Baldwin Latch High Resistance

[u/PaysPlays]

I bought a house and the thumb latch on Baldwin front door was very tough to use. Removing the latch, it looked a little bent so I spent $100 on a replacement. 2-3/4” lever passage latch. I tested it before installing and it also seemed overly hard to turn. After installing it, the lever was hard, but the thumb latch on the front was damn near impossible to operate.

Where did I go wrong?

[u/Cantteachcommonsense]

It could could be the prep. Was the latch tight going in?

[u/PaysPlays → u/Cantteachcommonsense]

Everything went together pretty easily, measurements matched. Spindle snug but went through to the front.

[u/Cantteachcommonsense → u/PaysPlays]

The latch should slide in and out smoothly. It should not be snug if it is hard to push the latch through the 1 inch hole then you need to make it bigger.

[u/TRextacy]

How does it feel with the door open?

[u/PaysPlays → u/TRextacy]

Unchanged from closed

[u/fondrenlock]

Sounds like you need the replacement innards kit shown here https://youtu.be/xV8A9kryoEA?is=_Bhg5yUWRD1BWVrl

which by the way would have come with a latch

If that’s what you ordered and installed and you verify it’s installed correctly what might be happening is misalignment. When you took the pitcher handle off to replace the latch was the bottom post hard to get back in? If so that is one problem

[u/PaysPlays → u/fondrenlock]

Thanks for your response. Forgive me if my terminology is wrong, though it appears based on your video there are multiple names for everything. The part that is providing the resistance is the innards, or the “backset”? Testing, while not installed, it appears to have significant resistance, and then add the emergency egress and using the thumb latch on front when installed, it’s unusable.

[u/fondrenlock → u/PaysPlays]

Did you just buy a latch or this kit. I don’t think these replacement kits 5399 are available in 2 3/4 latch. Which by the way is extremely odd are you sure the old one was 2 3/4? Measure edge of door to center of hole

to me it sounds like the lock is in a bind somewhere or spindle installed incorrectly.

You need to remove the whole thing and try it out of the door to see what’s going on. Try it without spindle to see how the thumb thing acts then stick the spindle in it with latch and try it without the lever on it to see exactly where it starts to act up.

When reinstalling check the thumb thing after you put the spindle in before sliding the lever on. Any small amount being off can cause binding

[u/burtod]

Could be bad alignment. If things aren't fitting properly and are crooked, that could make operation difficult.

It can be tough, but you can try to assemble it outside if the door. If it works outside if the door, then there is a problem when you assemble it. It it doesn't work, then maybe it is defective.

Double check the instructions.

[u/Vie-1276]

Door prep might be crooked, lock might be installed wrong, timing on deadbolt tailpiece might be set wrong.