How to change the cylinder in the front door lock yourself and in any situation

Each mechanism has its own service life. Castles are no exception. Therefore, you need to understand how to change the cylinder in the front door lock yourself, because the process itself is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. Read the article to the end to understand when the core is replaced, how to remove it and install a new one. It also talks about several nuances that are useful to know when replacing the larva.

Common lock with English grub Source www.dea5.net

Main types of locks

The weakest point in a metal door is the lock, because by breaking it you can easily get inside the room, despite all the protection. Therefore, it is necessary not only to select the right models, but also to replace them on time. But it is not always necessary to purchase a new lock assembly. Some versions allow you to replace only the cylinder.

Even the owner of the premises can perform the procedure. But to be completely sure that all stages will be carried out in accordance with the rules, it is best to invite a master. He not only knows how to change the larva correctly, but will also independently select a replacement that will ideally fit the existing base.

There are four main types of lock:

• Electronic. The design contains a microcircuit, so it can only operate on power.
• Electromechanical. It is a combination of mechanical and electronic locks.
• Electromagnetic. The design of the mechanism includes a powerful magnet.
• Mechanical. Standard locks. There are cylinder and lever ones.

An example of an electronic lock for an entrance door Source sun9-65.userapi.com
All mechanisms can be further divided into thrust and non-expanded. They, in turn, have several subtypes. Each person decides for himself what type of lock to choose for his front door.

Why don’t you need to call a plastic door repair specialist?

While waiting for the master, the friends smoked one after another, without even closing the balcony door, so as not to cause her unnecessary suffering. Her loose lock looked at him intently and begged him to stop her hellish torment. And then the long-awaited call came; a very presentable man stood on the threshold, who immediately began examining the patient.

The diagnosis was disappointing; only a one-time injection of 1,500 rubles could save the sufferer.

Choking on a cigarette, my friend slowly collected all the air in his smoky lungs and screamed so that the pigeons sitting on the windowsill at that moment simultaneously shit themselves.

After that, he collected the craftsman’s measuring instrument, handed them to him and looking into his eyes, full of amazement, sent him on an erotic journey on foot, only not to a dog’s genitals, but to a very male one.

“It’s just very expensive to repair a balcony door,” he explained.

So, friends - stop wasting your money already - after all, you can fix the door with your own hands!

First, let's get acquainted with the most common problems of plastic doors and at the same time study ways to eliminate them.

When to change

The time to change the cylinder in a door lock comes not only during obvious malfunctions of the mechanism or loss of the key. There are also other reasons that make you think about the need to carry out the procedure as soon as possible.

One useful skill is the ability to assess the condition of the core using only indirect signs. If you do not understand in time that it is necessary to replace the cylinder, the door may become blocked. In this case, the situation can become fatal, because it happens at the most inopportune moment.

Structure of a cylinder lock Source 100uslug.com

Cylinder locks have fine mechanics. Because of this, even minor wear of one of the parts can lead to disruptions in the operation of the system. The pins will no longer rise to the required height, which will prevent the cylinders from opening. The litmus test showing the wear of the lock can be the key. It is made of a material similar in its hardness to parts of the larva. The easiest way to draw a conclusion about the state of the mechanism is when the door is unlocked with only one key. If there are several of them, then when assessing the degree of wear, this factor must be taken into account.

You can determine how badly a key has worn out by comparing it with an unused keychain. You need to pay attention to the following parameters:

• Height of projections.
• Sharpness of edges.
• Form.
• Coating.

According to statistics, in Chinese models the door lock cylinder needs to be replaced once every 5 years. European analogues have a longer service life - up to 10 years.

English larva disassembled Source fabrika-zamkov.ru

The English larva is a mechanism that does not stop working at a certain moment, but only after a while. The degree of wear can be determined by certain signs that appear shortly before the moment of complete failure. So, the cylinder may begin to jam halfway through a turn, and in order to bring the key to the end, it will need to be rocked. Another sign of an imminent breakdown are sounds that should not be heard when the door is opened: crunching, squeaking, clanging. Most often, the cylinder cam suffers in the mechanism, which takes on the main load when the key is turned.

Door adjustment

The most common malfunction of metal-plastic balcony doors is sagging. If the door catches on the frame when closing and you have to lift it by the handle, you need to adjust the hinges. Otherwise, the fittings are subject to severe wear and tear, and subsequently they will be destroyed and replaced.

The door adjustment is carried out in this way: take a simple pencil and mark with it the places where the door clings to the frame. When such places are identified, the sash needs to be moved in the opposite direction. That is, if the door clings to the frame with the lower right corner, then when adjusting the hinges it will need to be pulled up and to the left. Work must begin from the top loop. As a rule, the top bolt on the hinge is responsible for the vertical movement of the sash, and the bottom one is responsible for the horizontal movement. These are usually 2, 3, or two and a half hex screws.

