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Private commode door lock won’t unlock
We had company in the coach last weekend so for the first time in over two years of ownership I used the lock on the door between the private commode and the galley.
MISTAKE!
While I was able to unlock the door and open it, After three or four openings and closings of the door (without using the lock) the door refused to open, it was locked, and the lock knob wouldn’t do anything.
I took the handles apart and the lock mechanism (a Perko) is mortissed into the door. Both the door handle (which throws the bolt back and forth to secure the door) and the lock handle have square shafts that make the thing work. There doesn’t appear to be a separate dead bolt to lock the door, it appears by invoking the “lock lever” the single bolt is “locked” into place.
I’ve tried futzing with the handles and trying to “feel” when its about to unlock hoping once I get there I can jiggle the thing to release and let the bolt retrack and the door open … but to no avail. I’ve concluded at this point that something broke inside the lockset that is precluding the lockset from working as designed. I can’t see any serviceable parts from either side of the door.
So … I think what I need to do is to get at the edge of the door where I should be able to unscrew the lockset from where its mortissed into the door and either fix it or replace it. But to get at the edge of the door to get the lock set out I need to open the door. The door uses a floor to ceiling piano hinge that has no exposed fasteners (they are “inside” the hinge and can be only accessed when the door is open).
Open the door plan #1: Find a piece of steel the same size as the square holes in the lockset and using a big wrench essentially break the guts of the lockset. I realize I need to be careful not to allow the lockset to explode the door and ruin the Vitricor.
Open the door plan #2: From the pictures I’ve attached, you should notice that the door closes up against what I presume is a long piece of wood wrapped in Vitracor. I can remove that by taking out the screws that secure it. Now I should be able to slide a blade between the door jam and the door and be able to cut the bolt with a hand held hacksaw or a reciprocating saw. I would fish Gorilla tape between the door jamb and the door to protect the Vitricor from damage. Once the bolt is cut the door should swing free, remove the existing lockset, and hopefully find a replacement with the same dimensions and knob and locking holes to replace the old one.
Has anyone else faced this problem? Anyone else have a better idea? Have I missed an obvious better solution?
I took the pictures with my iPhone, copied them to my desktop, rotated them (small square hole on the top, large square hole on the bottom), saved them to the harddrive, but when I post the pictures to Forum they revert back to how they were taken with the iPhone. They should be rotated 90 degree clockwise. Corrected.
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7 Replies
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The bus is not large enough for people not to see you going to the loo. Were you afraid of somebody walking in on you while you take a pee? (Sitting down, I hope!)? The only lock I am concerned about is the front door lock and even that is unlocked most of the time, even at night. Anyway, locks can befinicky. I have had a slightly similar problem with the handle for the trash can. It worked just fine until some screws started to get lose (how?). All of a sudden the drawer pullhandle started to lock-up and it became almost impossible to open the drawer. Had to take the whole front of and redrill holes because screws were evidentally binding, causing the locking mechanism to stop working properly.
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Trust me Ronald … the first thought that went through my mind as soon as I felt something funky in the door knob was “That was REALLY stupid!”
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No, it hasn’t happened to me and I have locked the door on occasion. I vote option #2; you might even find the bolt will push back without being cut off.
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I knew there was a reason why Liberty put an intercom in the bathroom.
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First thing I would do is see if I could locate a new lockset. Then you should be able to look at the internals and decide on a course of action. Might just be a simple fix that will reveal itself once you have a peek.
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Perko is a brand name of boat hardware. Look for a new lock there.
What I would do. Using a 1/2″ drill motor capable of slow speed, I would drill out the center part that turns by the square hole, therby allowing you to pick out the pieces from inside the lock with picks and needlenose pliers.
I would use a hole saw whose ID was as close to the outside diameter of that center piece with the square drive hole that turns, it would be the pilot to keep the saw centered. Drill slowly and carefully.
If it is the lock that does not protrude from the door, offering the pilot, from a 1/2″ piece of plywood about 8″ square, drill a hole in it in a suitable location that would allow you to center that drilled hole over the area to be drilled out. Tape the wood in place and use it as a drill bushing (pilot)to start the hole saw. Remember, slow and easy does it. Once the saw cuts in a little the wooden bushing will not be necessary. Vitricore cuts well, but does not like “pressure from pinching”, it will crack at the pressure point.
or, call Troy.
JIM
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Perko customer service was VERY responsive to my email about the commode room door latchset. Latchset foreman said to cut the “bevel” off … I think of it as a “bolt”. I taped the Vitricor as much as I could with duck tape to protect it. The “bevel” cut off very easily … must be aluminum or pot metal or white metal. Sent it in to Perko and they returned it fixed and working in a few days. No charge for the work or the return postage. Perko stands behind its products.
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