Old Sargent & Greenleaf Floor safe only unlocks when tilted

[Squelchtone]

Turn left at least 4 times
Stopping on 99
Right 2 times past 53
Stopping on 3rd time
Left 1 time past 11
Stopping on second time
Right SLOWLY open

Almost every other combination lock I've seen starts off turning right. I think I figured out a combination turning to right but I would have to go back and look at my notes. This one seemed more consistent... at the time.

Based on the lock model you have your combination should be Left Right Left with a final turn Right to retract the bolt.

The shorthand would be this:

Lx4 99
Rx3 53
Lx2 11
Rx1 to stop


The longhand version would be this:

Turn dial Left passing 99 three times and stopping on 99 the fourth time around
Turn dial Right passing 53 two times and stopping on 53 the third time around
Turn dial Left passing 11 one time and stopping on 11 the second time around
Turn dial Right slowly until the dial stops hard and does not allow you to turn the dial any farther.


Squelchtone

[D-Rack]

I have a question...

If you turn the dial so the drive cam gate is directly below the lever nose, does the lever drop into the gate while the lock is flat? What I am checking for is if the spring that can be seen on the lever and around the lever bolt is intact. I have opened one of those before where the lever spring looked good, but was in fact broken and not applying tension pushing the lever into the drive cam.

In one of the second set of pictures where the bolt is at the bottom of the picture - the spring part of the picture is slightly out of focus, but it does not appear that the spring is pushing snugly against the lever. That might explain the lock operating if the lock/door is at enough of the correct angle to allow gravity to pull the lever down into the drive cam gate, and not when the door/lock is flat.

Just my two cents. I could be wrong - certainly wouldn't be the first time.

Gordon

The lever drop arm seems to have plenty of tension on it. It is not loose . see my response above.

I did a video with both back plates removed, even one with discs. I turned the lock upside down and every direction and the lever moves properly even upside down. So I think the spring is good.
One thing I noticed was the 90 degree piece on the lever that should fall in placed between the slots in the discs appears to be very very close to same depth as the cover plate. I'm wondering if this part of the lever is touching the back plate and causing it to hang. However, it does not appear to be loose or any play in it. I may try and make a "gasket" or something to give it just a fraction bit more clearance and try it. Any other ideas are more than welcomed!