Whether you are upgrading your current garage door lock or you are needing to replace a broken lock, these simple steps will get your through the process with a fair amount of ease.
Secure Your Garage Door
First, you need to close and secure your garage door. Close the garage door and secure it with a pair of vice grips or Quick Clamps. Lock the vice grips or clamps in place on the track above any of the rollers on each side of the garage door.
Remove the Old Garage Door Lock
Removing your garage door lock can be tricky but is entirely possible for the avid DIY-er. Follow these steps to disconnect the lock:
- Remove the pin that secures the inside lock handle. To do this, place a nail over the pin and tap the nail with a hammer until the bottom of the pin becomes visible. Grab the pin with a pair of pliers and remove the pin from the lock.
- Pull the inside handle off and pull the side lock bars off the shaft. The lock bars are the two straight pieces sticking out each side of the lock towards the sides of the door. The lock bars join a plate that mounts over the lock shaft.
- Disconnect the deadbolt above the shaft by removing the screws (normally four) with a Phillips-head screwdriver.
- Remove the screws (normally two) that secure the outside lock assembly to the door with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Using a different door, go outside and you can now pull the lock assembly out of the door.
Once you’ve removed the garage door outside lock assembly, take it to your local home improvement center and ask an associate to help you purchase an exact match (if you are just replacing the existing lock with the same type).
Install the New Garage Door Lock
You are now ready to install the new garage door lock. Follow these steps to get it right:
- Have a friend slide the new lock assembly through the garage door and hold the lock assembly on the outside of the door while you secure the lock on the inside with the two retaining screws.
- Place the new deadbolt in the lock assembly and secure it with the four retaining screws.
- Position the lock bar through the lock bar guides on each side. The lock bar guides are the two brackets that the lock bars sit in when the garage door is unlocked. Place the lock bar over the lock shaft.
- Place the new inner lock handle on the shaft, making sure to line up the hole for the retaining pin on the shaft and handle.
- Insert the retaining pin into the handle and gently tap the pin with a nail (using a hammer) until the pin is sitting flush with the handle.
- Remove the vice grips/clamps on both of the garage door tracks and make sure nothing else is obstructing the door from raising and lowering. Test opening the garage door and also lowering it, locking and unlocking it with the new lock.
If you have any questions or need any additional help in finding the right replacement for your garage door lock or perhaps upgrading your existing lock, you can reach us at 303-974-0215 and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have, or schedule an appointment with one of our garage door specialists. With over 16 years of experience, we are Denver’s choice for locksmith services!
