Help identifying new to me Lyon Drawers

[BOONEY7750]

Facebook score tonight. Lyon unit. Has an odd self locking lock on right I would like to remove. It seems to lock each drawer after opening and closing any single drawer. Seems to be in good shape. About 44” x 28” and 55” tall. Trying to figure out model to order proper dividers and hopefully remove or disable the lock. I have the key. Just do not need to lock. Only tags I could find are faded away.

Thanks.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Do you mean it only allows you to open one drawer at a time, never two or more open to prevent possibility tipping over? If so, that is normal. If not, remove the drawers (they lift out when open) and look at the locking mechanism in the back.

 

[BOONEY7750]

I’ll have to play with it more. However, from the little bit I have messed with it, no, seems as though I can open multiple drawers but once closed they lock.

 

[mikegt4]

Unlike tool boxes these type of storage units are designed so that only one drawer at a time can be opened to prevent tip over. I am assuming that by "locked" you mean you can't pull open a second drawer at the same time as opposed to having to use a key. There is usually a vertical bar inside the cabinet at the back or rear corner that will latch onto the remaining drawers once you start to pull one drawer open. As already mentioned the drawer body can be lifted out once it's fully open to access the locking mechanism. You can remove multiple drawers, even all the drawers, at one time since the lock bar grabs the drawer body itself.

Since it's new to you I would suggest that you take the opportunity to remove all the drawers and clean/lube the slides (they can be lifted out as well) and look at the lock bar to see how it operates. I can guarantee that at some point you will slam a drawer shut and jam the lock bar resulting in not being able to open any drawer. if you understand which way the lock bar needs to move you can slide a flat bar such as a metal yardstick into the slot above the top drawer and manipulate the lock bar enough to disengage it. I have probably opened jammed lock bars a hundred times pre-retirement when I was in charge of fastener storage at a R&D facility with about 20 cabinets.

 

[BOONEY7750]

Thanks. I took your advice. I took all the drawers and slides out. The lock bar set up is neat but overkill for my garage. I cut the bar in half and pulled it out. I left the mechanism in place. I taped the bar to bottom incase I ever wanted to use it again, I’ll just tack it back together. I found several seized bearings, I contacted Lyon. They responded quickly and asked for pictures and dimensions to help identify and get parts. Even though I will likely never do it I do appreciate the I indexed slides and the fact they can be moved around to rearrange drawers. It’s not as smooth as even a cheaper ball bearing tool boxes but the square inches per a drawer is incredible and and cheap at $250 for the unit.

Thanks.

 

[tool_scrounge]

It’s not as smooth as even a cheaper ball bearing tool boxes but the square inches per a drawer is incredible and and cheap at $250 for the unit.

Thanks.

But do the cheaper boxes have 440lb per drawer load capacity? I would recommend oiling all the rollers if you have not already.

 

[Jayman17]

In those types of cabinets, the heavier you load the drawers, the smoother they roll. They don't feel that smooth at all when empty.

 

[BOONEY7750]

Thanks guys. Yup oiled. The fee that are rough have stuck bearings. I agree on construction quality. I was just trying to articulate everything was not smooth yet. None of the drawers are unlivable now, so once I get the few bearing changed and some weight I expect them to be good to go.

 

[GrayFlattop]

Those bearings sometimes seize up when the lube used dries up. Following advice from A GJ post a few years ago, I used a 50/50 mix of ATF & Acetone and soaked the bearings overnight in that. Blew them out with compressed. Worked like a charm

 

[BOONEY7750]

I will load them up and test them (mainly so I can get tools out of old boxes to seek) and try try the soak to free the ones that stick. Appreciate the help and I’ll post back if Lyon has replacement parts for anybody that finds this thread in future.