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Lost my key to my Craftsman riding mower, any ideas on replacements?

Thanks

Dan

aherndf said:

Lost my key to my Craftsman riding mower, any ideas on replacements?

Thanks

Dan

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home depot. or sears.

Any repair shop should have replacements. I think sears uses the standard acme key.

Rivets said:

Any repair shop should have replacements. I think sears uses the standard acme key.

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Yep, my 2 are a year apart but the keys fit both of them.

Most of them you can stick anything in the hole and it will work

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I used a small screwdriver until I got a replacement from Sears direct.

Mine uses an INDAK key. Bought 2 on ebay for $2 with free shipping.

Who needs keys? First thought to come to mind was to replace the key switch with any ole type of switch. Like a rotary or toggle or what have you. Even get fancier and take a length out of the hot wire to the key switch and make a custom jumper to complete the circuit. But then again maybe that's not a good idea where you got kids around.

the key switch is not just a simple switch, besides starting and energizing the rest of the eletrics on the mower... it does play a part in safety.. imagine a toddler walking up to the mower and just flipping switches! A key is the 1st line of defense against that.

Pstreicher said:

Who needs keys? First thought to come to mind was to replace the key switch with any ole type of switch. Like a rotary or toggle or what have you. Even get fancier and take a length out of the hot wire to the key switch and make a custom jumper to complete the circuit. But then again maybe that's not a good idea where you got kids around.

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Just had a person bring me a JD 180 this AM. He did just what you said and replaced his key switch with a toggle switch. After his great repair job he couldn't get his mower to charge his battery. After installing a new key switch I found he was very lucky because he only blow the fuse to his voltage regulator and didn't burn up any wires. Mower keys are cheap and easy to replace not like the newer cars.

It goes to show just replace the switch it is the right way and easier than putting in the 4 toggle switches you in most cases would need.

There are a lot of people that think the keys to the mower are the only ones they don't know that just about any mower key will work.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

Carscw said:

It goes to show just replace the switch it is the right way and easier than putting in the 4 toggle switches you in most cases would need.

There are a lot of people that think the keys to the mower are the only ones they don't know that just about any mower key will work.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

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Yah mower keys are pretty universal and sometimes work in forklifts, elevators, paper towel dispensors, toilet paper dispensors, some electrical boxes, some sprinkler boxes and much more.

Also to replace the key to my nissan titan is 85 dollars :/