LockSmart replacement door cyl came with OE key...

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Back story...I replaced a smashed up door on my 2002 Ranger with one from a 1994 Ranger about four years ago. The donor truck was in a junkyard and obviously had no keys with it. I planned on just swapping locks with my old door, but found that the actual cutout in the door had changed between those years. My 2002 lock would not physically fit without trimming the opening in the replacement door. Probably doable, but I was worried that trimming just a little too much could result in a loose lock or side to side movement when turning the key. I decided against trimming my "new" door, and filled the hole with the lock I had no key for.

Finally this week, I decided I wanted to be able to open the passenger door with a key, rather than having to unlock it from the inside. I found Lockcraft locks online with OE keys, but this was kind of on a whim, so I figured I'd look at a LockSmart available locally. Online pics of the LockSmarts didn't look awesome, with just a generic key, but I figured I'd check it out anyway. Got to the store, looked at the part, and to my surprise, it had OE Ford keys! Not that it really matters on a beater truck with mismatched doors and mismatched keys, but still a score! This would be a big deal if I was putting one of these lock sets in say a nice old Bronco or something.

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The keys are brass, I could tell by looking at the cut sections. They seem OE quality in every way. The lock works really well too. Very smooth, but not loose. It looks like the OE cylinder in every way.

The downer...2010 manufacture date. The pics I saw online with generic keys were probably more representative of what you would get with more recent production. I probably lucked out finding an older set.

I wonder if LockSmart simply outsourced this part number to Lockcraft, who is licensed to make branded exact repro keys by Ford, GM, and Chrysler. It was made in Mexico, where Lockcraft has their manufacturing. Either way, I'm very happy with what I got. Kind of cool in a messed up way to have an old school OE key work on my truck, at least on one door.
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Interesting since your 94 key is a 10 cut and the 02 is an 8 cut. BTW on the 10 cut not all of hte cuts are used for the key, there is one shared between the door and ignition, then the balance are for each of them.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Interesting since your 94 key is a 10 cut and the 02 is an 8 cut. BTW on the 10 cut not all of hte cuts are used for the key, there is one shared between the door and ignition, then the balance are for each of them.


I don't mean the 94 key will work in the 02 lock, not even going to try because I don't want to get it stuck. If I can dig up the 02 lock from the smashed door (I still have it somewhere), I might try the spare out of curiosity.

I just was happy the blank was an OE Ford one, and not some generic one. Many aftermarket locks have a generic looking key without OE branding. Kind of an OCD thing, but I like having correct branding and a good brass key.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Interesting. What store sells these?


Advance, AutoZone, and O'Reillys carry LockSmart.

Napa sells replacement cylinders too under the Echlin house brand, which is surely reboxed.

Lockcraft keys/cylinders are licensed and have OE markings, but I don't know of any retail stores that have them. I have only seen Lockcraft online.
 
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