Replacing shackle on Sargent Greenleaf 8077AD

[ZX John]

Hi - my first post!

I work for the government ("Killing Trees to Fight Communism - Your Tax Dollars At Work!"), and we use dozens of Sargent & Greenleaf 8077AD's for assorted high-interest storage. I have always been interested in locks, and more out of knowing I'd be saving a few of my own tax dollars on occasion, I proclaimed myself to be my unit's "LockO".

I have salvaged a number of S&G's that people mucked-up while combination-changing, and I made myself a couple of changing-keys for them. However, recently I wrecked one myself; I fumbled it, and it dropped on its shackle, locking itself on the back bolt with the shackle turned-off at an angle and not in the outer hole. It would not let me twist it to the point that the back bolt would release and let the shackle up, and since the back bolt was not all the way in, it would not let the dial turn so I couldn't dial the combination to release the back bolt. Basically, it was a paperweight.

Knowing what the little daaaarlings are worth (or at least, knowing what we pay for them), I decided to try repair it. It helped that our O.R. has a box of the things in various states of disrepair, and several shackles lying loose. I took lock and spare shackle home, sliced-off the outer end of the jammed shackle with a dremel so it would turn, then with the dial turning again, I dialled-in the combination and opened it. I have the back cover off, and am ready to perform a shackle-otomy on it.

But I really have no idea how to go about taking it apart, and having cut a dead one up several years ago, I know they're fiendishly difficult to disassemble. (And naturally, there's no possible way I'll ever manage to find the one I cut-up). Anybody got any diagrams and / or pointers? I suspect I'll start by drilling-out the two brass pins in the centre-sides of the back cover, but I prefer knowing what comes after that, before I try it and have lots of little springs wizzing-about to bury themselves somewhere I'll never find them.

BTW to save you asking, I am legit. I could not get at the back of the lock without knowing the combination first, as it's the AD with the heavy cast cover. Thanks in advance for your help.

[keysman]

According to S&G (and Gov specs I think) there is no way to remove or replace any parts on that padlock with obvious signs of tampering.
I took one apart 1 time and had to call S& G to find out how to get it back to gether again .. ( Breakaway diagram would have been nice)

The lady who answerd the phone told me you can't take 'em a apart, I answered " Oh yes you can, I have a bunch of pieces right here"

She said well ok but, you can't put it back together with out damaging the lock case.


Good luck in your quest.
I know someone who is selling those for $50@ new if you are interested

[Shrub]

Well if a manufactuer can do so can i, it cant be that hard, put it back the way you take it apart.

If you attempt it take a few pics and post them up im sure we can come up with ways to do it and the pics will be interesting for those of us who havent seen inside one.

[TOWCH]

Well first off, if you could post pictures of your's with the back cover off, that would be awesome. I haven't been willing to gut mine in the name of science.

I wonder how hard it would be to replace the rivets if you cut off the heads?

[ZX John]

I figure I'll vise it under the drillpress and drill the rivets, then tap the holes and put in a couple small machine screws.

The really nice thing about the 8077AD is that it doesn't matter what it looks like once the case back is slid back on. I recovered a couple of them in December, one had been drilled. It had the combo changing door drilled out, and a small hole drilled in the case just about where the wheels must meet the bolt release. The guy must've really known what he was doing - if that lock crosses my desk again, I'll photograph it and template the upper hole. But even with the change door drilled out and the extra hole, once the back cover slides on, it's just as secure as it was (although I imagine any self-respecting Pubs Custodian would lose his lunch over the concept of it being used on classified material!)

So as long as it works once I get it back together, nobody'll care what it looks like under the cover. We pay (at last word I heard) $187 each for them, and people're always fumbling combination changes, and then it won't open. As long as the code change door is open, they're fairly simple to reprogram.