Mortise lock broke and fell through the opening you see.
JELD-WEN Builders vnyl, apparently
So it broke and we I took out the handle the lock just fell through the hollow...
The 3-3/16 mortise lock (standard) does not fit through the opening
the distance between holes is three-and three-quarters in.
I got the regular mortise lock with that distance but its body is rectangular and the opening is oval, so it didn't fit...
It is 3 and 3/16 at the high points, but that would mean that the body of the lock should be oval in order to fit through, not rectangular.
The 3-3/16 body, if rectangular, will not fit through the hole. We tried already.
Need Mortise Lock
Quick Learner from United States
Jul 22, 2026 2:23 pm
5 user uploaded images
4 Replies
Bob from SWISCO
Jul 25, 2026 11:17 pm
Hey there. This was almost certainly the 82-218 Mortise Lock; the 'falling into the door' issue has happened many times with it. It is supposed to be a snug fit and has to be installed at an angle. See below.
Quick Learner from United States
Jul 27, 2026 1:14 pm
I can try but we already got the new lock with these measurements and it simply didn't fit into the opening. The rectangular body was too long for the oval opening...
Bob from SWISCO
Jul 29, 2026 12:25 am
There's two concerns I've heard for years about the 82-218. First, the fact it can easily fall into the door during removal or installation; second, the fact it seemingly is too big to fit into the cavity. As the video I posted above demonstrates, inserting it at an angle should take care of that issue. After tying, let me know if you are still unable to install this.
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