# Thule lock removal



## strangerthanmilhouse (Jan 18, 2007)

Can it be done?( without a drill or torch) Like to reuse them. Thanx


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## vw_steggie (May 17, 2006)

the locks should have come with a blank installation and removal key, one with the squarish head. It takes a little finesse to wiggle them out.


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## strangerthanmilhouse (Jan 18, 2007)

Thanx. Ill giv'er


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## longman (May 9, 2007)

they have to be in the unlocked position to be removed...sounds obvious but you'd be surprised


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## tk1971 (Aug 10, 2007)

Sorry, I don't get the question. Did you lose the key? The Thule hitch lock consists of a screwed on hex bolt. A plastic bodied lock is then placed onto the bolt head, basically covering the hex bolt head, preventing the use of a wrench (which is included) to remove it. As I recall, the key is double edged, so there could be two sets of tumblers on the lock (harder to pick).

tk


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## strangerthanmilhouse (Jan 18, 2007)

Ive got the keys... their not coming out. Tried all different ways.. No dice. Thanx for the help all.


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## tk1971 (Aug 10, 2007)

So you can't get the keys out, or you not getting the plastic lock body off with the keys? Maybe it's got junk inside all gummed up. Have you tried washing it out or even drenching it soap and water (or WD-40) then blasting it out with compressed air?

Good luck.

tk


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## longman (May 9, 2007)

mate, you are doing something wrong... 

the lock needs to be in the unlocked position

take the key out

insert the blank install key(it has no teeth cut in it)

pull on the install key while wiggling it from side to side slightly

the lock will come out on the end of the install key

fanny's your aunt

if the lock doesn't come out the lock may be dirty and need some more wiggling or you may have the lock in the locked position


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## strangerthanmilhouse (Jan 18, 2007)

I give up.. ive no blank key with my locks. Ive tried monkeys, turkeys, norse night god loki. Guess someone gets free locks. Thanks for the help ya'll.


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## vw_steggie (May 17, 2006)

take it to a bike shop


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## longman (May 9, 2007)

taking it to a bike shop won't do any good if they don't have an insyall key, that's all he needs and it takes 2 seconds to get the lock out, there's no other way.


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## 9GUY9 (Jul 14, 2007)

longman said:


> taking it to a bike shop won't do any good if they don't have an insyall key, that's all he needs and it takes 2 seconds to get the lock out, there's no other way.


THere is another way. I just pulled 4 of them out last night with no keys at all.

TO do it with out the key you need to be able to get at the back side of the lock cylinder. With lock in the unlock position you can see one last metal tab holding the lock in the rack. Just use a small screwdriver to push this tab in the the lock will slide out.


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## Random Drivel (Oct 20, 2006)

strangerthanmilhouse said:


> I give up.. ive no blank key with my locks. Ive tried monkeys, turkeys, norse night god loki. Guess someone gets free locks. Thanks for the help ya'll.


Edit: it's called a universal change key, and can be ordered from Thule:

http://www.thuleracks.com/product.asp?dept_id=69&sku=853-1251


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## vw_steggie (May 17, 2006)

longman said:


> taking it to a bike shop won't do any good if they don't have an insyall key, that's all he needs and it takes 2 seconds to get the lock out, there's no other way.


The install keys are all the same, at least mine are. I have several sets, but they are at least 10 years old.


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## Teich (Jun 9, 2008)

9GUY9:

Your idea of pushing on the metal tab at the back was awesome.

Btw, I tried i) using Thule's universal change key, and ii) pushing on the metal tab manually with a small screwdriver but had no luck either way  I could not remove the cylinder completely when 90% of its body is already exposed. There seems to be something holding it back.

Any help is appreciated.


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## JokerBoy (Feb 29, 2004)

Teich said:


> 9GUY9:
> 
> Your idea of pushing on the metal tab at the back was awesome.
> 
> ...


I just removed four cylinders tonight using the change key. The trick is that you need to push the key all the way in until you hear a click. This brings in the tumbler that holds the lock into place, then you jiggle it out. The trick that is that you must hear that click, if the key even moves a fraction out of the lock, you must push it back in and hear the click again. Ideally if you can get the racks off your roof it makes it easier to remove but turning the lock down and letting gravity help you out bit.

Remember the CLICK is the key. 

Hope this helps.


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## Teich (Jun 9, 2008)

Hi JokerBoy.

Thanks for telling me that it can be done. After I tried opening and/or closing the lock first with the real key, I was able to remove the lock with the blank key! In other words, the blank key works only when the lock is open or closed (don't remember which one exactly).

Teich


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## slick_rick (Sep 8, 2008)

fyi, the Thule lock cylinder needs to be in the unlocked position before inserting the Thule universal change key to remove the lock. Otherwise, anyone could just walk around with the change key and insert into any Thule lock in the locked position and remove lock and expensive toy!!! So it's a good idea to always keep locks in locked position, so some ne'er-do-well couldn't just come along and remove your cylinders just to be a jerkyboy.


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## kevincoyne (Aug 18, 2009)

*Removing Thule lock cores*

If the locks are older the last catch tends to rust shut.The lock will function perfectly,except when you try to remove it,either with the universal change key or by pushing in the last catch with a screwdriver (see previous post-which works fine without the rust factor).I'm in the process of soaking the locks in WD-40 to see if I can free up that last frozen catch!


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## markie-nr (Oct 1, 2009)

I have a thule roof box and want to change the locks.
I have the lock removal key and it works on my bike racks. 

