By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

Two preps, one padlock body

The ABUS 83WP-IC/53 is listed twice on our site. One listing is prepped for a small format interchangeable core (SFIC). The other is prepped for a Schlage large format interchangeable core (LFIC). Same weather protected 83 body, same job, different hole for the core. Order the wrong one and the core you already own will not seat. This guide is only about picking between those two. If you want the general story on how the two core sizes differ, we already cover it, and the links are below.

The two models side by side

Model	Core prep	Shackle	ABUS item no.
83WP-IC/53HB63	Small format IC (SFIC), less core	High, 63 mm (2-1/2 inch)	83609
83WP-IC/53 LFIC-SCHLG	Schlage large format IC (full size), less core	5/16 inch diameter, about 1-1/16 inch vertical clearance	83607

Both are sold less core. Neither includes a core, and neither will take the other model's core.

Which prep do you order?

Do not choose by shackle. Choose by the core you already use. Everything else on this list can be worked around; the core cannot.

• Your doors run small format cores: order the 83WP-IC/53HB63. The core you pull from a door lock is the core format this padlock takes.
• Your doors run Schlage large format cores: order the 83WP-IC/53 LFIC-SCHLG.
• You run both: some campuses do. Order the padlock that matches the system the padlock will join, and keep the two control keys straight.
• You do not know: stop and find out. Pull one core with the control key and look at it, or have whoever keys your building tell you the format.

The HB63 listing says it directly: a Schlage large format core will not fit that model, and for Schlage large format cores ABUS builds the LFIC-SCHLG. The LFIC-SCHLG listing says the same in the other direction: small format cores do not fit.

The shackle comes along for the ride

The two models do not share a shackle. That matters when you buy by core format and the shackle is a surprise on delivery. The HB63 is the tall one, 63 mm (2-1/2 inch), for thick hasps, chain and gate latches. The LFIC-SCHLG has a 5/16 inch shackle with about 1-1/16 inch of vertical clearance, the figure from its listing.

If the core format points to the large format model but your hasp needs more reach than 1-1/16 inch, tell us before you order and we will look at it. Do not force the match by buying the other core format. A padlock that fits the hasp but not your key system defeats the whole point of ordering a less core padlock.

Neither one comes with a core

This is the part that trips buyers who have not ordered interchangeable core hardware before. The padlock arrives with the weather cover, the shackle and the empty core cavity. You install a core from your own system with your control key. If you do not have a core to fit, you need one pinned to your system before this padlock is usable.

Three ordering mistakes to avoid

Ordering by what the door hardware brand says. A door with a Schlage lock on it can still run another core format if somebody changed it years ago. A building with mixed hardware can run one core format throughout. Look at the core itself, not the logo on the lever.

Ordering the padlock before the core exists. Padlock and core arrive separately. If the core has to be pinned to your system first, start that request when you start this one, not after the padlock is on the loading dock.

Ordering one of each to be safe. That buys you a padlock you cannot use. If you honestly cannot tell the format, spend ten minutes at the door pulling a core. It is cheaper than a return, and it also tells you something about your key records that you will want to know anyway.

Quick check before you click

1. Small format core on the doors: HB63. Schlage large format core: LFIC-SCHLG.
2. Control key in hand, or a person who has it.
3. A core pinned to the system, or an order for one.
4. The hasp or latch measured against the shackle you picked.

If all four are settled, the order is routine. If one is open, settle it first.

Where the general core story lives

The difference between the small format and large format families, the keyways and how each is controlled is already on the site. Read these rather than a second copy here:

• Best SFIC cores: rekey a building in seconds with a control key for the small format side.
• Kaba Ilco 26026: a zero-bitted LFIC core for how a large format core is handled.

Those pieces explain the systems. This one only points you to the right padlock. See the full lineup on the ABUS page.

Common questions

Can I put a small format core in the Schlage LFIC padlock?

No. The LFIC-SCHLG listing is explicit: it takes Schlage large format cores, and small format cores do not fit.

Will a Schlage large format core fit the 83WP-IC/53HB63?

No. The HB63 is small format only. The model for Schlage large format cores is the 83WP-IC/53 LFIC-SCHLG.

Which has the longer shackle?

The HB63. It has the tall 63 mm (2-1/2 inch) shackle. The LFIC-SCHLG lists a 5/16 inch shackle with about 1-1/16 inch vertical clearance.

Do these padlocks include the core?

No. Both are sold less core. You install a core from your own system using your control key.

Is one of them more weatherproof than the other?

Our listings do not rank them. Both are the weather protected 83WP body, which has a weather cover for outdoor use. Choose on core format and shackle, not on weather.