attempting to rekey cheap deadbolt

[Squelchtone]

I've recently taken up re-keying a lot of locks around the farm where I work. 20 years ago a single key would open most of the locks on the place, except for a few more secured structures that have separate schlage locks with unique keys. I'm completely new to this but got through many without issues, until I got to this one.

The lock is a deadbolt+knob on a mobile home. It's a KW1 keyway, 5 pin, but after removing it from the door, I've not been able to figure out any way to rekey it, at least not with the tools I have available.

Here's a picture of the lock
https://imgur.com/YUwkOVo

There is a clamp that secures the lock from slipping out between the brass cap and the cylinder, but I can't find any way to remove the brass cap that holds the tailpiece on. The cylinder is wider at the front so it can't be slid out the opposite direction, even if I use the key to rotate the cylinder first. This leaves me no way to remove it to access the bottom pins without the top pins being released. I can't just come at it from the top, either, because there's not a removable cover over the top pins. I've googled about and not been able to find any specific information about these locks.

Before I just bite the bullet and just replace the fixtures with ones that can be rekeyed, thought I'd check with this community. Being a newbie, several of the locks I've worked on so far I might never have figured out how to open without helpful guides I found online, so unlikely as it seems, I thought I'd see if there's a trick I'm just missing here, and of the places I've seen locks discussed, this seemed likely my best bet if there is an answer.

Thanks for any help!

:edit: accidentally linked the full-size image originally instead of the resized one. Fixed.

[GWiens2001]

Two ways I have rekeyed those is to either use a large flat screwdriver to slide the cap off the back or, if the cap is not too large, use a hollow plug follower to push out the plug.

Gordon

[GopherAtl]

A hollow plug follower would definitely work, the plug is the exact same size as the cylinder itself and there's no gaps large enough that it should be a problem, so thanks for that, will see if I can find something that will work.

re: prying the cap off, it's not obvious in the picture maybe but there's not actually enough of a gap to get even my thinnest screwdriver into. The narrowed section where the clamp fits is actually a groove around the cylinder itself, the cap fits pretty flush and I can't see any non-destructive way to remove the cap (and I have no way to replace the cap if I were to damage it in removal).

[GWiens2001]

before using a hollow plug follower, it is best to shim the shear line first. That will keep the driver pins from dropping into an opening and causing the whole thing to lock up with the plug partly removed or installed. Also referred to as "bricking" a lock. As in making it about as useful as a brick.

Gordon

[GopherAtl]

Well, this is about as redneck a solution as exists, but I managed to rekey the lock. Lacking a hollow plug follower, I decided to improvise with my large tweezers, which when relaxed were open a bit wider than the diameter of the cylinder, and seemed straight enough in the last inch or so to hold the whole row of pins in. I began to see what a terrible idea this was almost as soon as I started, but I managed to slip the cylinder out then slide the plug follower I do have back in without any top-pins being released. Replaced bottom pins as usual, reversed the process to slip the tweezers back in and then slide the cylinder back in place, miraculously without issue!

Reinstalled the deadbolt on the door, double-checked that the key worked, then pulled out the key - and the cylinder. I had forgotten to put the @#!$ clamp back.

I am not a smart man, sometimes.

Despite all that, I actually managed to reload the springs and top-pins from the inside, using my plug follower to hold each in as I went. Annoying but didn't take as long as I'd feared - surprisingly deep holes, the springs themselves were basically flush, so it was fairly easy to line up top pins, push them in, and slide the follower up to hold them. Then I did the tweezer dance again and managed to reassemble the lock - remembering the clamp this time. So, job success!

Thanks for the suggestion, my redneck hack was inspired by the hollow plug follower suggestion and I doubt I would've come up with it any time soon on my own.

[GWiens2001]

Well done. And we have all forgotten a clip once or twice. Welcome to the club.

Gordon

[cledry]

When you don't have a hollow follower you can roll up a piece of paper and use that in a pinch. I've also improvised with pen caps and things like that.

[billdeserthills]

AA battery works on most cylinders & AAA battery works on smaller Master padlock sized cylinders

[mastersmith]

If you own a twist drill index you have an array of sizes at your fingers. Assuming you haven't chewed the shanks up by not tighening the chuck properly!

[stratmando]

Hardware stores have a Poly? Type tubing, white is a good strong one, they make different types of 1/2" tubing, can make a Boatload of followers with a couple feet(small boat)Some have a Curl memory, may want to lay straightened, then hit with a hair Dryer to straighten. Then cut.