Door knob upside-down??

We recently purchased a house, and there's something that has been bugging us since we moved in. One of the exterior door knobs appears to have been installed upside-down. (The exterior keyhole is upside-down from the usual.)

This wouldn't be an issue, except that it seems to affect the functionality... the key is tough to insert, gets stuck, and takes hours of wiggling to unlock and remove. I'm sure the lock pins just don't work the way they're supposed to when they're installed correctly.

Is there a way to turn the knob "right-side-up"? I've taken the whole apparatus appart, and haven't been able to figure out how to turn it right-side-up.

Any ideas?

 

On the door locks I have installed, there is a square hole that allowed me to turn the knob 180°. It may also be an internal problem with the lock. Try a couple squirts of WD40 into the keyhole. Good luck.

 

The keyhole is upside down, but is the keyhole above or below the door knob?

 

Sounds like a Kwikset, Ace, (or similar) knob. They have kind of a half moon shaped piece that inserts through the latch plunger, and they only go one way- the way they were set in the factory. You can take them to a locksmith and have them turned around so the key isn't upside down. I wish I knew or had the tools to do it- that drives me bananas, especially when the deadbolt is installed the correct direction, and the entry knob is just the opposite.

 

There are some locksmiths that answer questions on the Hardware & Tools > Home Security Locks and Keys forums. Need to know the brand of lock (open the door and the brand is usually stamped on that portion of the lock).

You want to change the hand of the lock so your key fits with the teeth pointing up. Otherwise, the pins in the lock mechanism are on the bottom and they collect dirt and junk and this causes problems.

X sleeper. I've changed Kwicksets in the past; but, it has been 10 or 15 years. It required a simple tool that looks like a strap of sheet metal with a swallow tail on one end. I don't remember well enough to give how-to instructions.

 

XSleeper and Phil H, your descriptions sound right on. It is indeed a Kwikset. There's a half-circle shape around the main shaft of the knob, I think it just would need to be turned the opposite direction, but it doesn't seem possible without a tool (as you described Phil H) or professional help.

Sounds like I may be best off looking for another knob...

 

The doors that I've installed where I've had the time and opportunity to do it, I've taken the knob into a hardware store (Ace) or the local lumberyard, and they usually have the tools (that Phil mentioned) to turn the key and tumbler around. You might try calling around to see if the local hardware store's service department could do that for you. If you take it in, be sure you also bring the key- they might need it.