Re: Key cylinder failure on factory box
This probably needs to be a Sticky since it has happened to quite a few people now. These pictures and this method are courtesy of my friend Don Yates in New Albany, Mississippi. He had this issue and took some time to figure out just how to get back into his boxes so he could fix it. A very small amount of loctite on those screws will keep them in place, but do NOT get it on the plastic or it will eat the plastic badly. The screws from the factory are T-10 Security Torx screws.
There is a fairly easy way to get the hinge pins out. The pins are in blind holes, but the plastic is very soft. You can heat up a small, pointed object like a nail, needle, small punch, etc. and poke it thru the back to push out the pin. It won't take much of a tap to push the pin out enough to grab and pull out the rest of the way.
So you have this:
You need this:
Needle, hammer, fire & Needle nose pliers or vice grips. You need the small tip to give access so you have room to tap with the hammer.
You get your needle hot:
Now poke it through from the back of the hinge to push out the pin:
Once you have felt it hit the metal of the pin, now give it a light tap:
You may need a few light taps, but then you will see the knurled head of the pin push out the other side:
Now grab that with your vise grips or pliers and gently ease it on out. It should come easily once past the knurling:
Once you have both hinges off, you can reach in under the lid and use a long screwdriver or other tool to trip the 'J' hook on the latch and remove the lid from the box.
After you have found or replaced the screws on the lock(s), re-assemble the hinges, making sure to put the pins in with the knurled end out, smooth end going in the hole first.
To finish this project off, heat up an old flat blade screwdriver tip and use it to wipe across the needle hole you made at the beginning. Just one light wipe will seal the hold up again and make it barely noticeable.