Have you ever been in a situation like this before? You’re fully locked out of your RV on a trip, all because you forgetfully left your keys inside or the lock is damaged and malfunctioning. If this is your scenario, you must know how to drill out an RV lock with our tips and tricks.
Luckily, there is an effective way to drill out an RV lock. It involves using a high-speed electric drill suitable for metal and drilling into the middle of the key slot. You can start using a hammer and screwdriver to punch a drilling hole.
Keep reading to learn more in-depth how to drill out an RV lock if you’re ever locked out of your recreational vehicle. We’ll touch upon the basic step-by-step instructions and then dive into a list of our best tips to remember when doing so.
Stick around to the end of the article to get answers to frequently asked questions. Now, let’s get into it!
How to Drill Out an RV Lock
If you can’t access a locksmith because you’re on the road and traveling in a foreign place, one of the best ways to get back into your RV is to drill out the lock. You’ll need a pair of safety goggles, a high-speed electric drill with a steel bit between ¼” ⅛,” a hammer, drill oil, a flat-head screwdriver, and a Phillips-head screwdriver.
Follow these basic, step-by-step instructions to safely and effectively get back into your RV:
- Remove the door handle
- Mark a hole for the drill
- Drill out the RV lock
- Remove the RV lock
Remove the Door Handle
Although some people suggest getting right into the drilling, you should ideally remove your door handle before doing so. Removing the handle makes the job much easier on yourself and doesn’t require an extensive toolkit.
All you need to remove an RV door handle in most cases is a Phillips-Head screwdriver that fits the screws on your door handle. Use the screwdriver, whether handheld or motorized, to remove each screw attaching your door handle to your RV.
Once these screws are removed, you can now safely remove the door handle.
Mark a Hole for the Drill
Next, you’ll want to mark yourself a starting hole so you know exactly where to use the drill. This is a guidance point so that when you apply the drill bit pressure, you don’t go off track and waste your time.
Do so by holding a flat-head screwdriver’s point up to the center of the lock cylinder or key slot. Use your hammer to punch a small hole in the spot and use it as a reference.
Drill Out the Lock
Now, you can actually drill out the lock by steadying your high-speed drill with the appropriately sized drill bit. Hold it to your guidance hole and begin drilling perpendicular to the RV door. Work with a steady hand and don’t rush the process, or you could overwork your drill’s motor and ruin the hole.
Once you’ve effectively drilled through the RV lock cylinder, you can power off your drill and set it somewhere safe.
Remove the RV Lock
Finally, you can remove the RV lock cylinder to open the door. The door won’t stay locked without a working lock cylinder. You’ll be able to get back inside, and at this point, you’ll need to replace your RV lock.
5 Tips and Tricks for Drilling Out an RV Lock
Although there are relatively few steps in drilling out your RV lock, there are right and wrong ways. Pay attention to the following tips and tricks to effectively and safely drill out your lock without damaging your RV or your tools.
1. Consider Switching to a Code Lock
If you’ve faced a lock-out situation from your RV even once, then you’ll know just how awful and inconvenient it is. If you’ve had to drill out your RV lock at some point, then you might consider re-fitting it with a code-operated lock going forward.
These locks are pretty secure and safe to use if you don’t need to worry about a key to get into your vehicle.
2. Use a larger Drill Bit
Sometimes, you may even need a drill bit that is ⅜” to drill out your RV lock adequately. You’ll need to start with a smaller drill bit at first. As you start making progress with the drill hole, you can graduate to larger bits.
For best results, always start with an ⅛” drill bit and move up to a ¼” drill bit as the hole expands. Then, use the ¼” drill bit and move on to a ⅜” drill bit as that hole expands.
And when it comes to an RV with a deadbolt lock, you may require an even larger drill bit and hole. To get these doors open when you’re locked out, you’ll likely have to drill a hole up to 2-⅛” in diameter. It all depends on the kind of RV you have and the lock fitted on its door.
Scope out these specifics before you start to drill your lock out.
3. Oil the Drill Bit
One thing to remember when drilling out your lock is that motorized drills must be lubricated as you use them. This is especially true when forcing the bit through strong materials like the metal of RV doors and locks.
As you drill through your RV lock, make sure to add some drill oil to the drill bit periodically. In doing so, you ensure that your drill doesn’t overheat from too much friction building up. As a result, you don’t have to worry about your drill powering off and becoming useless.
4. Be Patient and Keep Drilling
Drilling out an RV lock can be a bit finicky at times. If you’ve drilled the lock out but are still having trouble opening the door, you may need to continue drilling to complete the process.
You’ll need to be especially patient when it comes to dead-bolted RV doors, as it will take longer to drill out the lock. Taking your time ensures you don’t overheat your drill, cause further damage to your RV, or hurt yourself.
5. Keep Tools In Case of an Emergency
This tip is more of a precautionary measure, but it’s still important to remember going forward. If you plan to travel with an RV, it’s important to have a set of tools that you can use to drill out your lock if you ever get locked out of the vehicle.
You could keep these in your RV’s under-chassis storage area, so long as that area has a separate lock from your RV door. This way, you can easily access a drill, drill bits, drill oil, and other tools needed for this DIY solution.
Unfortunately, if you keep all of your keys on the same keychain, you won’t be able to get into your under-chassis storage either. However, you can often acquire these tools from a fellow RV camper while on the road to help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a locksmith to change an RV lock?
If you’ve drilled out your RV lock when locked out of the vehicle, you’ll need to replace it with a new one. You don’t need a locksmith to do this for you, but you do need to obtain the proper size and specifications for a new lock.
Can I reattach my lock after drilling it out?
No, once you drill out an RV lock, which is really a last-resort option, you can’t reattach the lock mechanism. It’s unusable and needs to be replaced with a new lock.
Are all RV locks the same?
No, many RVs use different kinds of locks, from deadbolts to less secure locks. These mechanisms vary in dimensions and general shape, so drilling them out will require you to pay attention to your lock.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever found yourself locked out of your RV without even a spare key, your first step should be to assess the practical ways of getting back in.
But in many cases, on the road, you won’t have access to a locksmith service or other conveniences. So, you need to know how to drill out an RV lock, which may be your last resort option.
After removing the door handle and punching a guide hole with a hammer and screwdriver, use a high-speed drill, drill oil, and varying sizes of drill bits to drill out the lock on your RV door. Once you drill out the lock, you should be able to open your RV door and eventually install a new lock.