Changing key cylinder or tumbler HELP!!!!

[Arrington]

I have bought a 61 series 88 that the original owners can not find keys. Thought they had them but still can't find them. The rover has been sitting in storage for almost 30 years. So I bought a new ignition set from Rovers North. Which is the keys and tumbler. I can not get the old tumbler out for some reason and one other thread thought you had to have old key, which i don't. I am putting a piece of wire down the hole to depress pin and it feels like it is depressing, but i can not get it to come out. Does anyone have any pointers or experience with this.

Thanks Jason

[o2batsea]

Do you have the switch out or are you trying to do this with it still in the car?

[Arrington]

The key cylinder is still in the rover. I took bolts out of dash panel, got switch loose from panel. Just try to get tumbler out so I can put new one in.

[TeriAnn]

To remove a lock the key needs to be in the ignition lock in order to remove the lock. Since you need to rotate the key slightly to remove the lock you may have to take it to a lock smith.

There is a small hole in the side of the switch assembly between the instrument panel and the wire clamp. When the switch is mounted in the panel the hole is at the bottom of the switch. The headlamp switch needs to be in the off position for the hole to be open. This hole reaches down to where a spring loaded pin resides on the lock assembly. You need a very fine phillips screwdriver to push the pin down and release the lock assembly.

The hole in the switch body is in line with the lock assembly's spring loaded pin somewhere between the off and on position. Push the screwdriver into the hole and slowly rotate the key. You can feel the point go in a little farther when the pin is lined up with the hole. Press down on the screwdriver and gently pull on the key to remove the lock assembly.

To install a new lock the key must be in the lock assembly when you install it into a switch. You will need to line the lock assembly up so that the retractable pin is on the same side as the release hole. Push the lock assembly into the the switch body. The pin automatically locks into place inside the switch body.

Sorry but I do not know how to replace the lock barrel without the old key.

[RoverDover]

Drill very carefully with a 5/16 bit and a steady hand.

[busboy]

At "normal" dealers you can take the serial number and proof of ownership in and they can "punch" a key using the original key code to fit the factory lock. Now I did say "normal" but it might be worth a try. You can't remove the lock barrel using the normal method without the key.

[Arrington]

RoverDover you saying just to drill tumbler out?
Can Rovers North cut a key off serial #? There is no land rover dealership close to me here.
So last resort is to drill or put new ignition cylinder in?

[busboy]

RoverDover you saying just to drill tumbler out?
Can Rovers North cut a key off serial #? There is no land rover dealership close to me here.
So last resort is to drill or put new ignition cylinder in?

You can drill out the barrel but you may damage the portion of the lock you want to keep so I would try that as a last resort, you could also use a slide hammer again as a last resort. The difference between "cutting" and "punching" is cutting copies a key while punching uses a settable punch that uses the "key code" this does not require a key but proof of ownership. I'm not sure Landrover dealers would do this but every other car maker does so I don't see why Landrover wouldn't. I would first find out if a dealer will do this for you the rest can be done online or fax and the key could be mailed to you. The beauty of punching a key is you get an exact key not a copy of a worn one.

[Arrington]

A land rover dealer can cut one of these old keys? Does anyone have any experience doing this? I doubt a land rover dealership here in Texas could do it. I don't there are very many of the older rovers here as compared to the north east states, which probably have blanks and experience with a 1961 key code.

[Arrington]

So if a dealer can punch me a new key, is all they would be is the letters and numbers on cylinder?
Also does anyone know a land rover dealership that can cut one of these old style keys?

[morgant]

I've never done business with them, but I happened across BritishCarKeys.com (http://britishcarkeys.com/) a few years ago when looking to get copies of my door keys (the non-anti-burst ones which are different than the ignition) and the numbers stamped on mine were in the range that they could produce. I'm not sure whether they can do ignition keys (mine doesn't have a number stamped on it) or whether a record correlating VIN number to ignition key number still remains for Series Rovers, but they might be worth reaching out to for advice on tracking such a thing down.

[o2batsea]

Holy crap, you don't need to drill it. Just push the button down in the hole and pull the cylinder out. Keep trying you'll get it.

[Arrington]

I am going to try a key from the British car key guy that Morgant said to try. He has the blanks and key code to do it. He is sending them out tomorrow. So we will see how this works.

[westcoastkevin]

I got numbered keys for my Series 1 tumbler from ebay. There are guys in the US with old stock.
Also, to take the tumblers apart you can probably use a small set of picks to nudge each pin in the lock as you slide it apart.

[1971Series88]

i just took it to a locksmith...fixed it, lubed it, cut two keys and charged me $25

[busboy]

i just took it to a locksmith...fixed it, lubed it, cut two keys and charged me $25 Man that's cheap, up here you could probably add another $100 to it. Good to hear you got the problem solved though.

[printjunky]

I agree with o2batsea. Keep at it. I don't remember what exactly I did, but I'm certain I didn't have the key for it. And I'm certain I didn't drill it. I'm also certain it was not easy. But in the end I got it out and got a new cylinder in there. You might try sliding a small key-like something in there. I have an old, very worn Rover key from my 2nd SIII, still, and theoretically I would have tried sliding that in there, see if it helped (but again, I don't remember).

[Les Parker]

Can you post a few pix of the ignition switch ? and I'll see if we can work the magic to show how to R & R the old to new barrel and keys.

:)

[Arrington]

Well I have the front switch cover off. The wire clip on back of switch is off. So ignition switch is loose from dash panel. I used piece of wire to release front cover. It looks to be that the tumbler is slightly turned. It still feels like my piece of wire is depressing the detent pin. But I can't get it to sake loose. But the British key guy is sending me a key for the original cylinder in rover. So if new keywords for original cylinder great. Then I can leave it if it feels good. If not then maybe new key will let cylinder line up in correct position so it will slide out. I have tried to turn tumbler with out key. It didnt move any. I will try to get some pics.