help, can't refit ignition key barrel

[DamoPeru]

This has been really frustrating. I removed the ignition barrel easily, had a locksmith match the barrel pins to a new coded toyota key, now i can't get the barrel to go back in.

The long arm is under tension and sits inwards in this position, and with the end in that position it catches on a ledge inside and won't go all the way in, going in most of the way except the last half inch.

WIth the arm under pressure in this position it goes in. I managed to get it to go in by adding a shim to hold it in place under pressure, but once in the shim won't fall out and the key won't turn. After hours of F*$&ing around with this I'm about to break something. I'm thinking either I'm doing something wrong or the the locksmith did something and the arm is sitting wrong.... the manual and youtube videos just show to put the key in ACC and insert the barrel until the pin clicks.

 

[DamoPeru]

well I persisted and I finally got it... for the sake of any other poor b@st@rd ever swearing and cursing with this, it involved:

1. put key in ACC at the position where the locking pin is freed. the arm will move in as the key is inserted.
2. try to insert it, just so you can see the point at which it won't go any further. pull it out again.
3. pull the arm of the barrel outwards. get the skinny end of a narrow ziptie, lodging it in the hole along the arm where the arrow head indicates in the photo so the arm stays out.
4. twist the ziptie so it runs inside the rib as shown in photo. i had a short ziptie end that didn't reach the end of the barrel, but it could be long and protrude out (i think it might be easier)
5. then, holding the ziptie in the ridge, insert the barrel, wiggle just past the point you get to without doing this, keep pressure on the barrel and yank the ziptie. In my case the ziptie was short and didn't protrude out so i was yanking with needle-nose pliers

what a waist of an afternoon!