Winnebago Compartment Keys

PULLEY · 04-11-2007, 03:26 PM

I am not sure that I am in the correct topic; however, I wish to share this info.
I have a 2002 Journel DL. About a month ago, I lost a set of compartment keys. Since then I have stopped in 4 states in multiple outlets looking for replacements to no avail. The noted keys are TRIMARK BLANKS. I arrived in Branson, Mo. yesterday and found a lock shop named Branson Lock on Oklahoma St. who happen to stock the blanks and he replaced for me two sets at $8.00 total.
I have been in Walmarts, True Values, Ace Hdwes, Home Depots, Lowes, and multiple lock shops. Does Winnebago have a "lock" on the distribution of these blanks?
Keith

PULLEY · 04-11-2007, 03:26 PM

I am not sure that I am in the correct topic; however, I wish to share this info.
I have a 2002 Journel DL. About a month ago, I lost a set of compartment keys. Since then I have stopped in 4 states in multiple outlets looking for replacements to no avail. The noted keys are TRIMARK BLANKS. I arrived in Branson, Mo. yesterday and found a lock shop named Branson Lock on Oklahoma St. who happen to stock the blanks and he replaced for me two sets at $8.00 total.
I have been in Walmarts, True Values, Ace Hdwes, Home Depots, Lowes, and multiple lock shops. Does Winnebago have a "lock" on the distribution of these blanks?
Keith

jimandsue60 · 04-11-2007, 03:35 PM

Winnebago will sell you blanks and you can have them made at your local keymaker.

Jim

PULLEY · 04-11-2007, 03:38 PM

Jim, yes thank you. My problem, is that I am traveling and I have not been sitting still for long in the past several months. I appreciate your feedback. Keith

Paul T · 04-11-2007, 03:43 PM

I don't know if Winnebago has a lock on the compartment keys but hope they do in that they offer replacements to the owners. The rumors out there are that many of the compartment keys will work on many different RV models and brands. If that is true with Winnebago products, then there is a serious security problem for those of us with a drivers door that also uses the compartment key to open.

Have any of you tried to use your compartment key on another units compartments successfully? Or, vice versa, have you had someone use their compartment keys to open your compartments?

PULLEY · 04-11-2007, 03:51 PM

Paul,

I did just that when I lost my keys. There was another Journey owner in the park where I misplaced my keys and his keys fit my compartments. Yes, this is a security issue, and I too have a concern.
Keith

John_Canfield · 04-11-2007, 04:29 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jimandsue60:
Winnebago will sell you blanks and you can have them made at your local keymaker.

Jim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>That's exactly what we did in Forest City. There is an old-time hardware store in downtown FC that can make keys from any original providing you/they have the blank. Found out that Lowes (and probably HD) cannot duplicate any key - their duplicator must have knowledge (a template) of the source key to duplicate.

Worrying about duplicate keys out there is way, way down on my list of things to be concerned about.

jimandsue60 · 04-11-2007, 05:02 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PULLEY:
Jim, yes thank you. My problem, is that I am traveling and I have not been sitting still for long in the past several months. I appreciate your feedback. Keith </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We have been fulltiming for over three years and can have our mail fedxed to us next day almost any day of the week any part of the country.

I am sure that winny can arrange to have a key expedited to you. Almost any camground or Fedx-Kinkos can accept an overnite package. Just a suggestion.

Jim

PULLEY · 04-11-2007, 05:33 PM

Jim, thanks for your feedback.
Safe travels.

Keith

Ding-a-ling · 04-11-2007, 06:00 PM

I've gotten key blanks from a Winnebago dealer. No need to get them from the factory.

Retired and Happy · 04-11-2007, 06:10 PM

My compartment locks are on a Briggs and Stratton blank, but no one on the east side of Atlanta seems to have them.

Hikerdogs · 04-11-2007, 06:22 PM

Trimark is an independant company specializing in locks, latches, and hardware for the motor vehicle industry. They aren't nearly as popular as residential keys and locks so consequently they aren't available in as many places.

We needed to purchase a couple replacement keys a while ago so we checked with one of the major locksmiths in town. He didn't carry them but directed us to a shop that did.

campernut2 · 04-12-2007, 01:40 AM

Just for that reason we carry 3 sets of keys when we travel. I carry a set and so does DH and one in the fireproof lock box. I am paranoid about that happening. We found the same set of locks on other campers that we have owned so I don't think that this is unique to Winnebago.

DenShaw · 04-12-2007, 03:22 AM

I had the same trouble but last year I found some for the front door for our 05 39f at Camping World south of Chattanooga, TN. Maybe others might have them as well.

Dennis

Izzyblueye · 04-12-2007, 03:59 AM

I have had duplicate keys to my entrance doors and the bins made at a flea market in Ft.Myers Fl. They worked perfectly. They are Tri-Mark originals.

Richard 34A · 04-12-2007, 09:42 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PULLEY:
Paul,

I did just that when I lost my keys. There was another Journey owner in the park where I misplaced my keys and his keys fit my compartments. Yes, this is a security issue, and I too have a concern.
Keith </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sort of off-thread, but years ago I worked at a Honda car store. We had four Accord four-door sedans come in at the same time. All four had the exact same key codes for the doors and ignitions. What are the odds of that?

BigRedLancer · 04-12-2007, 07:03 PM

My dealer told me that all of the "grey" keys fit the outside storage (and entrance door) lock in most of the similar Winnebago coaches. That's how the dealers can access their inventory. The "black" key, for the door dead bolt, is supposed to be unique to the coach.

I guess I can't leave anything valuable in the outside storage. Everyone with a coach like mine can unlock my storage!

Adventurer · 04-13-2007, 07:21 AM

There's a finite number of key variations. For that reason there will always be duplicate keys in circulation for your coach, car, even the deadbolt on your house. The more thousands of locks a maker produces, the higher the frequency of duplicate keys.

I read of car thieves who bought keys from junk yards and carried large key rings for each brand. The problem was the door key and ignition key used to be different, so getting in was only half the problem. When they went to a single key system, thieves got a big break, so many marques began using electronic coded keys.

Paul T · 04-14-2007, 05:46 PM

How are those of us with a drivers door suppose to sleep well at night knowing anyone can slip in so easily? I'm presently perplexed in my desire to design a "dead bolt" mechanism for my drivers door. I could care less if someone wants to poke arround my compartments because the keys seem to be a common denominator but don't want the same folks visiting me via the drivers door some night or peaking around when I'm out for a walk! I would think WINNE would consider this a liability hazard big time.

skigramp · 04-15-2007, 05:25 AM

The ILCO folks make a blank that fits TRI-MARK locks.

My True Value Hardware got me a blank overnight and I had a duplicate the next day ...