Keys to basement compartment locks?

[liveaboard74]

Just bought a 35 foot Chieftrain and the door key works but only on the side door. Drivers door and all the compartments under the RV it won't turn it.
Someone on the facebook winnebago forum said I can contract winnebago and they will send me a key long as I have the vin number.
Is this correct.
Have a ton of stuff to learn, moving from a lance 1191 slide in camper to this 35 footer seems like a home.

[Morich]

Sounds like they shorted you a bit on the keys. We have never had one key to fit all the locks, often three.
Compartments have been different, dead bolt and door latch different also! Ignition key fit side doors on class C.
Usually different locks made by different folks so that the splines on the key were different so they would not even begin to fit in the hole.

[Jim_HiTek]

Your VIN will be in the same place that they are with cars, drivers side window visible from outside when standing on a foot stool. Visible inside with a mirror held just right. There's also, generally, a placard next to the drivers seat with tire info...that also has the VIN. Then in the bedroom, on the inside of one of the closet doors will be a sheet glued to the door...check there too.

Next, the basement locks all use the same key, along with the fuel door. There are usually 2 keys, one for the doors upper deadbolt, then one for the lock below the deadbolt, and that same key opens all the basement compartments and the fuel door. That 3rd key some mention starts the engine usually.

Now, here's the trick if you wanna travel soon without waiting for a new key from the manufacturer...go to any RV park, settle in, and ask a couple of your neighbors to check their key in your basement locks. Very often you'll only need to ask 2-3 neighbors before you have them unlocked. Easy as that. OR, drive to the nearest RV repair shop and check out their keys. Pretty standard.

I once went to a RV show and took my basement key that was 12 years old, and unlocked the basement compartment of a brand new RV (around 2016 model). The sales guy wandered out, saw me, and said, "Oh, you've discovered the secret". I wanted to look at the power cord reel. I did lock it back up afterwards.

Turns out the manufacturers only use 3 or 4 different keys for all the millions of RVs out there. Keep that under your hat.

The last thing is that your basement compartments will hardly ever be robbed. So if you can get one unlocked, don't worry about it, just remove the key cylinder and take it to a locksmith and get a new key whenever. No hurry.

[Morich]

Some really good sites for Winnebago info.
Start there:
https://www.winnebago.com/
Hit owners at top right and it gets to a list of things like owners manuals, etc, etc
Lots and lots of good info if you chase down through the list.

If interested in a shorter path go this way:
Parts to see how things might come apart and to get parts numbers if you need something:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Plumbing to see where and how that fits in and what to expect:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...m/Plumbing.htm

Wiring diagrams, some great, some not so much. Older Rv get more info if before 2010 model.
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ram/Wiring.htm

First thing to impress me was just how MANY different Winnebago there are out there!!

First thing to sort is if the year of the coach is the same as the model year of the chassis as they often buy a bunch of stripped chassis but it may take until the next year to get an RV built on top, so if looking at inside stuff, it takes that year but if needing brake shoes, it may be the year older.
Check the label next to the driver for the correct date, etc. ??

Good luck on the trek!

[deckape]

Glad to see you over on this site . You'll get the right info here .