Knew it was possible, but what'r the odds?

[EldIr]

Setting up today right next to a guy also setting up. He has his girlfriend's 5er for the first time. He has to leave to go to work after setup, and none of the keys on the ring she gave him will lock the door. His Wilderness by Fleetwood looked about the same vintage as my Jayco so I grabbed my key and went over. Locked his door like it was made for it. So I gave him my spare key. That's what good neighbors are for, right?

[CavemanCharlie]

A lot of industrial and agriculture equipment uses the same key for everything. So, the key for your John Deer bull dozer will not only start the next guys bull dozer but, it will start the farmers tractor too.

[SuperiorBound]

My camper key starts our riding lawnmower. Husband is not too happy about this, he believed keys were more varied then that.

[shum02]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
A have a 99 Cent screw driver....opens ALL RV locks/doors/compartments

Faster than using keys.

Helped someone get into their rig one time using my cargo door keys to open his so my son could wiggle up through their clothes hamper trap door to unlock the front door.

[Old-Biscuit]

A have a 99 Cent screw driver....opens ALL RV locks/doors/compartments

[nickthehunter]

You worry to much; less than 10 seconds and a good crowbar and I can get into any RV or storage compartment out there. As far as being "as secure as my house", my house has steel doors and door frames, you find me an RV with steel doors and door frames and you might make it just as secure as a house. But good luck finding an RV with steel door frames. And you can bend that little tab on the back of your storage compartment locks with your finger, you dont even need a crowbar to get in. Just give it a good jerk and bingo its open, even easier with the ones you can pull with both hands. Don't believe me, try it. Quit worry about it and go camping.

[DougE]

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but I keep spare keys behind the license plate held in place by the license plate screws (may have to drill out the key hole slightly). I always have a Swiss Army Knife in my pocket no matter what I'm wearing so can always access the keys if I need to. Went this route because I don't want to crawl around on the ground.

[Bumpyroad]

my door key and deadbolt key are the same on my Ascend.
my compartments came with the dreaded 751 and I replaced all of them.
bumpy

[Campfire_Time]

Locks are for keeping honest people honest. Even if every RV had unique keys, it would be a piece of cake to break into one. They aren't houses with "real" dead bolts. A crow bar will pop open an RV door in a heart beat. If someone wants in, they will find a way. Its a rare thing to have thefts and break ins a campground. I would not feel uncomfortable if I could not lock my unit when setup.

[Doug33]

skipnchar wrote:
Even my two doors on my Rockwood take completely different keys. Seems like a real long shot that your key would open his door. Storage compartment door keys are pretty universal but door keys should offer better security than that.

Same here - I had to place a piece of colored tape on the key to the main door so I wouldn't be constantly fumbling for the right key. I remember when I owned Coleman PUs, the dealer showed me how any key would open all the models on the lot.

[EldIr]

See, I learned something by posting this. I knew about the storage compartment keys and changed the lock on mine. I also knew it was possible that some door keys would interchange. I did not know it was as prevalent as it is and I also didn't know the handle and deadbolt keys where different. I just thought the deadbolt on mine was broken since the keys I have don't work in it.

So can I just go to my dealer with my vin to get a new deadbolt key? Or would I have to bring the trailer to them?

[Bumpyroad]

yep, a magnetic key box hidden someplace would be about as secure.
bumpy

[jerem0621]

twins89 wrote:
That is why we have a realtor's lock box attached to one of our propane tanks. This compartment cannot be locked. Sure someone can steal my propane and my lock box but chances are small. The chances we leave the keys home or lose them are greater. The realtor's lock box is a combination that you set and the top lifts off to reveal key or keys. We have a key to the truck, camper, bike rack, and hitch pin lock.

Not for my friends. They came back to camp and their hybrid was stripped clean of their propane tanks, propane stove, and their small propane bottles for the small propane stove. Best we can tell is that people stole it for meth cooking. NOTHING else in the Hybrid was taken.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[mlts22]

This is similar to something called a birthday attack which is mentioned on Wikipedia.

There are replacement key cylinders available which give a lot more key changes, as well as a different key profile so the Fastec keys don't fit. If worried, I'd do that.

I wish I had a decent CNC mill. What I would do is see about designing a RV handle made from high quality steel with Teflon bushings so once put in, one will replace the RV before the handle. The key cylinders, I would use Medeco Logic keys. These are keys that are made to be used and abused, and use both a physical mechanism as well as an electronic chip to prevent it from being opened by picking. Yes, a crowbar or long screwdriver can pry open the door, but it gets rid of the casual "key lottery" or someone with a master key ring getting in without a trace.

A RV is part home. Shouldn't it have at least the same security on the front door as a house?

[twins89]

That is why we have a realtor's lock box attached to one of our propane tanks. This compartment cannot be locked. Sure someone can steal my propane and my lock box but chances are small. The chances we leave the keys home or lose them are greater. The realtor's lock box is a combination that you set and the top lifts off to reveal key or keys. We have a key to the truck, camper, bike rack, and hitch pin lock.