Choosing the Right Lock Size

Hi everyone! I’ve recently purchased a belt, not a cage, and I’d like to replace the cheap padlock that came with it with something slightly more durable, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what lock to buy. I understand and have measured all the dimensions, but when I go to a lock makers website and use their handy lock finder, it gives me all sorts of suggestions that I know can’t be correct. Can any of you offer any suggestions on how to figure out what lock to purchase? The padlock works by the shackle sliding around a pin that has a groove in it. When locked, the shackle basically surrounds the pin, keeping the belt on. Thanks in advance!

Can you post a link to the belt, or something to help us figure this out? I can't quite grasp the setup.

I guess I wasn’t so good at describing things! Here’s a photo...it’s not the actual belt that I have, but the lock works the same, The pin has a groove that the shackle slides around. Hopefully you can see in this photo. C544364E-4236-4A2B-84D5-5A7239F61AD9.jpeg C544364E-4236-4A2B-84D5-5A7239F61AD9.jpeg (41.27 KiB) Viewed 3260 times

Got it. You need to look at three measurements. First, the thickness of the shackle's material—the steel bar that goes around the pin. I'd say it’s likely 3/32 or 1/8 inch (0.094 or 0.125). Next up is the inner height from the main body of the lock to where it bends when shut. Lastly, you need the width between those sides. Thinking about it more, these specs are probably metric. If yours is an inexpensive model, just take it off, snap it closed, and measure it yourself. Then check out the Master Lock or ABUS websites for a padlock with matching dimensions. It’s practically guaranteed that your cheap lock is a knockoff of one of those big brands. Update: Here’s the ABUS site for reference. ... -0-to-3-16

I thought I’d found a Master Lock that was close enough to work. It arrived today and is just barely too small for the pin. The quality is much better, but now I have to decide whether it’s worth filing down the belt's pin to make it fit. I spent about an hour browsing the ABUS site; if there was a suitable lock available, I couldn’t spot it anywhere.

I suspect the belt is manufactured in China and uses metric sizing, whereas your Master Lock follows imperial (SAE) standards. You might be better off filing the locking pin.