Internal door handle, deadlatch does not fully retract

[Devany]

On an internal door, the deadlatch does not fully retract into the door when the handle is turned. It protrudes about 5mm and fouls the strikeplate when trying to open the door.

There are several of these in my house which are starting to get right on my nerves.

What is the problem?

I guess I could chisel out the strikeplate, but I know I'm crap at doing that. Shouldn't the deadlatch retract fully? I can't see that wear and tear would affect it that much. Would a new handle fix it?

Thanks for any advice.

[Falco]

They are simply worn.

Don't bother digging the chisel out of the tool box, just find out whether it's the handles or latch that's worn and change the offending item - or both handles and latch if you wish.

Falco

[tinnews]

I investigated a worn latch like this just a few days ago. The wear was where the 'rotating bit' sits in the 'fixed bit' if you see what I mean. It doesn't have proper bearings, there's just a round hole in the metalwork of the innards where the 'rotating bit' through which the square shaft for the handle runs. The round hole was far from round after many years of door opening. There's not a lot one can do to repair it and I guess they're not very expensive anyway.

[John]

Also the square hole in the handle and in the innards becomes a sloppy fit causing the handle not to fully retract the catch. Don't touch the striker - it is innocent!

Buy new catch sets and possibly handles - grease well when assembling to reduce wear in the future

[Derek Geldard]

It'll be the mortice latch mechanism which has worn. They are made of piss poor cast metal and not lubricated during manufacture.

Screwfix sells them very cheaply and cheaper still in 10 off quantities, also the sheds have them.

Unfortunately at some time in the recent past they went from Imperial to Metric, they look the same but by golly they're not the same so most probably you'll still need to get it out (your chisel, that is) so best do them all whilst you're at it.

Generally the problem doesn't result in people getting stuck behind a locked door, but a similar problem on a bathroom lockset has resulted in people getting locked in the loo three times here.

Derek

[The Medway Handyman]

Aha. I wondered why some just don't quite fit - that makes perfect sense.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Be careful as you unscrew the handles, and again when you're removing the latch. Often, a pile of oily metal filings drops out, and it's a real bugger to get them out of a light coloured carpet. Slide a piece of newspaper under the door to protect any flooring from this.

[NT]

I've always found the wear can be compensated for in the mechanism, just open it up, watch it work, and you should soon figure out where to do what

NT

[jkn]

I've occasionally thought of putting a small strip of shim metal between the square shaft and the deadlatch mechanism, as that usually seems to be where the wear occurs.

I usually just buy a new deadlatch though.

BTW Union do deadlatches with nylon 'retractors' - quieter than the standard brass ones IME.

J^n