Losing My Mind: I Now Have a Truck With No Keys

Long story, but I have a 1995 F350 with no keys. Broke my own rule of thumb and had my back up set on the same key ring, that key ring is now lost, and unfortunately my third set of keys cannot be located.

Other than the inconvenience, I have had a pretty wonky ignition switch for a while, but I was hesitating to replacing the key switch as when I did it on my last truck my ignition switch was "it's own", meaning I had a separate key for the door, the glovebox door and of course the "new" ignition key.

Well now that I have no choice but to get a new key cut, I figure I would post this latest conundrum and see if anybody had any thoughts on the best way to proceed.

As always thanks for the help figuring out my latest in a long list and of mistakes

I've never had a reason to lock the glove box. I bought lock cylinders for the doors and a new ignition cylinder. I have an ignition key and a door key. Works fine for me.

The 92+ I think came with one key. I would buy both sets and have a locksmith match the ignition cylinder to the door keys if it bothers you. Shouldn't be too expensive.

hint hint
amazon sells a keyed alike sett of 3 for the obs

These are wonderful options. This forum is always full of great options.

I gotta ask, because I'm kind tired, cranky and irritated that I managed to lose my effing keys, but is there any way for me to tell what key was in it? Just trying to be super lazy, I know it isn't going to work out, just trying to weigh all my options (even the bad ones )

lotzagoodstuff said:

These are wonderful options. This forum is always full of great options.

I gotta ask, because I'm kind tired, cranky and irritated that I managed to lose my effing keys, but is there any way for me to tell what key was in it? Just trying to be super lazy, I know it isn't going to work out, just trying to weigh all my options (even the bad ones )

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huh? wha?
i would hope you were using a Ford 10-cut key in the ignition.
if you ignition still can turn, you're in good shape. If not.....break out the drill

pull a door cylinder, take to locksmith, have 'em smoke a key

towcat said:

huh? wha?
i would hope you were using a Ford 10-cut key in the ignition.
if you ignition still can turn, you're in good shape. If not.....break out the drill

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I haven't touched it yet, but I did manage to get into the truck using the old fashioned (coat hanger on the door unlock button). I swear I had a spare ignition key inside but nope.

I believe I had to cycle the key to install my last ignition lock cylinder, so I am guessing the only really choice is to pull the door cylinder and see if I can have a new key made from that.

Was trying to get out of pulling the door panel, but no free lunches for me today.

lotzagoodstuff said:

I believe I had to cycle the key to install my last ignition lock cylinder,

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Just because that's the easy way doesn't make it the only way



My choice would depend on how much getting a key made would cost. If you need to replace the ignition cylinder anyway. Most of these you can get out if you pull the column apart. I'm too cheap to spend $50 on a key I'll just be using once.

Depends on your skill set too. If you're afraid of all the little tiny parts in the column, there's no shame in that. $50 could be a good piece of mind in that case!

chillman88 said:

Just because that's the easy way doesn't make it the only way



My choice would depend on how much getting a key made would cost. If you need to replace the ignition cylinder anyway. Most of these you can get out if you pull the column apart. I'm too cheap to spend $50 on a key I'll just be using once.

Depends on your skill set too. If you're afraid of all the little tiny parts in the column, there's no shame in that. $50 could be a good piece of mind in that case!

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That would probably be the route I went if I was going at this alone... Just because I have a tendency to lose stuff no matter how hard I try not to... I've tried the veggies trick, magnetic trays, all of it. And stuff Frekin grows legs and walks away.

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Thatoneguy said:

Just because I have a tendency to lose stuff no matter how hard I try not to... I've tried the veggies trick, magnetic trays, all of it. And stuff Frekin grows legs and walks away.

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You and me both brother. Did an engine swap and had 4 bolts left over. 14mm diameter by like an inch and a half or so. Never did find what they went to. Truck was fine for 4 years until I pulled the engine a couple months ago to clean frame and replace motor mounts lol

lotzagoodstuff said:

Was trying to get out of pulling the door panel, but no free lunches for me today.

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Never done it on an OBS, but plenty of times on Brick and Bullnose trucks(so I assume OBS) you don't have to pull the door panel, in fact I don't suggest it at all. To pull/replace door lock cylinder you need a flatish pry bar, needle nose vise grips, and a small screwdriver/pointy thing. There's a clip on the door in the door jamb area, pry it out most of the way but not all the way out of the door this will release the lock cylinder. Pull the lock out through the outside of the door, there's an arm and bar attached, pull it out enough to put the vise grips on the bar to hold it. There's an E-clip holding the arm on the back of the lock cylinder, pull out the E-clip with screwdriver/pointy thing. Reverse to reinstall.

lotzagoodstuff said:

I believe I had to cycle the key to install my last ignition lock cylinder, so I am guessing the only really choice is to pull the door cylinder and see if I can have a new key made from that.

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Taking the door cylinder to a locksmith would work but door cylinders are cheap. However the ignition cannot be taken out in one piece without the key. Only locksmith option there is to bring locksmith and truck together. Easier and cheaper to replace it with a new one.


Same as above never done OBS but done a few Brick and Bullnose. On those to remove the ignition cylinder there's a pin that needs to be pushed in. It can't be pushed in without turning the key, if you don't have a key you have to drill down the center of the lock until you can push that pin in. I can't recall of the top of my head the correct drill size and depth to drill. But 7/16 about 1-3/4" sounds right. Basically break the chrome part off with a hammer, then drill down the lock while pushing the pin in, when you can push it in you're done.

You probably already got this fixed --- anyway :

Now would be a good time to eliminate the function of the column-mounted key-switch and divide those tasks into individual dash-mounted switches with no key required unless you just wanted to include a key-switch in the mix.

It is a simple matter to pull the steering wheel and disable the column-lock mechanism.

The rest of the work can be accomplished by accessing the wires under the dash.

No key necessary for this modification.

You will thank me for suggesting this on all those dark rainy in bad neighborhood occasions when you are not stranded due to a column-switch failure.

On brick/bullnose trucks, the ignition switch rod goes down the top of the column, easily accesable. You can just cut the rod, bend it up, and actuate the switch manually.

On my '92 obs, I haven't messed with the key because for some reason it will accept /ANY/ key - including a raw key blank.
That's actually pretty nice from a convienience standpoint, but I'm not yet sure /why/ it works that way.

On my '93 obs, the ignition key works how it's supposed to, so I just leave a key in the ignition.

Macrobb said:

On my '92 obs, I haven't messed with the key because for some reason it will accept /ANY/ key - including a raw key blank.
That's actually pretty nice from a convienience standpoint, but I'm not yet sure /why/ it works that way.

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We used to have an old 91 1/2-ton gas-burner that you could just turn the shiny "ears" where the key was supposed to go and it would turn to any position with no key at all.

Two different outfits that I often drive for have a small steel cable ran through the key and around the column and permanently crimped together in such a manner that the key cannot be removed from the key-hole; there is just enough slack in the cable to allow for turning the key.
On the better trucks that have the key-switch mounted in the dash, the cable passes through the key and is permanently fixed to the dash; on these trucks, you can remove the key from the key-hole but you can't remove it from the truck.
I have never seen a door key for any of these trucks; I don't know what they will do whenever someone locks and shuts both doors.

In that case does a screwdriver work also?