Putting the springs in?

[Cman22]

Hey i know romstar did a post on this and i searched it and i couldn't find it. I just took apart my kwikset ( a practice lock, yes whitehat a practice lock) and all the springs and pins fell out. I was wondering how you put the springs and spacers in without them popping out. Any tips should help.

Thanks,
Cman

[skold]

the top of the lock there should be a pin cover.. remove it and put the pins in (correct order always helps)

was wondering how you put the springs and spacers in

by spacers do you mean master pins?

[Buggs41]

You need a "follower" tool.

Basically a wooden dowl the same diameter of the lock plug. You send this through the lock as you remove the plug. Other wise the pins, and springs will come out.

To re-assemble the lock, Find all the parts that came out.
use a tweezer to insert a spring, and pin in the first stack. Push them down, and slide the follower over them. Then move on to the next stack.

To make it easier to reach, do the first two stacks. Then work from the opposite side of the lock to get the remaining ones loaded.

[MrB]

Ah, this would require the special "Klein Bottle" kind of follower that has both ends in the middle and a middle at each end, no?

[Cman22]

How do you get the pin cover off without wrecking it?

[MrB]

A small flat bladed screwdriver. Place the blade under the side of the metal clip and lever/twist gently until it is half free. Then place the screwdriver at the other side and repeat until the cover comes free.

Be very careful when you do it because one of the springs may go ping and you will never find it again. Also one or more springs may get mangled if you don't lift the cover off very evenly.

It would be a good idea to work with your hands inside a large plastic bag in case any springs do make a leap for freedom.

[WhiteHat]

I've never been able to get my pin covers off - I have always done it the hard way.

turn lock upside down -
use tweesers to put spring in
ballance driver pin on spring
use ball pick to push driver into shell
push follower over pin hole
repeat...

tedious... but it teaches you patience.

[skold]

i do that some times with locks that have those poor quality covers that are glued on..

[Cman22]

thanks guys, i got it fixed.

[MrB]

use tweesers to put spring in
ballance driver pin on spring

Reach deep inside a 1/2 inch tube with tweezers and balance a little tiny driver pin on a wobbly spring? Then hope it stays there while you reach for a ball pick to push it down with?

That seems like one of those novelty games where you have to get all the ball bearings through a maze and into the holes, only much harder.

Someone here mentioned about using a follower with a notch across the end that you can use to hold the spring and driver pin in place before pressing them down into the hole. I think that has to be a much easier way to do it.

[WhiteHat]

oh yes - that works too, but only if you're totaly removing and replacing all the drivers - if you only want to take out pins 5 and 6, then you have to use the un-notched end of the follower. the notched part is at the front, having just pushed the plug out.

now a follower with two notches.... hey - why didn't I think of that before.....