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S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Forgot how to dial the combination on that old safe? Think you got the right numbers but the handle is stuck? What safe should you buy? Ask your safe questions here!
Forum rules
You are posting this in This Old Safe, a public area of the forum.

Safe manipulation discussion is allowed, but safe drilling or other destructive entry is only allowed in the Advanced - Safes and Safe Locks area.

If you are a guest of the forum and have a safe you need to open, but you do not have the combination, we cannot tell you how or where to drill it.

Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Dave844 » 25 Sep 2020 12:09

Yes the marks on the wheels and nuts are aligned on every wheels.

I was acutally looking at that post earlier, this is good there's a lot of information.
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby MartinHewitt » 25 Sep 2020 13:43

Can you describe with a bit more detail, what behaviour you see from your lock?
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Squelchtone » 25 Sep 2020 14:02

Dave844 wrote:Update!

I fixed one of the lock, there was a misaligment of the nuts in the wheels, some was in the unlocked mode.
As for lock #2, which is the most important one, I did the same thing re-aligned the nuts and I could turn the dial again.

But now the problem I have with this second lock is that it doesn't take the combo change and I did the same procedure as all the locks I have here including the one I fixed earlier. I'm trying the combo after the change and I can't open the lock.


Make sure when the combo is changed one of the numbers isnt dialed to the opening index. I've done that before....

is the safe door still open?? you may have to take the cover off and use a screw driver to align all 3 wheel gates and dial them like a rotary phone under the "beak", then put the cover back on, insert the change key, turn it, and set a new combination.

watch this video:


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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Dave844 » 25 Sep 2020 15:00

Squelchtone wrote:
Dave844 wrote:Update!

I fixed one of the lock, there was a misaligment of the nuts in the wheels, some was in the unlocked mode.
As for lock #2, which is the most important one, I did the same thing re-aligned the nuts and I could turn the dial again.

But now the problem I have with this second lock is that it doesn't take the combo change and I did the same procedure as all the locks I have here including the one I fixed earlier. I'm trying the combo after the change and I can't open the lock.


Make sure when the combo is changed one of the numbers isnt dialed to the opening index. I've done that before....

is the safe door still open?? you may have to take the cover off and use a screw driver to align all 3 wheel gates and dial them like a rotary phone under the "beak", then put the cover back on, insert the change key, turn it, and set a new combination.

Squelchtone


This is exactly what I've been doing:

1. Take cover off
2. Realign wheels(making sure the nuts are in the locked position)
3. Put cover back on
4. Insert key + Turn CCW 90 degrees
5. Input new combo on the changing index
6. Turn key CW 90 degrees while the last number of the combo is still aligned on the changing index
7. Try new combo, but not able to unlock it
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby MartinHewitt » 25 Sep 2020 15:33

If you dial at step 7 the combination, stop at the last number and open the lock, what do you see then? Are all gates at the same position? Is the position slightly of? Is it quite a bit to the left? Some random gate positioning? Something else?
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Squelchtone » 25 Sep 2020 21:16

Are the wheels being turned the correct number of revolutions in each direction while setting or dialing the combination? Is the last number of the new combination possibly in the forbidden zone?

After changing the combination and turning the change key back 90 degrees to lock the combination in place, you're removing the change key from the back of the safe lock before trying to open the lock by dialing the combination, right?

Here are the factory instructions in case you think there might be a missing step somewhere:


Important: You must have the correct change key. Do not set the third number of the combination between 5 and 11 on a lock with a dial splined at 50. The “forbidden zone” can shift slightly due to installation and tolerances, but will always be between 4 and 12. Do not set adjacent numbers of the combination within five numbers of each other. Do not remove lock cover. If an error is made, re-dial the entire combination.


A U8 change key is required to change the combination. If you do not have a change key please contact your safe manufacturer or one of our distributors to purchase one.



Index Insert
1. Using the existing combination on the opening index, unlock combination lock, and open safe door. Relock lock with safe door open.

2. Dial the existing combination again, using the changing index (at the 11 o’clock position). Keep the third number aligned on the changing index.

3. Insert change key into key hole on the lock’s cover. Change key must be completely inserted.

4. Rotate key left 90 degrees.

5. Enter a new three number combination using the changing index, dialing as follows:

Turn dial left until the first new number aligns with the changing index the fourth time.
Turn dial right until the second new number aligns with the changing index the third time.
Turn dial left until the third new number aligns with the changing index the second time.
Turn the dial right ten numbers.
6. Rotate change key right 90 degrees until it stops. Remove change key.

7. Using the opening index, check new combination at least three times.



After changing the opening code, the lock should be opened and locked several times with the safe door open. Important: Do not select codes such as birthdays or other predictable data which could give a correlation between the user and the opening code.


Here is the Sargent & Greenleaf safe lock troubleshooting guide https://www.lockreference.com/wp-conten ... -Guide.pdf



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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Dave844 » 26 Sep 2020 7:25

MartinHewitt wrote:If you dial at step 7 the combination, stop at the last number and open the lock, what do you see then? Are all gates at the same position? Is the position slightly of? Is it quite a bit to the left? Some random gate positioning? Something else?


I will take a look later and report back with the results.

Squelchtone wrote:5. Enter a new three number combination using the changing index, dialing as follows:

Turn dial left until the first new number aligns with the changing index the fourth time.
Turn dial right until the second new number aligns with the changing index the third time.
Turn dial left until the third new number aligns with the changing index the second time.
Turn the dial right ten numbers.

6. Rotate change key right 90 degrees until it stops. Remove change key.

7. Using the opening index, check new combination at least three times.

Squelchtone


The only thing I haven't been doing in the whole procedure is in bold, I never turn the dial 10 numbers after I input the last number of the new combo.
I will try that too.
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby MartinHewitt » 26 Sep 2020 7:31

The purpose of the turn right 10 is to distance the drive cam from the last wheel so an accidental touch on the wheel can't disturb the combination. So it is not really necessary, but can prevent problems.
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Dave844 » 28 Sep 2020 7:51

Alright here are the pictures from the lock after I entered the combination, I'm no expert but to me it seems that it should unlock since the gates are all lined up down there by the fence.
Sorry for the pictures quality I have some old camera and I can't use my phone.

Image

Image
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby femurat » 28 Sep 2020 7:58

Why is the cam gate on the opposite side? Turn the dial al least 180 degrees and it should stop and unlock.

Cheers :)
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Dave844 » 28 Sep 2020 8:09

I just let the dial on the last number and took the back cover off to take the pictures.
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby MartinHewitt » 28 Sep 2020 10:37

Are you pushing in the dial at 0?
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby billdeserthills » 28 Sep 2020 12:15

MartinHewitt wrote:Are you pushing in the dial at 0?
Last edited by billdeserthills on 28 Sep 2020 12:16, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby Dave844 » 28 Sep 2020 12:16

Lol yes I was pushing on the dial.

I found the issue after taking out the lever, the little pin/spring that is supposed to be in the area I circled on the picture was not in its place anymore. So I guess the lever wasn't moving enough and pulling enough on the bolt when the dial was pushed.


Image
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Re: S&G safe/vault dial stuck

Postby stratmando » 28 Sep 2020 17:43

If the Nuts are out of sync, can the Rear wheel be left where it is, put change key, pull out so it turns all but the rear, pull out a little more and repeat, for remaining nuts, to get all in sync
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