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Inside the American 5200 series padlock

Information about locks themselves. Questions, tips and lock diagram information should be posted here.

Inside the American 5200 series padlock

Postby vrocco » 21 Aug 2007 20:02

Alright in my process of learning about locks, I came across a pile of these padlocks. Being in the military, I have seen plenty of these. The Army puts these on a lot of things. From what I have seen, it looks like a decent padlock.

Next on my list is to work on picking it. Please understand that I am fresh off Kwiksets so this is a bit more of a challenge. But for now, I thought I would share the disassembly process.

If my pics are too large, please tell me and I will resize them. I tried to show as much detail as possible.

OK first the picture of the American 5200 Series Padlock
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Ok now to take it apart. If you look close down the shackle hole, you can see a phillips head screw. It's hard to get a good picture with the shadow it casts, but you can make it out if you look closely.
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Just loosen that with a phillips screwdriver
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When the screw comes out, there is a plug in the bottom that it is screwed into that will also come right out.
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At this point, you need to close the shackle and remove the key. This will allow you to take off the metal plate that keeps the plug in place.
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You can then remove the plug from the padlock body.
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You can then remove the C-clip from the back of the plug and take out the interior to get to the pins. Be careful not to let the pins fly out as you withdraw the inner cylinder.

Here is a picture of all pins removed and a close-up of the pins. You can see, upper and lower pins are serrated and there is one spool in the middle.
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Now that you have seen the insodes of the lock, you can carefully reassemble in reverse order.

How many have encountered this lock? What do you think of it? Like I said, coming fresh off Kwiksets, this will be more of a challenge for me. I look forward to being able to pick this. I will keep you updated.

Enjoy!
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Postby MacGyver101 » 21 Aug 2007 20:31

It was the lock I used when first learning how to pick cylinders with spool and serrated pins. It'll present a good challenge, and a nice step up from what you've been looking at thus far.

Looking forward to hearing how you make out...
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Postby zeke79 » 21 Aug 2007 20:36

If you're lucky, he'll show you how he makes out :lol:
For the best book out there on high security locks and their operation, take a look at amazon.com for High-Security Mechanical Locks An Encyclopedic Reference. Written by our very own site member Greyman! A true 5 Star read!!
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Postby keysman » 21 Aug 2007 20:37

Good Pics
Nice Lock....
1. Are you sure that that locks is Key retaining ? ( the lock must be locked to remove the key )
2. You can also repin that lock from the holes in the bottom of the shell.

You can use master padlock pins if necessary . They are 1 cut different( master #1 pin = american #0 or maybe the other way around)
American Padlocks are know for their VERY close tolerances .. lots tighter than a master padlock.


3. Have you figured out the NDE Bypass for that lock? You don't show american's " solution" for the bypass .. was it not there or did you just leave it out of the pics?


Good luck .. it should be lots of fun picking that one.
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Postby vrocco » 21 Aug 2007 20:46

1. Are you sure that that locks is Key retaining ?


I think so. I can't get the key out while it is unlocked. Am I missing something?

You can also repin that lock from the holes in the bottom of the shell.


Yes, I noticed this when my pins fell out the bottom. Lesson learned. I had to play with them a bit to get them back in the right places. The tolerences seem very close. A couple times I had the key in and the pins weren't set just right on the bottom and I couldn't turn it.

. Have you figured out the NDE Bypass for that lock? You don't show american's " solution" for the bypass .. was it not there or did you just leave it out of the pics?


No I have to admit I haven't. I guess I need to search the forums some more. I have heard there is a bypass and seen a tools sold for that purpose, but don't know yet how it works. As for American's solution, I think I showed everything in the lock. So it wasn't there. When was it implemented, as these locks are probably 5-6 years old at least.
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Postby MacGyver101 » 21 Aug 2007 20:49

zeke79 wrote:If you're lucky, he'll show you how he makes out :lol:


I've seen the man's lock... no need to see his tension wrench. Thanks, though. :wink:
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Postby MacGyver101 » 21 Aug 2007 20:53

vrocco wrote:I think so. I can't get the key out while it is unlocked. Am I missing something?


Hrm. On mine, too, you can turn the cylinder back to the "locked" position and remove the key, even when the shackle is open. Mine is slightly newer issue, though.
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Postby vrocco » 21 Aug 2007 20:59

On mine, too, you can turn the cylinder back to the "locked" position and remove the key, even when the shackle is open. Mine is slightly newer issue, though.


No mine doesn't do that. You can't turn the key at all until you put the shackle back in.

I've seen the man's lock... no need to see his tension wrench. Thanks, though.


Speaking of which, what do you use for tension? It's tight in that keyway when I put a tension wrench in. I am gonna go try a two-pronged wrench.
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Postby vrocco » 21 Aug 2007 20:59

On mine, too, you can turn the cylinder back to the "locked" position and remove the key, even when the shackle is open. Mine is slightly newer issue, though.


No mine doesn't do that. You can't turn the key at all until you put the shackle back in.

I've seen the man's lock... no need to see his tension wrench. Thanks, though.


Speaking of which, what do you use for tension? It's tight in that keyway when I put a tension wrench in. I am gonna go try a two-pronged wrench.
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Postby MacGyver101 » 21 Aug 2007 21:12

vrocco wrote:Speaking of which, what do you use for tension? It's tight in that keyway when I put a tension wrench in. I am gonna go try a two-pronged wrench.


I'm sure that would work fine -- and, if it doesn't eat up too much space, would probably help as you're learning to deal with spool pins. (It can help with controlling the easing-off of tension.) Personally, I prefer to use a small wrench that fits into the top of the keyway.
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Postby JackNco » 21 Aug 2007 21:45

nice, ive been playing with a couple of these. im ashamed to say one is still kicking my ass. nice locks and very cool breakdown. cheers.

I would be interested to know what these are used on mainly. just because its nice to know what I can beat.

John
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Postby vrocco » 22 Aug 2007 9:02

I know I have seen them on many military equipment cages inside an armory. We also used them to secure vehicles. For those of you who have never seen a military Hummer, there is no ignition key. They simply lock a cable around the steering wheel to keep it from turning. Of course the vehicles are also locked inside a compound when not in use. Also used them to secure the back doors of larger equipment like howitzers and armored personnel carriers.
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Postby Iceberg_Slim » 22 Aug 2007 17:27

i thought standard issue for larger vehicles like any tracked vehicles, they use the huge S&G military padlocks.
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Postby vrocco » 22 Aug 2007 17:55

maybe some, but I have seen these used on those tracked vehicles as well. You will also see these used to lock radios into the mounts in vehicles.
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Postby Gordon Airporte » 22 Aug 2007 19:54

I thought that all Americans used the same six-chamber cores, filled with five or six pins depending on the lock? Once you get the feel for it they really aren't too terrible to pick with just five pins, so I'm kind of surprised that's all there is.
Adding a sixth stack to my American has made it noticeably more difficult, even though I had to use a non-serrated spool and key pin from a Master 575 (coincidentally also from the Army.)
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