Forum Discussion

BobsYourUncle's avatar
Jan 31, 2014

Cheap crummy entry door lock. Any good ones?

I bought my current rig last May. The keys were missing and the guy gave me some copy of a copy of a copy that he said would work.

Well, after fighting with the thing to get it to work, I just wandered down to an RV parts store and bought a whole new door lock / deadbolt assembly.

Ever since day 1 the thing has been difficult to operate and I have to fiddle fart with key to get it open. And then the key sticks. Hard to get in hard to take out. Yes I oiled it.

I got to get the TT from storage last Sunday and I managed to get the deadbolt open but no way the latch lock would give. Grrrr. Gal at my storage place was standing beside me. Let me try she says. I step back and say have at it! She finally managed to get it open.

With the door open I lock it and try again. The whole lock cylinder fell out of the door.

What a piece of junk! Less than a year old and it is garbage.
Brand name on the inside of the door lock says FIC. Only marking on it aside from Lock Unlock!


So, question is:
Are there any decent manufacturers of door lock assemblies?
Or are they all the same pile of junk?

I need to get another new one but want something that actually works and I don't have to stand there fighting with the key.

I actually have to replace all my outside locks. They are all hard to operate.

27 Replies

  • It's not a Trimark. It's a Fastec. FIC.
    The hole cutout is different between various companies so you are married to FIC.
    You either have another bad lock or bad install or both.
    Get a new lock and pay a pro to install and adjust the strike and it will be fine.
  • I heard if you smear a little melted butter on the latch mechanism it helps a lot :)
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Sounds like a tri-mark... Here is what you do

    The deadbolts on a tri-mark are not bad but the striker bolt is a problem

    Take the pieces (Do not loose the spring) to a good metal smith and have him carve you one out of genuine STEEL. that will last the life of your rig. Even Brass will outlast the cheap pot metal they use to make 'em.
  • The lock recall is a lot bigger then posted on the web. After I got the replacement locks I was speaking to a friend and told him. His was a 2003 truck camper and his lock was also in the recall. If you bought a new set....take it back for a replacement. Why keep something you paid for that was defective????
  • Bob, if that lock is a FIC, they have a recall on some of the locks. I don't have the info handy, put I did a post a few months ago about it. They are replacing them free. A search here you should find it
  • Fastec Industrial Corp (FIC) had a recall on defective locks. Check to see if yours was one. There may be a free replacement in it for you.

    The recall is for locks made Jan 2006 thru Apr 2013.