How to fix San Fran privacy handle not locking?

[Jersey1975]

I have installed the San Fran privacy handle on my daughters door, just replacing all the fittings.  It will lock when the door is open, but when the door is closed, it won't lock and you can get in from the outside, what have I done wrong?  Thanks in advance

[JacobZ]

Hi @Jersey1975,

Thank you for your question.

It sounds like the latch or locking mechanism isn’t engaging properly when the door is closed. The first thing to check is the alignment of the latch with the striker plate. 

Close the door slowly and see if the latch fully enters the hole in the strike plate. If it’s misaligned, the latch may not be seating correctly, which can prevent the lock from engaging. 

Try loosening the strike plate screws slightly and adjusting its position to see if that resolves the issue.

Another possibility is that the connecting screws on the handle have been over tightened. Locks are complex mechanisms that can be pulled out of alignment very easily, including from an overtightened screw. From your description, this seems unlikely, but it is worth a try. Give the connecting screws a half turn anti-clockwise and see if this changes anything. 

Give these troubleshooting options a try and let me know what you find. I'm happy to assist further if required.

Jacob

[Jersey1975]

 @JacobZ are you able to help? So slowly replacing these door handles but this one is stuck on the door the screws seem to be shredded and I can’t get traction to get them off. Any advice please? Thanks 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Jersey1975,

I trust Jacob's assistance with the locking issue was helpful. How did you go with the other set that wasn’t locking correctly?

As for your new question, if the screws are stripped and you're having trouble getting them out, you may need to drill them out carefully. Alternatively, you could try cutting through them with a thin-bladed hacksaw. Just be cautious not to damage the door while doing this.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Jersey1975]

Hi there so I’ve tried that I’ve cut better space for the striker plate and the latch still doesn’t seem to fit. It will if you slam it but the privacy pin still won’t engage. 
I have another issue now in that some of the handles I have bought have a different pin that goes through the lock and it looks like it’s too long and won’t allow the handle to be flush with the door. 
tearing my hair out. 

  

[MitchellMc]

Is the latch perfectly in line with the striker plate @Jersey1975? Could you show us the sticker plate including the location where the latch enters it?

For the handle in your picture, if the bolts are not lining up then I presume the cutout in the door is not adequate. Did you check the instruction to ensure the cutout in the door was the correct size for the new handles? They might not necessarily fit the previous holes.

We do have a Door Lock Installation Service, which you might like to discuss with our team in-store.

Mitchell