Is it possible to change

Replacement is provided for any cylinder type locks. This is the type where the lock body is hidden in the door. You can tell that the core can be removed by looking at the fastening screw. It is located under the locking tabs. Most often, the screw has a cross-shaped shape, and less often - flat.

Castle SHO-25 Source krepost-zamok.com.ua

It is also possible to replace the core with parts of rim locks. This is the type where the body is attached to the door. Such models include the SHO-25, which was very popular in the nineties. Although most often this can only be done with the lock itself. To accurately determine the possibility of carrying out the procedure, you will need to completely remove the mechanism from the door.

The easiest way to determine the possibility of replacement is by the key. If it is flat or cross-shaped with texture, then the procedure can be performed. But if it is a stick with blades, then replacement is impossible.

If the model does not imply the ability to remove the core, then the only way to correct the problem is to purchase a new mechanism assembly. In this case, it is better to purchase a type of lock that will have a replaceable cylinder.

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in the installation of doors and windows

Eliminating drafts

Another type of repair of plastic doors on the balcony that you can do yourself is eliminating drafts. If the door leaf is level, but it still blows from the balcony, you need to change the rubber seal around the perimeter of the door and frame.

This is done this way:

• We buy a seal similar to the one we are going to change;
• Using any available means, remove the old one;
• We insert a new seal in its place, rolling it out evenly;
• We cut the sealing strip at the corners and, for reliability, secure it with rubber glue.

The rubber seal in the door dries out very quickly. So that it does not need to be changed too often, once every six months it needs to be treated with special silicone-based compounds. You can purchase one from the same company that installed your doors.

When installing the seal, do not tighten it under any circumstances!

You can also eliminate smaller misunderstandings yourself:

1. To secure the handle more tightly, turn the protective cap at its base and tighten the mounting screws with a screwdriver or screwdriver;
2. To mask scratches on the surface of the profile, use a composition such as “Cosmofen”, on top of which you need to treat with liquid plastic;
3. To remove scratches on laminated doors, use a special scratch pencil.

If a door handle or lock is broken, it should not be repaired, but replaced.

How to choose

Before changing the lock on a metal front door, you need to measure the dimensions of the cylinder. This will be required so that the customer can choose the appropriate product in the store.

Measuring the length of the larva using a regular ruler Source sun9-29.userapi.com

Almost always, the dimensions of the larva are standard: diameter 17 mm and height 33 mm. Such indicators are found not only in common and publicly available Apecs or KALE, but also in advanced manufacturers such as Abloy and Mul-T-Lock. Commonly accepted sizes allow products to be compatible with each other. Thanks to this, a person can not only replace the larva, but also install a more complicated version of it, which will be more difficult to open. Today there are only a few locks that have a non-standard DIN. It is best to replace such models with new ones, since it is much easier to find suitable parts for them.

But if the diameter and height are reduced to a single value, then each model has its own length. Therefore, before changing the lock cylinder of the front door, you need to trace its outline on a sheet of plain paper. At the end you need to mark the hole where the key is inserted. You can also simply measure all the dimensions of the mechanism.

If you choose a cylinder in which the cylinder protrudes from the door, then this feature will immediately reduce the protective properties of the lock to zero. Opening such a door will be as easy as shelling pears, simply by breaking out the cylinder. It is better if it is recessed into the door.

Visual comparison of the difference in length of larvae Source i.simpalsmedia.com

It is worth abandoning larvae with a flywheel. Such models are quite easy to open, so they are not placed at the entrance to the apartment. The only correct use of such a mechanism is interior doors, which should not perform a protective function. The fact is that the apartment can be easily broken into by drilling a hole through which a hand is inserted, starting the flywheel from the inside.

Reasons for replacement

It is necessary to replace the locking mechanism cylinder if:

1. The lock is worn out and it becomes difficult to unlock. The shelf life of cores from Turkish or Chinese manufacturers is 3-5 years, from European ones – up to 10 years.
2. The mechanism is broken or damaged - for example, due to burglary attempts or careless use of the key.
3. The lock on the premises was opened.
4. The locking mechanism jams, and the key has to be “swinged” when inserted.
5. Keys were lost or stolen or were used by strangers.
6. The owners and tenants of the premises have changed.
7. It was decided to change the lock to a more reliable model.

Attention! It is recommended to replace the cylinder at the first sign of a malfunction. Even small errors in operation can cause the door to lock. In this case, it is often necessary to take drastic measures - especially if children or incapacitated citizens remain locked in the premises.

Removing the Lock Core

After taking measurements, you can proceed directly to extraction.

