Back in the early 50’s my dad would get locked out of his car every now and then. It was a simple matter to go to one of his co-workers and borrow the key to his car to unlock our family Chevrolet, since 3 out of 4 cars in the parking lot were keyed the same.
Oddly enough, RV manufacturers have followed this same idea pretty much from day one. The key that opens the storage compartments on 90% of all RVs is the exact same one.
If your key is a CH751, rest assured virtually everyone who has ever owned an RV of any kind has access to your outside storage compartments!
Keep this in mind when you store your RV for the winter in a public storage facility. Never leave valuables in the storage compartments. Even at the campground, there may be someone just waiting for you to leave your RV unattended so they can help themselves to your possessions.
Always use the deadbolt on the entrance door as well. Standard, easy to obtain, pass keys are sold that will open most RV entrance door locks too.
Don’t just take my word for it, there are lots of RVers attesting to this online…
These [CH751] replacement keys are two of the most popular in the industry. — RV Wholesalers
Your RV isn’t always at a campground with honest people. RV owners might keep them at their house or storage place when not in use. I keep my RV at my house and if someone came along with one of these easily procurable CH751 keys and unlocked my storage compartments to retrieve the items, I probably wouldn’t know for months about the theft. Bottom line is that if your lock is a keyed 751 cylinder, it’s like not having a lock. — TracyLPatt
The CH751 is the most popular key that is used on most RV/Trailers out on the market today. — ToyBoxCovers.com
Most of the RV industry uses the same keyed lock for the compartments. You may also be surprised to know how many doors your door key will work in to. If I walk 150′ in any direction, my front door key will open 1 camper and my back door key will open 3 more. On the one camper, my FD key opens the BD, and my BD key opens its front door. Obviously security isn’t a priority in the industry. — JJBIRISH
The key and lock set used for most RV storage doors is the same one everyone gets. It’s the infamous CH751 set. — Mod My RV
Trailmanor dealer told us all the door locks on the TM’s are the same… one key opens them all. We had brought it in for service and asked if they wanted the key and they said “No, all the doors use the same key and we have it.” — Brigitte
The CH-751 is very common way beyond the RV industry. Lots of different commercial products have CH-751’s on them. Even the doors to our 64 channel tape recorders at 9-1-1 were CH-751. I carried a CH-751 on my keyring for 30 years so that I could do my job efficiently. Especially on RVs, the construction of the doors and latches sure don’t offer high (or medium or low) security. Even if you change the key/lock assembly, they can still be opened with a screwdriver in no time at all. — Steve Collins
More About RV Safety & Security Issues
- RV Fireproof Safes & Other Options For Keeping Your Valuables Safe
- RV Security Improvements: Change Those Locks!
- Videos: How Safe Are Your RV Door Locks?
- RV Lock – A New Security Option For RVers
- CH751 Replacement Keys For RVs
- RV Alarm Systems Provide Added Security
- RV Security Issues To Think About
I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
