Tru Guard Entry Lock - Low Cost, Adequate

Our previous front door lock entry set was broken, and this one is an inexpensive replacement. It looks nice, and is moderately secure. It does not include a deadbolt.

When I painted the front door, it was finally time to replace the lockset that didnt work right any more. This one is stainless steel with a brushed finish. It has a 25-year mechanical guarantee, and a 5-year guarantee on the finish. Ill be amazed if it lasts 25 years at this price, but it would be nice.

ANSI rates it for residential use. That's the American National Standards Institute. They are a group which oversees the establishment of standard sizes for things, so that doorknobs made in one location will fit doors made in another (and a zillion other things, too). Items have to meet certain requirements for different levels of their ratings. So this rating means that the lockset isn't considered sturdy enough for the amount of use it would receive in a store, for example.

I wasnt sure if there were various sizes of locksets, and took my old parts to the store, but this was indicated for a universal fit. This is accomplished with some ingenious adaptations. The latch can be telescoped from 2 3/8 to 2 3/4 inches in length (this isn't the thickness of the door, but the length from the edge of the door to the center of the knob hole). That will fit most doors. If you have an unusual door, you should check the length of your latch. There are also half-circle shims so that the latch will fit in into two different sizes of hole (not the face hole on the door, but the one on the edge).

One problem was that the strike plate provided was smaller than the one that had come with the previous set, so I had to leave the old one in place. The old one is brass-colored instead of stainless, but this wasnt too big an issue to me.

The whole thing installed in about 5 minutes, with only a Phillips screwdriver.

It comes with two keys, and the key number is provided on the package so you could get replacements from the company if you lost both of them.

One thing that I dont like is that the doorknob is not textured. The previous knob had some knurling on it which allowed you to get a good grip when your hands were wet. However, I couldnt find a comparable one.

Made in China