Need new door lock cylinder

[Robm]

On 5/6/2025 at 3:35 PM, Brent said:

So, how hard was that lock to install a couple years ago? My first option with the Chicago Lock isn;t working, so Im thinking I'll go with the Medeco. It kills me as I just had the interior redone and now I'm pulling the nicely installed door panel apart. 

I installed the medeco locks in my m20j a couple months ago. They were a pain in that the metal latch did not fit. Ended up grinding the latch metal down to fit.

now that they are in I love them. 

I sent my old latches to medeco. I think they may update the latches to have ones that fit. 

[PeteMc]

18 hours ago, Mooney-Shiner said:

This one worked on my 67F just fine. I just had to rivet the steel doubler plate behind the door skin because the original aluminum door hole allowed the lock to spin.

Glad you finally got it fixed.  But if the lock itself does ever have issues....  Just take it out and take it to a local locksmith.  They should be able to repair or replace the guts back into the Mooney required housing. 

 

[kortopates]

All true about the locksmith, but it’s only a $7 cabinet lock, nothing Mooney specific. If you’re going to pull it out the only reason not to replace it would be the need to pay the locksmith to re-key a new one or not wanting to replace both locks keyed the same. They don’t last forever.


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[Hank]

13 hours ago, kortopates said:

All true about the locksmith, but it’s only a $7 cabinet lock, nothing Mooney specific. If you’re going to pull it out the only reason not to replace it would be the need to pay the locksmith to re-key a new one or not wanting to replace both locks keyed the same. They don’t last forever.

Taking the cylinders to a locksmith is quick, easy and inexpensive. My Mooney has three keys--ignition, door and baggage hatch. I color coded them:  blue for Bags, green for Go (door), red for Fire (ignition). Some sets have enamel on the keys, some have colored rubber around the heads of the keys.

Anyone can make copies, even hardware stores. But if you're going to the locksmith anyway, make several copies--one each for myself, my wife, my A&P, a d a couple of spare sets. Even at $5/set, it's pretty cheap.

[kortopates]

Taking the cylinders to a locksmith is quick, easy and inexpensive. My Mooney has three keys--ignition, door and baggage hatch. I color coded them:  blue for Bags, green for Go (door), red for Fire (ignition). Some sets have enamel on the keys, some have colored rubber around the heads of the keys.
Anyone can make copies, even hardware stores. But if you're going to the locksmith anyway, make several copies--one each for myself, my wife, my A&P, a d a couple of spare sets. Even at $5/set, it's pretty cheap.

Since you have different Keys for the baggage and door, that's something your locksmith can fix for you by re-keying one them so both baggage and door use the same key.
I should add a cautionary reminder for all on their ignition key.  Folks need to be careful duplicating their ignition key. Its not legal or airworthy to use a generic HomeDepot/Lowes/Etc key blank, it should be done only with a Bendix key blank for a Bendix ignition lock. This has actually led to some fatal accidents over the years including one at my home field with a flight school, which is how I learned about this. The issue is that some of these duplicated keys may allow removing the key without it being in the Off/Locked position. If so, eventually the key will be removed without turning the ignition off and then you or someone moves to the nose and moves the prop before pushing or pulling the plane with the p-leads still ungrounded and the engine fires with prop causing lethal injuries. Be sure to check your duplicated keys for this danger and discard any that allow that. 

[dkkim73]

On a related topic, my Medeco ignition lock sticks often, in the sense of being difficult to turn past the off position. Takes wiggling. Once past that it moves easily as you would expect. 

Any tips on lubrication? Was thinking to avoid graphite (conducts, probably shouldn't be near the panel)  or an oil base (dust). Maybe a little bit of TW25B (the clear alcohol based PTFE version) or silicone dry lube? 

Is there any subtlety with how the cylinder is set that might be adjusted? (I think some cylinders might be affected by axial tension, etc.. looked inside a Medeco over 30 yrs ago, don't remember much except it's a quality design and materials). 

[dkkim73]

55 minutes ago, kortopates said:

The issue is that some of these duplicated keys may allow removing the key without it being in the Off/Locked position.

That's interesting. With regular keys this is a function of the pin heights. Do the Bendix blanks have a "tail" or something that adds retention?

Something like that seems a key safety feature... (See what I did there?)

[Hank]

4 hours ago, kortopates said:

Folks need to be careful duplicating their ignition key. Its not legal or airworthy to use a generic HomeDepot/Lowes/Etc key blank, it should be done only with a Bendix key blank for a Bendix ignition lock. 

When did Mooney start using Bendix ignition keys? I have never knowingly seen one, based on the descriptions I've read about them here.

[kortopates]

31 minutes ago, Hank said:

When did Mooney start using Bendix ignition keys? I have never knowingly seen one, based on the descriptions I've read about them here.

They always have, your Mooney service manual #106 for the '70 M20C and others, shows a Bendix, actual switch part no varies with which schematic covers your serial #. 

If you don't have a Bendix, someone would have replaced it with an ACS switch where the same rules apply for making keys (although ACS switches are not approved for the Mooney that's hasn't stopped people from using them since they're cheaper).

Edited May 8 by kortopates

[PT20J]

I’ve found that Tri-Flow works well to lubricate lock cylinders.

It’s really easy to break into the standard Mooney cabinet locks without a lock pick set if you have a key that fits the slot even if it won’t open the lock. Just twist it a bit to tension the pins against the cylinder and rake the key in and out until the pins line up.

[Pinecone]

I wonder how may different keys there are for Mooneys?   

I know that for my CAP-10 the shop did not have the keys, so grabbed a random set off the bench and it fit.

I remember that back in the 70s, Ford had a whopping 10 different keys.