Tired of breaking door keys

[Crankyolman]

I'm getting really tired of replacing broken door keys and I'm wondering if anybody knows if the 74 and later door lock cylinders will work on the 73 and older doors without having to modify anything. Or do those cylinders use these tiny little fragile keys as well?

[Tripwire]

remote locks? just have to run a wire and buy universal solonoid kit merry christmas

[FSJunkie]

You're lucky that you are only breaking keys. I broke the lock cylinder itself and the Kaiser era locks are unobtainable.

You need to open up your door and lubricate your door lock and latch mechanism before you break the lock cylinder from turning it too hard. Do that and it will be far easier to turn. Then you don't break keys and locks.


The answer is yes, the 1974 and up AMC locks will fit and work if you cut the shaft shorter. I had to do that on my 1972 Jeep after I broke the original Kaiser lock cylinder and could not find a replacement. The AMC keys are different from the Kaiser keys, so with new door locks your doors will no longer be the same key as your ignition switch. You will now have three keys: one for the doors, one for the ignition, and one for the glove box.


So don't break your locks. There are things on Kaiser Jeeps that you must not break because they are near impossible to find replacements. Lock cylinders are one of them.

[babywag]

Are you sure it has old style?
My '73 had later style locks...

[Crankyolman]

I'm sure the '72 is old style and has a tiny little key that according to the lock smith matches some big rig (Freightliner maybe but I can't remember for sure). Partsdude sells a lock cylinder that says it fits 67-73 Jeepster, 74-91 Cherokee, SJ/XJ/Grand Wagoneer.and looks like the same key http://stores.partsdude4x4.net/door-lock-cylinder-kit/ I don't know if that's the same one BJ's sells that says it fits '74 and later http://www.bjsoffroad.com/Door-Lock-...ir_p_1005.html


As far as not matching the ignition, my ignition key is different already. I've always suspected the ignition has been replaced at some point, and the glove box is not keyed.



Back when I had the door panels made I lubed everything up good but that's been several years now so I'll see about taking them off again and getting everything lubed up again.


Thank you for your help everyone

[joe]

I think the 73-79 are of the same type. GM style keys. Prior they were Briggs-Stratton. Change over was 73 when they went with the Saginaw steering col and the ign cyl on the column rather than the dash. Next change was in 80 when AMC went with the Chryco trans and ign cyl and chryco style keys.

[FSJunkie]

All FSJ steering columns are Saginaw.

1962-1972 uses the same steering column and locks. Little tiny keys. I call them Kaiser locks because I am pretty sure that 1950's Kaiser and Frazer automobiles use the same locks as do the Kaiser-Willys Jeeps of the time.

1973 was the change to a ignition lock on the steering collumn, so 1973 would be the first year for GM-AMC locks, not 1974 like I said before.

I cannot verify if FSJ's ever switched to Chrysler locks. Eagles sure did not. My 1984 Eagle uses GM-AMC locks. AMC cars had used Chrysler Torque Flite transmissions since 1972 and never switched to Chrysler steering collumns or locks.


I bought my new lock cylinders from BJ's. They are 1973 and up GM-AMC locks.

[Crankyolman]

I lubed everything up today and it seems to work much better. We'll see how things work out in the future.