ARmy Rumour SErvice

Poor attempt, though doubtless Muddlemaker will be along soon to discuss other assorted door furniture items.

Poor attempt at what, a wah? No duff here, serious question.

Have you loosened the back check adjuster (if there is one)? Have you tried adjusting the latching speed? Is it difficult to push the door through all the arc of the door, or just the first few inches?

Actually, looking at the photo are you sure that the arm is fitted horizontally? It looks like the top arm is slightly high, although that might just the camera angle. That could cause the arm joint to bind.

The spring tension is too tight. Also, the valve which controls the closing speed is not open far enough.

Reduce spring tension by a certain amount (try starting with one full turn). The door will require less effort to open, but will close more slowly. Now open the closing speed adjustment valve a smidgen, assess closing speed, and make further adjustments to the closing valve to achieve something approaching the desired speed. Now check the effort required to open the door. Repeat as necessary until it's set as you want, but remember, adjust spring once by a known amount, tweak hydraulic valve to set speed, then assess.

Finally, once you are happy with effort required to open the door, and speed of shutting, you can set the latching control. This is another valve which throttles the hydraulics, but by a lesser amount, and gives the door a bit moor oomph in the final phase of it's travel to give the extra force needed allow the door latch to be engaged.

Originally Posted by Joe_Private

The spring tension is too tight. Also, the valve which controls the closing speed is not open far enough.

Reduce spring tension by a certain amount (try starting with one full turn). The door will require less effort to open, but will close more slowly. Now open the closing speed adjustment valve a smidgen, assess closing speed, and make further adjustments to the closing valve to achieve something approaching the desired speed. Now check the effort required to open the door. Repeat as necessary until it's set as you want, but remember, adjust spring once by a known amount, tweak hydraulic valve to set speed, then assess.

Finally, once you are happy with effort required to open the door, and speed of shutting, you can set the latching control. This is another valve which throttles the hydraulics, but by a lesser amount, and gives the door a bit moor oomph in the final phase of it's travel to give the extra force needed allow the door latch to be engaged.

Well that saved me a lot of typing.

I should have said, that picture is representative of the closer i have installed and is pinched from google due to not being able to upload the pic.

But yes the arms are parallel to the ground and the arm from the main body is 90deg to the door.

The closer only has a latch and speed control, no spring control which was my first check. It looks like the valve can be adjusted as at each end of the main body is a recess for a massive alan key about 1" in diameter. But it is hell of a stiff and i can not even budge it.

There is no back checker
Latch speed has been adjusted, no effect.
Speed has been adjusted, not effect.
Difficult to open throughout arc, not just the initial pull.


Any other ideas? If not ill just it back and getting a slightly better one with crossed fingers.

Originally Posted by Pacifist_Jihadist

I should have said, that picture is representative of the closer i have installed and is pinched from google due to not being able to upload the pic.

But yes the arms are parallel to the ground and the arm from the main body is 90deg to the door.

The closer only has a latch and speed control, no spring control which was my first check. It looks like the valve can be adjusted as at each end of the main body is a recess for a massive alan key about 1" in diameter. But it is hell of a stiff and i can not even budge it.

There is no back checker
Latch speed has been adjusted, no effect.
Speed has been adjusted, not effect.
Difficult to open throughout arc, not just the initial pull.


Any other ideas? If not ill just it back and getting a slightly better one with crossed fingers.

Get a professional carpenter to fit it for you.

Originally Posted by MuddleMaker

Get a professional carpenter to fit it for you.

As predicted, Roger Irrelevant has turned up.

PJ, the latch and speed controls you have identified are the two hydraulic throttle valves I referred to. The bit where the big Allen key fits is the spring tensioner - use more effort. (If it's really that stiff to adjust, it might be better to remove the entire unit from the door, and loosen it off on a stable surface.)