It is best to entrust the replacement to a master, if possible Source masterslock.ru

The procedure for changing the cylinder in the front door lock includes only 3 steps:

• Unscrew the bolt located at the end of the door. In some cases there are two of them at once. They are located above and below the crossbars. The bolts must be completely removed.
• Insert the key into the cylinder and turn it 10-15 degrees. This is enough for the tongue and body to be on the same level. Otherwise, it will be impossible to remove the core.
• Now you need to grab the key and pull out the larva. In this position, the key will not move, which will make it easy to complete the operation.

Most often, the core is pulled out from the inside of the door. The reason is that many locks have an armored lining that does not allow the cylinder to be pulled out to provide greater security when trying to break into the mechanism. But there are also those models in which the core only comes out. This scheme is applicable mainly to locks that have a special decorative lining on the inside, which does not allow the system to be easily dismantled from the apartment side.

The process of unscrewing a bolt and removing the core Source www.rmnt.ru

Do-it-yourself repair of plastic balcony doors

A metal-plastic balcony door is quite reliable, but it is also subject to wear and tear over time. The most common problems are sagging under its own weight, drying out of the rubber seal, breakage of handles and fittings.

Failures that you should not try to fix yourself include:

• Cracks in glass - such work requires replacement of the double-glazed window;
• Violation of the integrity of the seams of the door frame or leaf;
• “Torn out” loops;
• Hardware breakdowns.

Everything else can and should be repaired yourself, so as not to waste money on the work of craftsmen.

Installation

But besides how to remove the cylinder from the front door lock, you need to insert it back. With this procedure the reverse process will be followed. Before installation, it is recommended to inspect and compare the purchased and broken larvae. They must not only have the same size, but also the positions of the mounting hole and tongue must be at the same level.

It is necessary to turn the movable tongue using a key or flywheel, and then insert the purchased cylinder into the well. It is necessary to hit the bolt correctly, so during the procedure it is necessary to move the core a little. If the bolt gets into the hole, the movement of the cylinder will immediately stop. Getting a bolt in is quite easy because almost all the holes are countersunk.

Dismantling the suspended structure

If you need to disassemble a suspended structure, it doesn’t matter: you can handle it without the help of a qualified technician. All you need for this is a special screwdriver, with which you can remove the protective housing of the locking device.

After this, the supporting mechanisms are removed. In some models of padlocks, you will have to unscrew a number of fasteners. After inspecting all elements of the locking device, the door lock should be assembled. It will be much easier to do this if you photograph each stage of disassembly.

Knowing how to remove the lock from the door, you can independently make a partial or complete replacement of the failed locking mechanism.

Video description

To see how to replace the lock cylinder of the front door, watch the following video:
You need to not only install the lock cylinder, but also check its functionality. To do this, you need to close the door from the inside, and then open it from the outside. The mechanism should operate smoothly and silently. Any vibrations, noises or difficulties in operation are an indication that the cylinder was not installed correctly or is already faulty. All new mechanisms operate smoothly and without backlash.

We pull out the larva without a key

If there is no key to the door, but you need to pull out the cylinder, then you need to find another way to turn the pin. If there is no need to protect the lock, then the pin can simply be broken. In this case, the lock is knocked out or broken out. The door leaf will not be damaged in the process; the lock will have to be completely replaced.

There are other ways to dismantle the cylinder without a key:

1. Drilling allows you to remove the lock cylinder without a key quickly enough, but it will be hopelessly damaged. Insert the drill into the keyhole and turn on the drill. You need to drill out to approximately the middle of the lock, that is where the pin is located. Usually after this the pin rotates inside the lock on its own, but sometimes it becomes necessary to push it there manually. This can be done with a thin knitting needle.
2. Bumper key or master key. This option is more humane, since it allows you to open the lock and remove the cylinder without destroying it. But without special skills, this can take a lot of time.

If you are unable to dismantle the cylinder without a key yourself, you can contact a service that performs emergency opening of locks.

Possible errors and unexpected situations

If the lock is replaced on the front door of a private house, then one problem may arise. The fact is that due to environmental influences, the mounting screw becomes corroded, making it almost impossible to tighten it. The only way out of this situation is to break out the larva. To do this, you need to remove the armor plate, grab the protruding edge of the cylinder with pliers or a wrench, and turn it sharply with force. Most often, due to the impact of physical force, the narrow neck breaks or cracks, which allows the core to be pulled out.

Getting rid of fasteners

First of all, it is necessary to free the plate installed in the end part of the door leaf from the fasteners. Once the screws are removed, lightly pry the plate open with a thin screwdriver. If there are no problems with dismantling the plate, then there will be two recesses in the door leaf - for the locking mechanism itself and for the keyhole. However, it is not always possible to dismantle the lock using this method.

