Deadbolt Tailpiece Clips - What To Do When Cylinder Spins

If your residential deadbolt cylinder just spins around when you try to use your key, that can because of a number of factors.

If you have a Kwikset deadbolt, a spinning means

1. The part of the the tailpiece where it is attached to the deadbolt and held on by the clip, has shattered.
2. The clip that holds the tailpiece on has shattered.
3. The clip has just come off slightly

Go to your local hardware store.  In the event you cannot find parts, a new Kwikset deadbolt is not very expensive.  Just use the parts in the box and retain your existing keyed cylinder.

If you have a Callin deadbolt, s spinning cylinder means

1. The deadbolt mechanism that retracts and inserts the actual bolt may have shattered.  In this case, the thumb turn or key will travel a partial distance without affecting the bolt.
2. The tailpiece, which is held on by a threaded nut, has shattered.

Replace the parts by buying a new deadbolt.  These locks, though they look wonderful, are of extremely poor quality.

The newer Schlage deadbolts do not appear to me to be having any problems.  The tailpieces on these deadbolts are held onto the deadbolt be threaded nut.  In the event there is breakage, call you local locksmith or better hardware store.  Sometimes hardware stores have a parts box that may have the piece you are looking for.

Indicators of Forced Entry Into Homes

When you come home from work and find that somebody has been in your home, you panic.  What makes this type of situation even more frightening is when you see no clear indications that a break-in occurred.  If you know that an unauthorized person has been in your home, but there is no visible door or window breakage, you should look for and consider the following things.

1.  Has your door been "credit-carded"?  The scenes you see in the movies are real when it comes to this type of illegal entry.  In fact, most home door locks can be "credit-carded."  This, however, is usually only true for the knob or lever lock and not the deadbolt.  However, most contractors are not installing deadbolts correctly.  Because they are not drilling out the deadbolt bolt hole in the frame, the deadbolts are not fully locking.  This means that a talented crook can slide something between the door and the jamb and push the bolt back.  Make sure your deadbolts are being fully locked into position when the bolts enter the jamb.  The hole should be at least one inch deep.
2. Check the painted jambs and weather stripping on the outside of your doors.  Is the paint scratched off?  If so, that means somebody has been trying to pry your locks open.  If you have any doubts, and if the damage looks old, repaint the door and jamb and check from time to time to see if any paint has been broken away by a potential burglar.
3. Check your roll up garage doors for any sign of prying. These can be pried up.  Then check the inside man door that lead from the garage to the kitchen area for signs of prying.
4. If you suspect that somebody is using a key to gain entrance into your home, re-key the locks immediately.

My Deadbolt Key Turns But Nothing Happens

If your key just spins around in your deadbolt without activating the bolt, then the tailpiece of the deadbolt is probably broken. If your lock is a Kwikset deadbolt, the clip that holds the tailpiece may have been thrown due to lack of lubrication. There is also a chance that the clip has shattered, though more than likely the clip just slipped off. Here is what to do:

1. Remove the deadbolt. If it is a Kwikset, it can only go on one way.
2. Check the clips and tail piece. If the clip is still barely in place, then the clip just needs to be pushed back into place. Shoot it with WD-40. Reinstall.

If you have any other brand that does not use a clip, you will notice that the tailpiece has been sheared off at the cylinder. Deadbolts are east to install. Go to Lowe's and ask the attendant to give you a deadbolt and have him match it to your old key.

Often, Kwikset clips come off because of lack of lubrication. Sometimes it is caused by a poorly placed drilled hole in the latch area. If you suspect that the installation holes were improperly drilled, buy a new type of deadbolt that utilizes a different style tailpiece. Go to the locksmith store and request a US Lock or LSDA deadbolt. These can be keyed to Schlage or Kwikset/Callin. Whereas Kwikset requires a near perfect hole cut out in order to work smoothly, the LSDA and US Lock residential deadbolts are designed to operate even if the doors are not drilled dead on.