how to adjust a door

Door adjustment tips for problems with hinges and locks

When you want to know how to adjust a door you’ve come to the right place. Installing windows and doors isn’t always an easy ride, but with these tips you should be able to find a solution to some of the most common problems with roller cams, hook locks and shoot bolts.

Roller cams

The cam mechanism is too tight

Using a 4mm Allen key positioned at six o’clock, turn the roller cam a quarter turn towards the gasket on the door sash so that the narrow side of the cam will successfully engage with the keeps on the frame.

The cam mechanism is too loose

Instead of turning towards, if the roller cam is loose, turn the cams a quarter turn away from the sash gasket so the widest side will engage with the keeps.

Hook locks

The hook mechanism is too tight

Use a 4mm Allen key to adjust the two rollers on the keeps so they are at their widest setting.

The hook mechanism is too loose

As above but adjust the two rollers until the keep is in it’s most narrow position. If the lock is now too tight, adjust the keeps back a little at a time until the stiffness is reduced.

Shoot bolts

The shoot bolt mechanism is too tight

Lift up the face plate by loosening up the two screws on both the top and bottom keeps to move it closer toward the opening. Tighten up the screws and test the lock accordingly. Still too tight? Unscrew the face plate and rotate before screwing it back into place.

The shoot bolt mechanism is too loose

Loosen the two screws on the keeps until the face plate can be lifted and move it back into the recess of the frame. Now tighten the screws and test the lock.