How to Replace Your Door Lock Cylinder

In order to improve the security level of home, you can try to replace your door lock cylinder on time without paying for a full set of new hardware. If you are also interested in the replacement of door lock cylinder, you can read this article and learn from the mechanic.

 

What is door lock cylinder replacement?

The cylinder of a lock can be changed without replacing all of the lock hardware. Often there is a keyed cylinder (where the key is inserted), which is kept in a lock housing. The cylinder can usually be replaced without changing the lock housing or bolt/latch assembly.

 

When do you need door lock cylinder replacement?

Door lock cylinder replacement is used to change out damaged cylinders, upgrade the security of a lock, and/or key several doors alike. The most important part of the process is to make sure that your replacement door lock cylinder fits your existing lock hardware

 

Types Of Door Lock Cylinder Replacement

There are many different types of commonly used door locks, each of which needs special considerations for door lock cylinder replacement. Due to the construction of these various door locks, they present special challenges and require unique servicing. Specialty door lock cylinder replacement may offer certain complications or simplify the process depending on the lock type.

 

Bored Deadbolts

Door lock cylinder replacement usually deals with bored deadbolts, which fit into a large circular cut on the face of the door with a perpendicular cross-bore hole for the bolt. This is the type of door lock you are going to find on most residential properties, including apartment doors. The biggest concern for this type of door lock cylinder replacement is size and fit.

 

Most bored deadbolts are inexpensive and rarely undergo partial replacement because they are so cheap to replace. However, door lock cylinder replacement is relatively straightforward. Once you take the lock off the door, the cylinder will slide free from the housing. Inspect the size of your existing cylinder and match the shape and tailpiece to the replacement cylinder.

 

The cylinders for these locks are not often sold separately from the full lock assembly, but locksmiths will have these parts. The cylinder as a single piece is cylindrical with a rectangular flag shape on one side of the curved length and a tailpiece opposite the keyway. Do not mistake a mortise door lock replacement cylinder for a bored deadbolt cylinder.

 

Car Door Lock Cylinders

In some cases, you are not looking to change a house door lock cylinder, but rather a car door lock cylinder. Car door lock cylinder replacement is a bit more complicated in terms of buying parts and installation. The simplest way to go about this type of door lock cylinder replacement is to contact an automotive locksmith.

 

The difficulty of replacing a car door lock cylinder stems from the lack of standardization between various automobiles. First, you will need to take off the door’s side paneling, which will vary in difficulty between vehicles. Then there is the risk of damaging the car by harming the internal wiring in the door. These wires may be extremely important to airbag functionality, etc.

 

Car door lock cylinder replacement comes in handy after an ignition cylinder replacement when the door locks need to be updated to open with the new ignition key. Rekeying may be a better solution, but it is not always an option for every vehicle depending on the availability of parts. Other than changes for convenience, this may fix your broken car lock.

 

Euro Cylinders

In the case of a euro cylinder, a door lock cylinder replacement is the same as changing the lock. There is no distinction between the euro cylinder and the internal lock cylinder because they are not separate parts. You can remove the lock core from a euro cylinder for the purposes of rekeying, but this is not the same as being able to remove the cylinder. 

 

When you look at a euro cylinder, you will see that it has the same overall shape of a bored deadbolt cylinder (a long cylinder with a rectangular flag shape along the shaft). It has the same appearance because it is just a cylinder without a secondary housing. There is no way to partially replace this type of lock unless it is part of a mortise lock.

 

If the issue you are addressing has resulted from a problem with the lock internals, these can be replaced partially, as needed. But when the damage is too extensive, everything must go. Removing the lock core will only address the key pins and not the drivers or springs. Door lock cylinder replacement changes the driver pins, springs, and key pins, not just the key pins.

 

People can learn from the guidance and know how to replace the door lock cylinder. While, in the process of replacement, you need use lock picks to help you finish the job quickly.