trunk lock cylender

[400/6/PAC]

Can any show me how to reinstall the trunk lock cylender, the spring, and the connecting rod on a 73 charger.
I got crs and don't remember
Thanks

[jlb1pi]

I don't know if they're the same or not, but I just put a new one in my 72 the other day.  Unfortunately, it's been long enough that CRS might have set in with me too, but I'll try to remember...no guarantees.

Because the little short end of the spring that goes through the hole in the connecting rod is so brittle (I've broken two of them so far), I usually thread it through the conn rod hole first..the rod "sits" betwen the sharp bend at the end and where the winding actually starts.

Then I placed the entire spring over the protrusion on the cyclinder and laid the top end of the spring (that's the conn rod end) into the groove, or trough that's made for it (it kind of lays across two open slots on the top of the protrusion).

Then I used some needle nose pliers, and took up the tension in the spring (seems like it only took about a 1/2 turn winding to do this) and caught the end of the spring in the lower slot that it's designed for (there are actually two slots it can catch on, use the lower one).

Then it was just a matter of threading it in through the hole in the deck lid while at the same time making sure the connecting rod end went into the latch slot.  After that, you just hold a little pressure against the outside of the lock while you slide the retaining key in as tight as you can get it on the inside of the lock (the "humps" go to the latch side, not the lid side, or you'll never get it to slide in right). Mine took some real elbow (actually thumb) grease  to get the retainer to snap ALL THE WAY in.

If this doesn't seem right to you, or if anyone knows of anything I've forgotten (or a BETTER way of doing it) feel free to correct me !!  Lord only know I can always use improvement in my methods!!

Let me know if you have problems, and I'll pull mine out and take a look at it again for ya.

[400/6/PAC]

Thanks for the help.
The reason I couldn't figure it out is because outer piece that holds the spring is broken off.
Anyway I bought an aftermarket, I really wanted to keep the org. key.
Hmmmmm, I bet I can get that rekeyed.
Thanks again
David

[jlb1pi]

You're right about the re-keying....any of the old time locksmiths can do it.  Don't waste your time with the new big-box type stores (Home Depot, Lowes), last time I tried to get anything re-keyed there they just gave me the "blank" look.

Anyway, I didn't want to spend the money for a new trunk lock and glove box door lock, so I bought the trunk lock and took the glove box door down to the local locksmith and he re-keyed it to match the new trunk key...cost me about 7 bucks, which was way cheaper than a new matched set of locks would have been. So try taking your old key and new truck lock down and see what your locksmith can do...then you won't have a glove box door that takes a different key.

You can get original Mopar key blanks online....I bought a couple myself on Ebay.  I think I just punched in Mopar key blanks in the search box. Got a new set for my 66 Corvair too, but that story is for a different forum !!

Take care,
Jerry

[Nacho-RT74]

in a note appart... 71/72 and 73/74 are slightly diff. 71/72 are mounted with a spring retainer similar to the doors one, and 73/74 is with a BIG nut.