Tips on disassembling an American Series 40 padlock?

[ridinplugspinnaz]

I've recently managed to pick open an American Lock Series 40 padlock that I have, which is kinda surprising because while I'm pretty sure it has security pins, it certainly isn't behaving like it does. So, I was thinking it would be interesting to pull the core out and see what's actually inside the lock. The only problem is that I can't make out what kind of screw is retaining the core in the padlock, and I only have a limited toolset at hand currently. Does anyone know offhand what bit I need to remove the retaining screw for this padlock? Much appreciated.

[raimundo]

I don't know this particular lock, but I do know a bit about american locks, there are some variations over time and model numbers, but generally, look for a phillips screw in the shackle hole, this will get you the plug and the drillguard, there may or not be a disc to cap the far end of the plug,
for further dissasemby, you can remove the brass round thingy that the end of the plug interacts with, this can then release the locking balls. I don't know if the thingy is under spring tension as you find it, but you should definately check that, and note the direction of the rotation it gives before removing it.
I have even gotten the shackle off one which I replaced with a different shackle, but I forgot what I did to get that off.

[keysman]

Perhaps you could post a picture of the padlock .. I have the American padlock service manual and it doesn't show a "40 Series" , but it does show at least 25 other models.....

Most American Padlocks have a retaining screw in the shackle hole that can be a phillips,allen , or perhaps rivited in .

raimundo said "I have even gotten the shackle off one which I replaced with a different shackle, but I forgot what I did to get that off."

Pull out the brass round thingy that the end of the plug interacts with, remove the locking ball bearings, the shackle will just fall out.. replace with new, turn the lock shackle down , replace the ball bearings , replace the brass round thingy that the end of the plug interacts with, insert the core , you are good to go.

[raimundo]

Thanks keysman.

[zeke79]

As stated, some of the american locks are riveted together so once open you can drill the rivet out from the top and likely get a replacement endcap and retaining screw to replace it from a locksmith shop. Then you could assemble and disassemble it as you wish. If you are crafty, you can also attempt to replace the rivet setup using your existing end plate that retains and covers part of the cylinder.

If you can, post a picture of the lock showing the bottom of the padlock and cylinder. If I am thinking right the series 40 is an older american padlock with a different keyway than the AM7 etc. it is just a brass cylinder that resembles an IC core and has no endplate over the cylinder. If this is the case it should just be a phillips head screw retaining the cylinder but without seeing the lock I cannot be certain.

[MacGnG1]

i bought anm old american series 30. if your lock is like mine, the retaining screw is riveted in and isnt removable with a screw driver or allen wrench.... how ever i did purchase a dremel tool recently so we will see how that works out

[ridinplugspinnaz]

The quality is dismal, as I only have the camera in my phone to work with, but here are a few pictures of the lock in question. From the look of things, it definitely seems to be an older American padlock.

DSC00144.jpg

DSC00145.jpg

DSC00146.jpg

[Squelchtone]

i bought anm old american series 30. if your lock is like mine, the retaining screw is riveted in and isnt removable with a screw driver or allen wrench.... how ever i did purchase a dremel tool recently so we will see how that works out

lol, it will work out something like this:

Had to drill out my retaining screw, it was free spinning so unscrewing didnt work:
http://nynex.s5.com/lp101/american_series50_breakdown/5_cylinder_removed.JPG

Other pics from of that lock:
http://nynex.s5.com/lp101/american_series50_breakdown/


cool old lock ridingplugspinnaz,

Squelchtone

[MacGnG1]

very cool, i think i might try it

[Lynxkcg]

Sorry for the thread ressurrection, but thanks for those pics. Do any other brands of cores fit in those? I have 3 of those locks that I found at work. I'm told people kept losing the keys and they stopped using the good locks when thy were down to the last key. They were locking up the underground fuel tanks at a shell station. Now they're protected by 3 chinese laminated 40mm locks that can be bypassed with a short hook in about half a second.

[WolfSpring]

I've got a set of those at work, I thought it was an allen screw, but i stripped on out, then though it might be a security hex, it ended up being a rivit after we drilled one out, not saying your is, but I do have a set of 6 american keyed alike with rivets in them under the shackle instead of a screw.

[lock2006]

Well i got an American padlock Series 10 and i got the same problem
i can't remove the cylinder not with a screw driver or allen wrench
thanks for your info guys.

[ridinplugspinnaz]

Heh, didn't think I'd run into this thread again. Yeah, for what it's worth, I'm 99% certain that the Series 40 is a riveted retaining screw (if you can really even call it a screw). I never did disassemble that lock for that reason, but hopefully confirmation of that will help some of you out there.

[loather]

Sorry to resurrect a necrothread, but I'm in the same boat with a couple of these dealer-implied "non-rekeyable" American Series 10, 20, and 50. I've drilled out the rivet on one of them, and now I want to put the lock back together.

Where can I get one of the screws to replace the rivet I drilled out? I'd like to basically turn this lock into one of the regular rekeyable models with the same type of screw as, say, a series 1105.

I guess I could go back to the dealer from whom I purchased the lock, but I'm fairly certain they'll give me the run-around and say they can't get it. Can non-authorized individuals/dealers buy parts from American?

Anyways, these are a fun pick. I fiddled with an 1105 off and on and finally got it open last night. The amount of tension required to turn the mechanism and release the shackle is deceiving (and prone to bending your torque tool) after being required to use such light tension to get those stupid spoorated pins up to shear. The serrated ones are kind of a joke, but those serrated spools belong on the corner with the rest of the .

[MacGnG1]

maybe these are the right parts:

Security Screw for Padlock /// Mfg. Part No.: APKG4761010 (1)
http://www.mrlock.com/12089.html


Security Nut for Padlock /// Mfg. Part No.: APKG4746010 (1)
http://www.mrlock.com/12014.html