For example, models with a cylinder or “cylinder” are secured with several screws. Let's look at how to remove a lock from a door if a “cylinder” is attached to it.

A few recommendations

Since lever locks are considered the most complex, it is recommended to purchase imported products. This will simplify the procedure for the necessary repairs. The reason lies in the fact that all the necessary parts are freely available in almost every retail store. The main advantage of foreign models is the ability to reconfigure the levers. In contrast, domestic manufacturers do not include such a feature in their locks.

It is worth lubricating the locks periodically. But this must be done carefully, because if you pour in an excess amount of motor oil, this will lead to further thickening, which will cause the mechanism to stop functioning normally. For lubrication, a syringe with a needle that is inserted into the well is suitable. Just a little oil is enough, after which you need to turn the mechanism all the way in both directions.

Prevention of breakdowns

Preventative measures that prevent the occurrence of malfunctions and guarantee the longevity of the lock include:

1. Carrying out maintenance measures - cleaning the lock from dust, dirt, and lubricating it if necessary.
2. Regularly planned replacement of the cylinder - after the expiration date stated by the manufacturer, or at the first errors in operation.
3. Correct operation of the lock - for example, you can turn the key only when it is completely placed in the hole.
4. Do not allow the door leaf to skew, straighten it immediately - even if the locking mechanism is still functioning normally.
5. Do not use keys of poor quality, scratched or broken.
6. Open the door by the handle, do not pull the key.
7. Avoid force (slamming doors, hitting).

Reaming

Compared to knocking out the door, this is an order of magnitude more humane to the lock way of removing the secret without a key, but if for some reason the secret needs to be kept (when there is a key, but it has been forgotten), then it is absolutely not suitable.

If there is no hope of opening this lock again with a key, then drilling will be the easiest and fastest way to open the door, and you can do without calling repairmen.

Drilling out the cylinder is quite simple - the drill is attached to the key hole, which is drilled out at least to the middle, where there is a fastening pin that clings to the bolt. The mount no longer clings to the locking mechanism and rotates inside the cylinder under its own weight.

Sometimes it may happen that when drilling, the metal will bend and in this case the pin must be pushed into the cylinder manually. A steel knitting needle is suitable for this.

How to select and replace the cylinder in a door lock. Instructions

Once you receive a part that has become unusable, take measurements to buy an identical one. Pay attention to the following parameters of the larva:

• length;
• width;
• diameter.

These specifications vary as doors vary in thickness. In addition, the indicators depend on the manufacturer. It is better to give preference to the company whose larva has already been in your castle before. Pay attention to the location of the hole for the mounting bolt. It should be at the same distance.

Keep in mind that the larvae differ in the shape of the keys, as well as the number of grooves for them: sometimes there are 2, sometimes there is 1 plus a special wing, thanks to which the door can be opened from the inside without a key. The color of the larva is also important - it must be in harmony with the entire castle. If possible, take the removed part with you to select the same one. Otherwise, rewrite the parameters and select according to measurements.

To install, follow the same steps as when removing the mechanism, but in reverse order:

1. Insert the cylinder into the lock.
2. Secure everything with a bolt at the end of the door. If it does not fit into the desired hole, move the cylinder and at the same time screw in the part.
3. Check the quality of the installation by opening and closing the door with a key on both sides. It should turn freely, and the lock should not creak.

Attention! First check the operation of the mechanism with the door open. If everything went smoothly, you can test the lock by closing the door.

It is also possible to replace the cylinder without a key - for example, if it is broken and a part remains inside the lock. To remove the fragment, you need to turn the locking mechanism. There are 3 ways to do this:

• remove the pins from the cylinder;
• make a hole with a 3 mm drill under the cylinder;
• Having removed the lining from the door, look through the gap where the flag is turned. Drill out the lock body completely and remove the cylinder.

Emergency call

Any of the listed methods can be applied either independently or with the assistance of specialists. In this case, the required method will be selected depending on the time during which the door must be opened.

If the lock definitely needs to be left undamaged, then there are organizations that will undertake to open any lock for a reasonable fee. But it’s advisable to find their contacts in advance, so that when something is wrong with the door, you don’t have to run around your neighbors asking to see their addresses and phone numbers.

Method 1. Pick from a knitting needle

The easiest way to get into the entrance is to call one of the apartments and ask them to open the door. If this is not your option, act differently.

Try using the intercom service menu, from which you can issue a command to open the door. This menu is entered using a special combination. Individual for each intercom model, of course.

However, finding suitable commands on the Internet is not difficult. Just search for “intercom codes”, enter the required symbols, and the door will open.