SOLVED - A Question about Eurostyle Lock Replacement in uPVC doors

Joined
1 Jan 2010
Messages
235
Reaction score
22
Location
Yorkshire
Country
United Kingdom
Okay so a question (pics will be posted tomorrow after being taken in daylight!)

I am in the process of moving house.

We have five uPVC multi-point locking external doors.

All of these doors have high-security ABS locks on them.

Three of the Eurostyle cylinders are easy to remove - the retaining screw is accessible at the side of the doors and I've removed the locks to measure the internal and external dimensions from the centre hole to ensure I get suitable replacements (the locks are all 'keyed-alike' and my son and my daughter also have the same locks meaning only one set of keys is needed).

Obviously, these five locks need replacing as I'm not giving the new owners the code to enable them to order additional keys giving them access to our new house or those of my children!

Anyhoo, TWO of the doors present more of a challenge.

One is a bog-standard inward-opening external door but the retaining screw is not visible at all (for ease of identification, it will be referred to as the 'Rear Door').

The other door is one of an outward-opening pair of half doors on the porch (looking from inside, the left-hand door - the one that is opened first - has an easily accessible retaining screw, the right-hand door is the problem door). This will be referred to as the 'Porch Door'. I gather that the second door of the pair to open is referred to as the 'slave'. On some of these doors there is a mullion that needs to be removed to reveal the lock retaining screw - but as far as I can tell there isn't a removable mullion.

I've taken off the catch plate/striker plate (not sure of the correct term) from the right-hand porch door, thinking that the retaining screw for the cylinder was behind that - but nope! There is nothing but solid plastic behind and no 'hole' for a retaing screw.

The porch doors were put in about 11 years ago and wanting higher security than the normal crappy Eurostyle cylinders, we bought these high-security locks and gave them to the company to fit during manufacture. Now I can't see how to change it over.

The rear door lock I seem to remember I replaced, but looking at it now, some 11 years later - I can't see how I did it.

So, my question is, how to access the retaining screw to swap these locks over when we move.

My guess (and it is only a guess mind), is that the retaining screws are revealed by taking out the glazing unit and going from "inside the frame of the door" as it were.

Is this correct? Otherwise, it seems like a major job to disassemble the whole door or locking mechanism to get at this screw.

Either way, it is a bloody stupid design for both of these doors turning a simple 2-minute job into something far more involved and time consuming.

Your help and advice would be very much appreciated!

XRD
 
Last edited:
Okay - here you go.

Each picture numbered for ease of identification.

Pictures 1-4 are of the front door.

IMG_3380 (LABELLED).jpg


There may be an attached bit to the right-hand door (mullion?) There appear to be 4 screws that may retain this but I havent tried to remove this piece yet!

IMG_3381 (LABELLED).jpg


There is no lock retaining screw behind the catch plate/striker plate (not sure of the correct terminolgy here) shown in picture 3.

IMG_3382 (LABELLED).jpg


IMG_3383 (LABELLED).jpg


Pictures 5, 6 & 7 are of the rear door.

IMG_3384 (LABELLED).jpg


IMG_3385 (LABELLED).jpg


IMG_3387 (LABELLED).jpg


There is a hole in the side of the door, directly in-line with the place where the retaining screw should be - but there is no screw that I can see in the hole and a screwdriver certainly doesn't find one.

The side of the door has a metal plate which is retained by around 10 screws. There are two 'hook-shaped' arms whose mechanism screw to this plate. There is, of course, the main mortice lock in the middle of the door.

I don't want to have to dismantle the locking mechanism (if that is what is needed) amd will resort to calling a locksmith or window company to replace the Eurocylinder for me (the dimensions are 45/55 - external number first).

I don't remember either (a) replacing this cylinder when we got the high-security locks, not (b) getting someone in to do it. The porch doors were new in 2015 and we gave the locks to the firm to fit. The rear door dates from around 2000 (Everest I think) so most likely that I replaced the lock - but I can't recall doing so.

Any ideas?

I'm game to remove the mullion (if that is what it is) on the porch door to see if I can see the lock retaining screw behind it but I DO NOT want to take apart a complicated locking mechanism on the rear door and end up with a door that I can't lock.

Is it likely that the lock retaining screw is accessed by removing the glazing panel? Otherwise, a seized or broken lock would require the door dismantling which seems highly unlikely (but I'm applying common sense here). A simple 2-minute job seems to be designed to take 30-45mins at best??

Any help/advice gratefully received!

XRD
 
Last edited:
The locks that look like the cylinder screws are missing- if you put the key in and twist it, is there a possibility of pulling the cylinder out?

If not, I think you need to defer to someone like @crank39 or @ronniecabers . There are other knowledgeable people here but those are two names that spring to (my) mind.

Best of luck
 
Nope @opps.

There is some movement of the lock in the rear door but no matter what the orientation of the key, I cannot remove the lock.

Given that I have swapped over numerous Eurostyle cylinders, I know that getting the correct key orientation can be somewhat tricky, but no joy whatsoever with this door and lock.

I'll try IM @crank39 or @ronniecabers to see if they can help.

Thanks for the help,

XRD
 
Rear door is solved!

There is a 2.5mm Allen screw retaining the lock.

I was pretty sure that (a) we hadn't given the company (Everest I think) making the door a lock to fit and (b) that I'd replaced the lock myself sometime in the past.

IMG_3388 (LABELLED).jpg


Now to have a look at the Porch Door.

XRD
 
You need to remove the mullion to expose the locking mechanism then it's as simple as removing the cylinder retaining screw
 
Thanks to all that offered help/advice/suggestions.

Now sorted on both problem doors!

Happy bunny!

XRD
 

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Back
Top