replying to Nosmo King, John wrote:
The problem is with the "deadlatch" mechanism in the exterior door lockset,
which keeps someone from jimmying the lock open from the outside by pushing on
the latch which locks up the latch when the extra pin that slides along the
latch itself is depressed after the door closes and latches. The Schlage
locksets are known for this failure in their latch mechanism after about 5-10
years depending on frequency of that exterior door use, and your symptom is
the classic one of having to turn the knob slightly to get the latch to slide
on the striker plate and the door to close. Schlage has a lifetime warranty on
the part and will send you a replacement latch mechanism which is the part
with the latch that installs in the edge of the door. The knobs and tumbler
lockset that mount on each side of the door are reused, although they must be
removed before removing and installing the latch mechanism. I've got the same
problem with the back door on my house, and as much as I'd like to be able to
at least temporarily repair the latch mechanism while waiting on the free
replacement from Schlage, it's not feasible. It became very clear on examining
it that the mechanism was not designed to be disassembled without the risk of
damaging or destroying it. I could have gotten it apart. I've professionally
disassembled dozens of products to document how they were fabricated and
assembled in the manufacturing process. The issue in doing so was the risk of
not being able to reassemble it into at least a partially functioning latch.
The consequence would be inability to close and latch or lock an exterior door
on my house. Not an acceptable risk. Better to have a partially functioning
latch that effectively locks and none at all until the latch from Schlage
arrives.

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