But with the roof box you cannot take the lock key out when unlocked. 
This is because thule roof box is designed not to let the key out until it is locked.
So i cant take the key out to put the unlock key in.
Any ideas?

Thanks


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## longman (May 9, 2007)

put the key in and turn it to about two o'clock, pull the key out, the lock should stay in this 2 o'clock position. Put the blank key in and pull the lock out. Both these steps may involve some wiggling of the key depeneding on the age/condition of the box

insert the new lock using the blank key. use the new key to turn the lock and it is now installed


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## markie-nr (Oct 1, 2009)

Thank you Longman.Worked a treat!
I owe you a pint!


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## us_rider (Oct 21, 2009)

I found this thread searching on how to remove Thule lock cylinders. I struggled for quite awhile last night with a Thule ski rack trying to get the lock-cylinders out. This thread helped me quite a bit and I want to add to it to spare someone else some frustration if they hit the "cylinder out 90% but won't go further" point.

First, salt corrosion caused the lock-cylinder tabs to stick and not release when the lock-cylinder key was inserted. Knowing this from reading the thread was a huge help. WD-40 and a pick tool from the backside eventually got the tabs to move freely. Mine were so salt-encrusted I could not even see the tabs. Jumping ahead, after I got the lock-cylinders out, all of this cleaned off and the lock-cylinders look & work like new.

Next, on the ski rack the lock-cylinder releases from the locked position! You need to secure the push latch away from the lock-cylinder then put the lock-cylinder in locked position. I used a big tie-wrap to hold the push latch back. Then, the lock-cylinder comes right out. I discovered this after a long and vigorous invective hurled at the Swedes.

If the lock-cylinder is in the unlocked position, it only pops out about 1/8" with the lock-cylinder tool. You can then insert the regular key and the cylinder pops out 90% of the way but no further. The reason is that the lock-cylinder is 90-degree away from the channel that lets the tumbler pins clear so it comes out easily. On the ski racks the lock-cylinder resides in a metal sleeve that is snapped into the ABS frame of the rack itself.

The bottom line was I could not figure this out until I popped the whole lock/sleeve assembly out of the rack and could see that the lock-cylinder could not clear until it was in the locked position! Then I realized that there was no way the lock-cylinder would release in the un-locked position as you are "supposed" to do. What keeps the lock-cylinder from being removed on the rack when it is locked and in use is the end of it is locked into the ski rack push latch. It won't go anywhere unless the rack is open, the push latch held away from the lock-cylinder, relocked w/ the key, & then removed with the Thule lock-cylinder tool.

us_rider


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## Sprocketman (Jan 26, 2011)

*How to remove a stuck Thule lock core*

I had a "stuck" cargo box lock core. No amount of "wiggling" the core with the replacement key would work. So here's what I you can do:

Take a regular paper clip, straighten it and then use a pair of needle-nose pliers to bend the tip so as to make a tiny little hook at one end.

Stick that hook into the key slot and hook an edge BEFORE you insert the remover key. This works best if you try to snag the concave edge.

Make sure the core remover key goes in all the way and then carefully wiggle the lock while pulling on the core with your hook.

It took a few minutes, but the core came out. I swore it was in there for good.

Happy trails
!
:thumbsup:


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## ajbarry (Mar 21, 2008)

Longman for the win. Thanks scout!


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## cyclingenthusiast (Aug 26, 2012)

*Thule box*

I have a box with a key jammed in the lock, but the box can be opened. How do you remove the lock with a key still jammed in it?
Regards,
Tony:madman:


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## macduff (Sep 4, 2012)

I've a couple of thule bike rack mounts that I've long since lost the keys for. I guess its a trip to the locksmith to get the locks out if thier still locked :?


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## cyclingenthusiast (Aug 26, 2012)

If you have lost the keys, the key removal tool should work. My problem is there is a key jammed in the lock!
Tony


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## cyclingenthusiast (Aug 26, 2012)

No advice, then????


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## rideut (Dec 10, 2008)

So I cannot get the key into one of my lock cores holding my crossbars. I sprayed wd-40 inside and let it sit to no avail. Looks like there is corrosion in there? Any ideas?


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## Buzz Cut (Jan 16, 2007)

ran across this tread and finally was able to get an old lock core out of a rack and finish re-keying my whole set up..most excellent


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## jhhall (Nov 14, 2005)

Sprocketman said:


> I had a "stuck" cargo box lock core. No amount of "wiggling" the core with the replacement key would work. So here's what I you can do:
> 
> Take a regular paper clip, straighten it and then use a pair of needle-nose pliers to bend the tip so as to make a tiny little hook at one end.
> 
> ...


I know this is an old post but this solution worked perfectly! Thank you sir!


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Sprocketman said:


> I had a "stuck" cargo box lock core. No amount of "wiggling" the core with the replacement key would work. So here's what I you can do:
> 
> Take a regular paper clip, straighten it and then use a pair of needle-nose pliers to bend the tip so as to make a tiny little hook at one end.
> 
> ...


^^ this.

J.


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## fayfran (Jul 28, 2013)

Hi, I have a variation on all this. Key unlocks three of the four roof bar locks, and they can be undone with no problem - but it will not even insert into the last lock! Have sprayed with WD40, usually such a cure-all, but no dice. Is it a case of getting a locksmith to drill the lock out? I have no blank key, just one called N102. I really need to take the bars off and am completely stuck! Thanks for any help you can offer... Fay


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## Yelnatz (Sep 18, 2014)

If you lost your key and looking for a replacement for a low price, check out ZeLock. I lost my Thule key for my rack and got a replacement quickly.


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