Quick basic question

[gregs]

I want to take off the back of my door lock in order to tighten it up (it's loose on the door). But have no idea how to do it. There are two holes on the side, and a little metal thing sticking out of the bottom. I assume it is opened using these.





If someone could help me open it it would be much appreciated!

[Zufra]

can you post a pic off the side on the dor. Like a pic where you see the lock from the side.. close up..

[Zufra]

can you post a pic on the side off the dor. Like a pic where you see the lock from the side.. close up..

Sorry

[hydruh]

Those are drainage holes. You would remove the lock from the other side.

S

[gregs]

I feel like a right idiot for not looking there! There are screws on the other side which quite clearly open it. My only other question, is if I were to open it would bits of the lock fly off everywhere? or would it be quite simple for me to open it up and tighten it against the door?

Thanks for your help.

[Major Boothroyd]

Should be quite simple.

[raimundo]

Your cylinder is an abloy classic I think, so no springs there, and no need to even dissasemble it. as to the bolt works, you might want to wrap a towel around it as you remove the capscrew as a precaution, but actually just tighten the screws you can see should do it, unless someone has already overtightened them and ruined the threads cut in the wood, if this has happened, you may have to try some tricks to replace that wood with some glue or something. Bolt anchors made of plastic are probably not the answer from my experience with them.

[Slick Pick]

If I may add to the reply by raimundo:

unless someone has already overtightened them and ruined the threads cut in the wood, if this has happened, you may have to try some tricks to replace that wood with some glue or something. Bolt anchors made of plastic are probably not the answer from my experience with them.

If the holes in the wood are to large for the screws, an old carpenters trick is to put a small amount of wood glue on a round toothpick and insert it in the enlarged hole. Cut the toothpick even with the top of the hole let the glue dry and the screws will go back in nice and tight.

[Engineer]

What I've had to do with wooden doors where the screws have been pulled out is to drill them out - NOT all the way to the front of the door (where it would show) just about 80% of the depth. The fill with a piece of dowelling and wood glue (preferably a very strong wood adhesive like Evo-Stick in the UK - I think Gorilla glue is something similar in the US)? I usually keep a stock of 1/4" dowell and a 1/4" drill bit in my toolbox just for these problems

A good tip is to cut a small groove down the side of the dowel, so the excess glue has a channel to ouze out of as you push the dowel in, otherwise trapped air can make it like a piston and push it out again slightly.

This can make the door almost as strong as new again. However, if it is just repairing a bad DIY job, then fine, but if you are repairing the door after a break-in, then you will need more than just this one lock on the door. Your repair will be very strong, but probably not as strong as it was before the door was damaged...and if they could break it the first time...

So here in the UK, it is very common to have two different locks on a wooden front door. A cylinder and a lever lock.

[raimundo]

Very good post engineer. thanks for that.

[gregs]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Only just got around to doing this. I've now managed to tighten the back of the lock. However, the front bit still moves around when I put the key in. I'm sure that's not good! Any ideas how to sort it?