Need help fixing or installing a lock? We welcome questions from the public here! Sorry, no automotive questions, please.
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by Jbarn33 » 15 Feb 2023 12:00
Hello,
Hopefully someone can offer some help as I tried looming for other relevant posts but couldn't find what I was looking for. I have 2 assa 6000 series deadbolts that I went to install on thr front and back door of my house and it seems as if the holes that were already in the door are not correct. Has any one encountered this before? The deadbolts are all the 2 3/8 not the larger commercial ones so I'm not sure why it doesn't work. Does this mean I need to buy new doors and drill the holes myself if I want new locks??
Thanks in advance.
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Jbarn33
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by Squelchtone » 15 Feb 2023 13:02
If you measure from the middle of existing hole to the edge of the door, you can get your current backset measurement. Let us know that measurement please.
Is the exisitng hole 2-1/8 inch in diameter?
Thank you, Squelchtone
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Squelchtone
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by demux » 15 Feb 2023 14:33
Also, knowing exactly what you mean by "are not correct" would be useful. Does the cylinder and chassis not fit into the cross bore? Does the bolt itself not fit into the edge bore? Do things fit but the alignment is off (e.g. bolt faceplate sticks out from door edge, tailpiece doesn't line up with bolt, etc)? Posting a pic or two might be helpful.
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by Jbarn33 » 15 Feb 2023 17:11
Squelchtone wrote:If you measure from the middle of existing hole to the edge of the door, you can get your current backset measurement. Let us know that measurement please.
Is the exisitng hole 2-1/8 inch in diameter?
Thank you, Squelchtone
Looks like the backset on the door is about 2 1/4 As for the hole, that one is coming in closer to 2 3/8
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Jbarn33
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by Jbarn33 » 15 Feb 2023 17:14
demux wrote:Also, knowing exactly what you mean by "are not correct" would be useful. Does the cylinder and chassis not fit into the cross bore? Does the bolt itself not fit into the edge bore? Do things fit but the alignment is off (e.g. bolt faceplate sticks out from door edge, tailpiece doesn't line up with bolt, etc)? Posting a pic or two might be helpful.
So it's tight but I can get the bolt in but it's like I still need another 1/4 inch or so to get it fully set in. Like the hole it's self needs to be a 1/4 inch over more towards the hinge side. Also the hole seems slightly too big for the new lock assembly itself.
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Jbarn33
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by Squelchtone » 15 Feb 2023 18:28
What kind of lock was removed from the door to make room for the ASSA?
As demux said, could you share a photo or two? Thank you!
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by Jbarn33 » 15 Feb 2023 18:52
Squelchtone wrote:What kind of lock was removed from the door to make room for the ASSA?
As demux said, could you share a photo or two? Thank you!
Sorry, I'm having issues posting pictures but it's a basic Callan deadbolt. Similar to any run of the mill kwikset
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by demux » 16 Feb 2023 9:44
Like I said, seeing a pic or two would help, but from your description it sounds like whoever prepped this door did not do a good job. Lower end residential locksets tend to be a lot more forgiving of bad prep work than higher end/commercial stuff. I suspect that's where you're running into trouble.
I'm not sure what your level of comfort in woodworking is, but if the error is small, you could try to reshape the bore to make the new lockset fit. You'll want to be very careful about this, so as to not cause more damage to the door or end up with part of the bore accessible around the escutcheon (which could compromise the security of your new lock). Also, you'll want to be careful to not blow out the finish on either side of the door as you're doing this. When I encounter these situations, I usually use a rotary rasp in a drill to reduce those chances, but clamping a scrap block on either side of the door is also a good idea.
If you're not sure what I'm talking about here, or are not comfortable doing this work, you might consider calling a professional to redo the door prep so the lockset fits properly. If you get this wrong, it's very easy to completely destroy the door to the point that it's basically impossible to install any lockset, and that's a very expensive fix.
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by billdeserthills » 16 Feb 2023 11:43
ASSA and other high security deadbolt locks are very picky, they are made for professional installation & are very much unlike Kwikset & Schlage which are designed to be quick & easy to install
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by cledry » 22 Feb 2023 6:57
You can either pay somone to sort it out. Quick job for a locksmith. The alternative is to put a wood dowel into the hole on the edge of the door, make sure it is a tight fit. Now you will have somewhere for a pilot bit in a 2 1/8" hole saw and can correct the issue.
I see this a lot where someone planes the latch side of a door because it is tight fitting. The propper method is to plane the hinge side and reset the hinges.
Jim
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by demux » 22 Feb 2023 14:34
If you attempt to do it yourself, just make sure you measure very carefully before you put the drill through the door. First, to make sure you are at the proper backset so you don't have the same problem over again. Second, to make sure that the resulting hole will not be too wide that it leaves a gap at the strike side. Such a gap could cause your deadbolt to not install properly, and could also be used to compromise the security of your lock. If such a thing happens you'll need to either install a scar plate or completely patch and re-drill. I'm not personally a big fan of scar plates as I think they look tacky, but I can see why they have their place - much more expensive to re-drill.
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