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Old 07-22-2018, 08:34 AM   #1
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Your door key may be a skeleton key!

Yesterday, a friend of mine with a 2014 Entegra Aspire locked himself out of his coach. After he called someone to unlock it, I decided to try my door key (not the top deadbolt, the bottom lock that is locked electronically) to unlock it.

It worked! And if my key works in HIS lock, you know what that means about his key.

Be aware of this. If you want extra security, consider locking your deadbolt.
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Old 07-22-2018, 08:56 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeGriffin View Post
Yesterday, a friend of mine with a 2014 Entegra Aspire locked himself out of his coach. After he called someone to unlock it, I decided to try my door key (not the top deadbolt, the bottom lock that is locked electronically) to unlock it.

It worked! And if my key works in HIS lock, you know what that means about his key.

Be aware of this. If you want extra security, consider locking your deadbolt.

Thanks! .... I use my deadbolt exclusively. Can't remember the last time I used the Trimark.
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Old 07-22-2018, 09:11 AM   #3
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I have been told that there is only a handful of key cut variations for the non-deadbolt lock and the only way to be secure is to us the deadbolt. Thank you Mike for this confirming information.
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Old 07-22-2018, 09:29 AM   #4
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Funny, i helped a guy get into his bumper pull camper while ago, since his wife took off with the keys in their car. We always lock the deadbolt also.
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Old 07-22-2018, 11:22 AM   #5
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I always use the deadbolt and not the other lock. I heard some time ago that some of those keys are universal. Why take a chance. It takes the same amount of time to lock/unlock either one.
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Old 07-22-2018, 12:56 PM   #6
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So did anyone check the deadbolt for duplicates?
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Old 07-22-2018, 04:08 PM   #7
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It worked! And if my key works in HIS lock, you know what that means about his key.

Be aware of this. If you want extra security, consider locking your deadbolt.
Thanks for bringing this up. Silly me, I thought the Tri/Mark locks were much more unique than that. All three of my RV's have double Tri/Mark locks -- and I only lock both when the RV's are in storage. When I'm using one of them, I just lock the lower handle lock -- not the deadbolt.

Guess this Old Dog will have to learn a new trick and change his ways.
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Old 07-22-2018, 04:12 PM   #8
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There is also the notion that not using the dead bolt will minimize the damage of someone that wants to break in to your RV. Some have described a lot of damage during break-ins that concluded not using the deadbolt would have been better. If someone wants in, weigh the consequences and also consider a web cam such as a Honeywell Lyric C2 which I use at home and the RV.
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Old 07-22-2018, 04:47 PM   #9
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I was told a while ago that ALL Newmars have the same lower lock key. Anyone with a Newmar (and apparently other coach manufacturers) essentially has a key to your coach if you don't use the deadbolt. That said, just getting back home from a 3 month 8000 mile trip, I never used anything but the lower (electronic) lock. Maybe I'm too trusting, but I've never had a problem with security. Could be our Belgian Mal....
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Old 07-22-2018, 07:42 PM   #10
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At the Gillette rally the Newmar service tech told me if I was going to be away from the coach, to just use the door lock (not dead bolt) because the techs had the standard key and it would open any Newmar door. I always lock the deadbolt.
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Old 07-23-2018, 12:08 PM   #11
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It will stop someone from entering your coach in busy park but at a dealership they may not even lock it or put on a alarm if you have one, a bad guy will smash your door window or another and get in and really damage your stuff as they remove it.
They, dealer, never used mine, which would have woke up neighbors or police as they went through six other coach's.
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Old 07-23-2018, 02:28 PM   #12
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I knew this and still typically only lock the lower tri-mark lock. Unfortunately for me I have to slam the bejesus our of the door to be able to use the dead bolt which we do lock for travel.
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Old 07-23-2018, 04:04 PM   #13
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There is also the notion that not using the dead bolt will minimize the damage of someone that wants to break in to your RV. Some have described a lot of damage during break-ins that concluded not using the deadbolt would have been better. If someone wants in, weigh the consequences and also consider a web cam such as a Honeywell Lyric C2 which I use at home and the RV.
I often find myself weighing the consequences. For me... even with my phone number on the door window, I often wonder if it isn't worthwhile to lock only the lower lock so in the case of an emergency the odds are good someone closer than me will have a key to let my dog out while I am at work.

My dog once hit the lock trying to follow me out early on in my ownership. I called a locksmith and he was doing ungodly things to gain access. At which point I told him to back off while I called Newmar CS for any alternative... even overnight Fedex me a master key or something. That is when I learned there are 4 key variations for my rig. There happen to be another CS rig at the park, so I asked to borrow his key. It worked, I made a new friend and was able to call the guy off. Original trip charge was supposed to be $75, but he charged me $400! Should have known I was in trouble with all his 'fancy rig', 'fancy car', 'must be expensive', 'how you afford it' comments. I started to get scrappy about it and was about to call the police, when I thought... this looks like the kinda guy that would come back with his friends in a few weeks/months and do a whole lot more than $400 damage to my rig.

Perhaps the real kicker... I found the spare in the unlocked storage bin with the power reel. http://www.irv2.com/forums/images/smilies/banghead.gif

NealC - appreciate the camera tip. Having a visual of the inside has been on my bucket list and reminds me to take action. Off to check out the Honeywell Lyric C2. ~cheers
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Old 07-23-2018, 04:21 PM   #14
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The reason for the master key is for the dealers. Can you imagine the problem of carrying 200 sets of keys every mourning to unlock all the units? Salesmen always lock the lower lock and NEVER the deadbolt. By law deadbolts are not keyed for master keys. Anyone who has worked for a camper dealership for 15 minutes has a key to your camper. I carry a set of masters in my motorhome in case someone at the campground gets locked out. I also have a hide a key hidden on the motorhome and the towed. Nothing like being 2000 miles from home and locked out. Don't hide the key in the refrigerator compartment. Half of the ref. I replaced had a hook and a key inside the ref. compartment.
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