Defaulting the panel won't help if the keypad is the thing that's locked out, which is why the spare is smart. A 4 button unit in the truck costs less than the 40 minutes you lost on that ladder.

Nope, skipping oil means rust creeps in, keep coating it!

Back in 2019 on the Timberline Trail my buddy Dave's backpack strap ripped right off at the seam near Ramona Falls. He pulled out a boot lace and a golf tee he had in his pocket for some reason and lashed the strap back to the frame with about fifteen wraps. That thing carried 35 pounds for the next 40 miles without a single slip. To this day he swears the golf tee was the key part. It is funny how the dumbest fix in the world can outlast the fancy gear we paid for. Your fish hook trick sounds way smarter than anything I would have come up with in the rain.