Yale lock broken\ attempted burglary

[Sarah]

Some berk decided to try and break into out home and has damaged the Yale lock the cyclinder part you put the key in. Its quite old now so I doubt you can buy this model.

Now can I just go to B&Q or somewhere like that and buy the cyclinder bit ? and fit it into the lock bit on the inside of the door ?

Or does it need a total new lock, which might be easier ? as all the hole is drilled out and chiseling is done so just put a new one in easily ?

No idea about this sort of thing as I've never done it before so seeking some advice from you diy doctors :)

Thanks

[Andrew Gabriel]

If you mean replace the external cylinder, then yes, they are sold separately. The key then won't match any key lock you have on the inside latch.

New one should fit the old hole and lock unless is was non-standard.

[Invisible Man]

If the old "Yale" is the only lock on the door and you have had one attempted break in I would get a proper lock. Police crime prevention should be able to advise. If your back door is only secured by an old lock make sure that does not say 2 lever on it.

[Bob Eager]

Should be able to get a complete replacement lock, although the cylinder will be available too. Locks come in a few different measurements, the distance from the centre of the big hole to the edge of the door.

Get a security Yale, with automatic deadlock and anti-tamper pins. Much more secure.

What does your insurance company specify? If they say 5-lever mortice, the security Yales are often acceptable - but check.

[Adrian C]

Our Yale lock is over 35 years old, and due to a snatched handbag - we had the insurance companies locksmith* around to change the locks. The chap that came managed to change the cylinder - left the rest of the lock as it is. Five minute very neat job for him, £50 excess for us. However, it's also backed up by a dead lock on another part of the door which he also changed, together with many euro locks elsewhere.

• BTW The days of phoning around yellow pages for a locksmith, getting an insurance quote and faffing around with the insurance company are gone. We just phoned the building insurance company (Esure in this case) and let them sort it out! However, it's the motor insurance to get the car locks changed after bag theft, excesses are more, and garage costs to do the lock change job are astronomical - we decided it's perhaps cheaper to write the car off if it goes missing one day ....

Anywhere there is the possibility that keys and bag are probably down a ditch or drain somewhere. Cash and (now cancelled) cards are not :-(

[Dave Liquorice]

Yes, the cylinders are available separately. Fitting is simple remove the existing latch, normally two or three screws in the jamb. The cylinder is held in place by a couple of thin cheese headed screws either side of the blade that sticks out through a hole in the latch mounting plate (or smaller, separate, mounting plate screwed to the door). The new cylinder will have a long blade that needs trimming to length, they have little nicks ever 5mm or so these days that you can bend it at with a pair of pliers and break at the appropriate length, don't make it to short! Fit new cylinder and replace latch, job done.

Not a lot in it, the biggest criteria on getting a new lock would on security. Can the old one be dead locked or would a thin strong sheet pushed through the jam push the latch back? If it can't be dead locked get a whole new dead locking latch and cylinder.

[tim.....]

IME the only reason for buying a new cylinder is to avoid the hassle of fitting a new lock.

The difference in price between the cylinder and the whole lock is tiny.

tim

[meow2222]

Dave's more or less covered it all. Just to add:

1. A yale on its own is very insecure - best option is an additional 5 lever lock
2. Replacement cylinders are only =A32 unhardened, =A33 hardened - definitely get hardened for exterior use.
3. Deadlocking yale type about =A315 for a nice one iirc, but the distance from door edge to barrel centre might be different - check this if you dont want to do carpentry.
4. Look at what the bit of the lock on the frame's attached to, if its just 2 screws into the wood then even a child could open it. Drill all the way into the masonry to fix it sensibly.

NT

[meow2222]

oh one last thing - the screws that hold the lock cylinder in are intended to be cut to length - never try to snap them, theyre soft and will bend, ruining them instantly. Always cut em (hacksaw if nothing better).

NT

[Scabbydug]

For insurance purposes you should fit a BS rim lock such as a Yale PBS1 or PBS2 (depending in which size your existing lock is). If you already have a mortice lock as well as the existing yale leave the yale alone and make sure the mortice lock (and any other external locks) are

5 lever BS rated.

[Dave Liquorice]

Not for a traditional Yale cylinder (

[Sarah]

Theres the yale lock and a mortice lock.

I have a chain on it to.

[Sarah]

I thought it would be cheaper and as theres nothing wrong with the old body of the lock. But it oculd be a good opportuinity to put a better lock on.

[Sarah]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I'll pop into the local B7q or locksmiths for the lock.