Hello, I posted about a week ago regarding a faulty lock (http://community.screwfix.com/threads/door-lock-reversing-mortise.152456/) Well, I bought a replacement (Amazon photo below, their copyright I guess) which arrived this morning. I cannot fit this as the mortise is facing the wrong direction. I assumed that this could be corrected by undoing the screw at the back of the mortise and reversing it. But the screw seems to be 'loctited' in. I've emailed the supplier and will have to wait for their response. I was hoping to fit before the weekend's out. Am I missing something in trying to reverse this? Help would be much appreciated. Thanks Steve
Should be reversible Steve. Possible the screws have a light coating of loctite just to keep them in place. Did you not get any instructions with the lock?
It must be a pretty strong Loctite if you can't shift it (studlock ?) The normal grades, 220 & 240 are normally used to prevent threads working loose under vibration.
Thank you all for your feedback and help. No instructions supplied (just a delivery note), screw is damn tight. I've tried to loosen our old one and the new one, with the lock in a Workmate vise and a new posidrive bit in a screwdriver and much of my weight pushing it down and applying lots of torque by hand. The screwhead is soft enough to tear before loosening the thread :-( Looks like another job that I can't finish off in a reasonable time. Have a good week everyone, Steve
You probably need an impact driver to crack the thread lock, once that cracked they should come undone real easy.
Try heating the screws with a soldering bolt, usually works for me. Make sure your driver is a good fit to avoid stripping the screws.
Thanks Phil and Joiner, I've an impact driver, just like the picture, I use it about once every twenty years, so anothe ruse is due I suppose!! As the screw goes though a plastic piece I'd be wary of applying heat. I don't feel that a supplied item should not need all this palaver to orientate it before fitting. I'll wait and see how the supplier responds to my email. I'll report back here as to the outcome. Cheers, Steve
Are you sure there is not a screw through the catch(it appears there are in the lockbolt) allowing it to be reversed there ?
Mr Handy Pandy, the catch ? assume you mean the mortice ? The same part that original post states he can not loosen screw from.
Steve, is it not a simple job of taking the 3 or 4 screws out of the cover plate, removing the spring behind the latch, taking the latch out and turning it round and re-assembling the lock ?
Since when was the catch called the mortise? A mortise is a hole or cut made to put a tenon in. If anything, the catch would be called a tenon. If I'm confused, it's not my fault. If MJ was indeed talking about that screw in that part, then I would suggest taking the plate cover off and turning the 'catch' complete. Mr. HandyAndy - Really
If the whole plates can be removed, I cannot see how :-( It seems to me that part of the assembly process involves riveting or peening over studs. So not a reworkable fix. Irritating isn't it!! Cheers, Steve
Generally there's normally one of three common ways to reverse the catch, a screw into the actual catch as HA says, taking the cover plate off by removing the three or four screws and removing and reversing the catch, or some have a hole on one side of the casing just behind the catch where you can put a screwdriver or whatever and that pops the catch out and you spin it around. I'd really expect a modern sash lock to have a reversible catch, if it needs the casing apart to do so and the screws are as stuck as you say then I'd think it's faulty oppose to designed not to be reversed.
This is just a thought , but if there is a makers name on the lock , it might be worth contacting them directly with your problem and see if they can help. They might have a live web chat service. The lock looks like a very narrow profile, is it for a metal framed door ?
Hi, It was simple to rotate the latch; from behind it needed to be pushed into the lock against a spring, so the latch pushes out, rotated and released back in the oppsite direction. Simples - now that I know. A helpful call from the seller, Saunderson Security, and I could modify and fix this evening. As you've all been so helpful can I ask what the small plastic tongue, by the latch, is supposed to do? Also, our outside handle does not turn the square bar through the lock, only the inside handle does. Is this correct? It means we are unable to push the lock hooks (top and bottom) into the frame and then more securely lock the door from outside. Thank you all very much. Steve
Don't know what the plastic pin does, but the handle not turning the bar is correct if it on a front door, it's like that to stop anybody just opening the door and coming in, ie: burglars, otherwise you would have to lock the door from the inside everytime you came in. As for double locking, ie: top and bottom latches they should work by lifting the handle up when you go out and then double turn the key.
Believe the plastic tab above the latch is a deadlocking feature , when the tab is pressed in whilst the door's closed , the latch can't be manually pushed in .
That was quick Phil, thanks again. This is a side door, off of kitchen. That makes sense about no turning the outside handle So, as you can't turn the handle from the outside you can't double lock it when leaving. I've just been outside in my PJs (ha, ha) and tried our front door that was new a few years ago. If pulled shut, it can only be opened with the key from outside. When shut, if outside handle is pulled up, it engages extra bolts, it can then be double locked. That seems reasonable way of operating the door, this side door is not like that (or I've been missing something for a long while - entirely possible! Good night, Steve
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