any door lock experts in the house?

S

SkinnyJoe

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Have two locks on my front door, and I just noticed that the top one is making a weird sound when I lock it from the inside: the sound a small ball-bearing sphere would make when dropped on a hard surface, oscillating with decreasing distance from the surface.

Anybody have a clue what that means (if anything)? Haven't noticed any problems with the lock, just curious.

Thanks
 
did you take it apart yet????....be careful though cause some locks are a pain in the ass to put back together...........
 
I would put in some graphite. You can take it apart. Just make sure NOT TO take out the cylinder which contains the little backspacers and pins.
 
tsacain said:
I would put in some graphite. You can take it apart. Just make sure NOT TO take out the cylinder which contains the little backspacers and pins.
Click to expand...

I would advise against this, graphite can make a lock to easy to manipulate and once its applied it stays in there for quite some time. I'd also advise against "taking the lock apart" removing it from the door is fine to check for anything, but I doubt you will find anything, removing the lock body or disassembling the plug is a bad idea.

Skinny, what type of lock are we talking about? Deadbolt? Latch? Standard door lock?

If its a deadbolt a thunk or sliding/rubbing sound is common. Also one other question...you in a "winter" region with cold temps?
 
MutedRaccoon said:
I would advise against this, graphite can make a lock to easy to manipulate and once its applied it stays in there for quite some time. I'd also advise against "taking the lock apart" removing it from the door is fine to check for anything, but I doubt you will find anything, removing the lock body or disassembling the plug is a bad idea.

Skinny, what type of lock are we talking about? Deadbolt? Latch? Standard door lock?

If its a deadbolt a thunk or sliding/rubbing sound is common. Also one other question...you in a "winter" region with cold temps?
Click to expand...

I agree. I am not touching anything.

Cheap apartment lock? Reno, NV
 
SkinnyJoe said:
I agree. I am not touching anything.

Cheap apartment lock? Reno, NV
Click to expand...

By "Top lock" I'm assuming that its the deadbolt, looks something like this?

yale_inside_deadbolt_lock.jpg


deadbolt_lock_brass.jpg


If it is a deadbolt that we are talking about I'd do two things, the first to make sure its fully locking, basically after you close the door lock that top lock only and then attempt to reopen the door (turn knob, pull) and if its holding I wouldn't worry about it that much. Now if it isn't and the door swings right open then I'd call the landlord and have them come and look at it.

The second thing I'd do is I would check while the door is open if the lock is making the same sound, if so is the noise coming from the actual lock body or the part that comes out (trying not to be too technical). If the noise stops when the door is open then its a minor alignment issue thats causing some rubbing.

Provided the lock still works and it locks the door, and the noise is not coming from the lock body I wouldn't worry about it to much. If it doesn't lock the door, or if the noise is coming from the lock body I'd call the landlord on it.
 
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