Spare Keys

One thing that our used RV did not come with was an extra set of keys. This made me very nervous. I had one ignition key and one key for each of the storage compartments. I called the dealer and asked if they could contact the previous owner and see if they had a spare set. They said they tried and said that they gave us all the keys that were available.

Thinking that duplicate keys is a fairly easy task, I headed to our local Home Depot and was able to get one of the storage keys made. Turns out they did not have the proper blanks and that the ignition key had a chip in it that required a special blank.

Step 1 Get the blanks

A visit to our local RV store had many different blanks for the storage area, but as luck would have it, they did not have my blanks.

So I turn to the Internet to try and find the correct blanks. While researching I found that many RV’s use the same key for the outside storage areas. You can easily upgrade the locks so that you have a unique key. This will give you extra security during long times away or during winter storage times.

My keys are made by Trimark and have numbers like TM243, Tri1037 and KS200.

A very good source for these keys is RVshop.com. If you can’t find what you are looking for give them a call. I also found one of my keys on Ebay. These keys come either precut or blank.

Step 2 Bring the blanks to a regular hardware store or locksmith

I received my blanks in a week. One thing you should do before you cut them is to try them out in the locks. If you have the correct blank the key should fit in the lock smoothly, but of course it will not turn until it is cut. I sought out a regular hardware store to cut my keys. Our closest hardware store was an Ace Hardware store about 10 miles away. I showed them my project and they were willing to cut the keys for free with no guarantee that they would work. I tried out the cut keys and they all worked fine.

Step 3 Follow the programming steps for your ignition key.

I found my ignition key blank on Amazon for around twelve dollars. These blanks cost more because they contain a programmable chip for extra security. The key came with the blank as well as the programming instructions. The programming instructions can include a series of steps that may include turning the working key on and off, opening the door, or other actions that seem silly. My instructions were to simply turn the working key to run and then off and remove. Insert the new key and turn to run. The RV started up and I was a happy camper with less anxiety about losing my only key. Last step will be to store the key in a secure place outside of the RV in case of a lock out or I misplace my primary set.