It is necessary to get information about the alternative methods to unlock your truck door. Sometimes, people forget the keys inside the semi trucks, and entering the interior cabin and opening the doors becomes challenging. Breaking the lock is not a reliable option because it can also damage its components.
How To Unlock Semi-Truck Door? You can unlock a semi-truck door using the locking picking method, key fob app, hiring a locksmith, using plastic strips, a screwdriver, an old cloth hanger or metal wire, wedge, and shoelace or string.
Sometimes, people accidentally drop the keys on the road and cannot find them. However, it is necessary to check your surroundings and sleeper cabin to find the misplaced key. You can access the interior cabin through the opened window instead of trying risky methods.
Plastic strip
The plastic strip method is only reliable for old semi-truck models because modern ones have advanced automatic locking systems.
You can make the plastic strips from the old credit or gift cards. It is necessary to ensure the hardness of these plastic strips so they can withstand the pressure without breaking.
Avoid using delicate strips because these can break inside and worsen the procedure. Trim these plastic strips carefully to insert them between the door frame.
Insert the plastic strips inside the frames and reach the locking mechanism. Apply pressure on the pulling mechanism and lift the plastic strip upward. It will pop open, and you can hear the clicking sound.
Use of screwdriver
Many semi-truck drivers prefer to keep screwdrivers of different sizes with them to cope with emergencies. You can also use these screwdrivers to open the door’s lock.
Select the screwdriver according to the hole size so they can get inside and access the locking mechanism. Insert the screwdriver inside the hole and move it in a clockwise direction.
Turning the screwdriver allows the locking pins to move upward and open the door. Carefully perform the procedure because excessive pressure can damage the pins and locking mechanism.
Use alternate key options
It is necessary to keep the spare keys with you to avoid challenging situations while driving on the road.
Keeping additional keys is essential because sometimes you cannot hire a locksmith while traveling in remote and urban areas.
Moreover, you do not have specialized tools to open the doors. Sometimes, people can misplace the original keys on the road because of the distractions.
They also forget these inside the sleeper cabin while resting. You can use the spare key to get inside the interior cabin without damaging any of their components and getting worried about the situation.
Lock picking
You can use the lock-picking method, but it is a slightly tricky procedure, and you have to be careful.
In addition, it is risky and can damage the complete locking mechanism and other components. Moreover, it requires some time, and you have to purchase the lock-picking kit to perform it.
I prefer to hire a locksmith to perform this method instead of doing it myself, which results in damages and costly repairs.
Purchase a suitable lock-picking kit from the market that is correct according to the size of the door lock. The kit comes with a pick and an L-shaped tension wrench.
Moreover, it is necessary to determine the type of the lock before trying the lock-picking method. These are double-sided wafer locks if the keys have teeth on both sides.
It is a single wafer lock if the key contains teeth on one side. Insert the L-shaped tension wrench in the keyhole and apply a slight pressure while turning it clockwise.
Insert the pick on the upper side of the lock and lift the waffles by applying pressure. It is essential to turn the tension wrench while doing the above step.
You can hear the clicking sound by lifting the waffle and pulling the pick upward. You can also use paper clips and bobby pins if a picking kit is not available.
Key fob app
Most modern semi-trucks come up with a key fob. You can remotely lock and unlock your vehicle’s doors while using these small remotes.
These smart keys are beneficial because you do not have to get up to open the doors every time. However, these can also become faulty and worsen your situation.
These stop functioning because of damaged buttons, moisture exposure, and dead batteries. These remotes work through radio frequency signals, and adverse weather conditions and interferences of radio devices interrupt their normal functioning.
One of my school friends was a semi-truck driver, and he mostly hauled liquid material from one place to another, which was challenging for him. I was sitting with him in a café last week, and he told his story.
He said he was staying on the road, and the key fob batteries suddenly died. He moved here and there but did not find any spot to purchase new batteries.
He called the locksmith to access and resolve the issue. However, some trucks are equipped with modern technologies, and you can install the key fob apps on your smartphone.
You can use these apps when remote controls stop functioning.
Hire locksmith
Many people prefer to hire a semi-truck locksmith when they get stuck in a challenging situation on the road. It is best to call the locksmith and spend money on them instead of paying for costly damages and repairs.
Calling a locksmith does not cost you much; you have to pay them according to your location and the extent of your problems.
They have all the necessary tools to open the door locks. In addition, these are experts and cannot damage any components while performing the reliable procedure.
Moreover, they also have duplicate keys to open the locks so as not to cause damage while using other tools. However, I would call the towing companies to pull the vehicle to the dealership if there is no locksmith nearby.
Old cloth hanger or metal wire
Old cloth hangers are readily available in your home, and it is necessary to keep these in your truck so you can tackle emergencies.
You can also use thin metal wires instead of metal cloth hangers. Dismantle the metal wires of the cloth hanger so they can get inside from the sides of the door frame.
Insert the metal hanger inside and access the pull mechanism to open it. Moreover, you can also press the lock and unlock button with the hanger or sturdy metal wires.
These are also beneficial to open and close windows so you can access the locking mechanism with your hands.
Use a probe and wedge
Wedges are inflatable devices that create a gap between the semi-truck door and their frames. You can use this method for the doors that are easy to separate from the frames.
Put the wedges on the bottom side of the weather stripping and inflate these. Inflated wedges create space in its frames, and you can insert thin wires or probes inside to access the locking system.
Insert the thin probe inside and apply pressure on the pull mechanism to open it.
Shoelaces or string
Many people use the string or shoelace method to open their semi-truck locks without a key. These two tools are readily available at the spot, and you do not need to move in your surroundings and purchase the specialized equipment for door unlatching.
It does not work for the latest models because they have advanced automatic locks.
Tie a knot in the middle of the shoelace or string and make a loop according to the size of your finger. You can open it using a wedge according to the string’s diameter or shoelace.
Insert the shoelace or string from the frame and grab both ends in your hands. Move the shoelace forward by holding these from both sides.
Take the slipknot and looped end near the upright lock, then tie the knot to close the loop. Pull the shoelace upward to unlatch the lock and open the door.
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