search) that only means they have ordered this in in the past, not that they hold stock. Dunfermline, Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy, Stirling, Galway & Drogheda all told me the same; that they don't have any and can't order any.

However… Upon calling VW Perth I was asked if I would like a set ordered in as the system showed 22 sets of these in VW's national depot down South somewhere, forgotten where. Of course, I bit his hand off but must advise that the price is now £55 +VAT, so about £66 all in. They should arrive Tuesday.

Even at that high-ish price, I'm dead chuffed that my old-fashioned pestering seems to have paid off this time. Doesn't say much for the UK dealerships I rang first mind you, as the guy at Perth wasn't very complimentary towards some of his contemporaries from other branches.

My advice - Ring your local dealers and ask them to order a set in and, if that fails, ring Perth on 01738 636036.

Good luck!

Picked up the kit yesterday. Happy as Larry, man, could not be happier.

Considering that you don't really 'use' any dowels during this process, only sorta shuffle them about and maybe end up with millions of a certain number, I'm calling it good value.

Should last me a lifetime of dubbin'. It's great having all locks + ignition off same key.

Thanks to those involved with the guide on this site :thumbsup:

I wonder how £66 stacks up against quiffs lock exchange service? How much is that?

i'm sure it's £10 per lock

i bought a set years ago

still have alot but have done lots of locks with then 4 of mine, many different mates car, people sent me locks to do

can still do it if people want them doing

Lee_dub said

I wonder how £66 stacks up against quiffs lock exchange service? How much is that?

Richard charges £16.90 per doorlock, the same for hatch re-key, £25.50 for glove box lock, and £27.50 for the ignition. All these prices are ex-delivery. EDIT: Although it does state on website "exchange options possible" so I'd imagine this would bring the price down if you were to email an enquiry about it.

I make that £50.70 plus postage for the work I've done (not got round to the glove box yet and ignition already fine) so by the time I get the glove box sorted I'll be quids in (I assume it is meant to work from the car key yeah?)  and still have exactly the same amount of dowels as I started with, albeit I seem to have amassed lots of 3s in particular so far. Only used one new spring - all the existing ones bar one were still fine. I will also be coding the hatch lock and a door on my mk2 soon if the mk1 goes a week without needing something doing!   It's shit having two projects on the go at once. Least my cabby's a driveable one… for now.

As I've said, this set will enable me to sort the locks of every old VAG I'll buy probably 'til I depart this earth  :mrgreen:

ps - If anybody in the East Central Scotland area needs their locks doing or even just some of certain numbers, just drop me a PM.

"Jam_Dub" said

Lee_dub said

ps - If anybody in the East Central Scotland area needs their locks doing or even just some of certain numbers, just drop me a PM.

The reason im asking is I need mine doing, but to be honest I probably need a new ignition barrel anyway as mine feels incredibly worn you insert the key.  Just trying to work out what would be best for me, the quiffs prices are steep I would say for the actual work involved.

"Lee_dub" said

Jam_Dub said

Lee_dub said

ps - If anybody in the East Central Scotland area needs their locks doing or even just some of certain numbers, just drop me a PM.

The reason im asking is I need mine doing, but to be honest I probably need a new ignition barrel anyway as mine feels incredibly worn you insert the key.  Just trying to work out what would be best for me, the quiffs prices are steep I would say for the actual work involved.

lee best thing to do is take a barrel apart that works on the key you need

take note of the number or measure the bottom thickness

let me know how many sets you need and i'll send them on,

or take all you locks apart have a shuffle around and you might only need one or two dowels to make the right code

Cheers Jelly! I think I need a new ignition barrel tho as the key feels very loose inside as it slides in.

Thats a great idea about pulling the locks apart as Ive got a couple of spare locks aswell so ill have a shuffle and see what I need and then ill ask for them, that would be much aprieciated!

often you might only be 1 dowel out

the locks have 6 dowels i think, and there are 4 different number

sometime they would just need a reshuffle or and extra one adding

when you need some let me know and i'll send them down

jellybelly said

often you might only be 1 dowel out

the locks have 6 dowels i think, and there are 4 different number

sometime they would just need a reshuffle or and extra one adding

when you need some let me know and i'll send them down

Awesome mate, ill deffo shout you and I will buy the bits I need off you if thats ok? im up for it as its something I can do at home, home jobs are the best sort of jobs when the weather is like this!

jellybelly is spot-on above. Both my mk1 & 2 are 1990 models and have 7 dowels in each barrel though.

Lee_dub: You say you have a couple of spare locks? If so, do they come with a key? First, strip one of those and, if with key, code it by either writing down each number if you can read them (I chose from internal end of barrel up but you can go from 'key end' up, makes no difference to anyone but you) or remembering them somwe other way, perhaps 'inventing' your own dowel numbering  system. There are only four sizes.

If they don't have a key you can forget the above lol and start stripping them as per the guide on here. Then get familiar with the different dowels before you code your actual car key. Funny thing - I got a key cut for my current 8V mk2 and it never worked. Coded it and turns out it'll work properly with a couple of dowels moved up a size. So I know I have a spare spare key. Was thinking of coding my mk1 and 2 the same code or is that just stupid?

Anyway, if you've spare locks in any form, chances are you've enough dowels to recode all your current car's locks IMO.

Get on it!. You can cheat anyway and miss a couple of dowels out if you're short on the last lock, then either give jellybelly or me a shout and we'll post the numbers you need out to you.

Oh and yeah the fact it's in indoor kinda job makes it a decent wee DIY, especially up here. Chilling in the kitchen with a cuppa and the laptop, decoding all my old keys - great stuff.