How do I replace the external storage door lock on a Black Series HQ?

Answered by RV Parts Giant · Upland, CA · September 25, 2026

Short answer: Note which way the cam points, remove the retaining nut from inside the compartment, withdraw the old lock and fit the genuine replacement so the cam latches in the same direction. The OEM external storage door lock fits HQ12 through HQ22T and comes in four versions: propane tank or kitchen storage door, with or without a key. Check the cam clears the frame before you tighten the nut, and replace a perished seal while the lock is out.

The external storage door lock is the small cam latch that keeps a compartment door shut, and it takes a beating from vibration on corrugated roads. When the cam wears, the key stops turning, or the body cracks, the door rattles open and everything inside gets coated in dust. It is a fifteen-minute swap with a socket or spanner and no special tools.

Which lock you need

The genuine Black Series external storage door lock fits HQ12, HQ15, HQ17, HQ19, HQ21 and TH22 and is sold in four versions:

Version	SKU
With key, propane tank compartment	RVP-00024
With key, kitchen storage	RVP-00024-2
No key, propane tank compartment	RVP-00024-3
No key, kitchen storage	RVP-00024-4

Compartment locks vary by cam length and key code, so identify yours by where it is fitted and by the cam before ordering. The toy-hauler TH19 and TH22 storage compartments use a different part, the compartment locks for TH19 and TH22. If you have only lost the key and the lock is fine, an external storage key is the cheaper fix; quote the code stamped on the lock face.

The job

Open the door and photograph the old lock from inside. Note which way the cam points when locked. The new lock must latch in the same direction or the door will not hold.
Remove the retaining nut on the inside of the door and withdraw the lock body outward through the cut-out. Keep the cam and any spacer washer in order.
Check the door before you fit anything. A door that has dropped on a worn hinge will bind any latch you fit. If the door sags, fix that first.
Fit the new lock, cam pointing the same way, and tighten the retaining nut snug. Do not crank it: the door skin is thin.
Close the door and check that the cam clears the frame and the door pulls firmly against its seal without forcing. Adjust the cam position if it lands short or hits the frame.

While the lock is out

Replace the seal if it is perished. The whole external storage door rubber strip is the genuine one-piece seal for HQ Series compartment doors, and a lock that pulls the door home against a flat, hard seal still lets dust in.

Keeping the new one working

A puff of dry graphite or a dry-film lubricant in the cylinder once a season keeps the key turning after dusty trips. Do not use oil-based sprays in the cylinder; they hold grit. Genuine Black Series locks, keys and seals ship from Upland, California, and if your lock is not one of the versions above, send us a photo and the key code and we will match it.