[NA]Door closers[NA]

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
20,316
Location
west Texas
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Display name:
Dave Taylor
Stanley? Tell? Yale? LCN?

Exterior door. Metal/foam core. Exposed to occasionally 40kt winds.
Gets used 25x/day.
Prefer easy user adjustment on tension. (have seen confusing, difficult adjustment types)

No code or ADA requirements
 
Depends on what's important to you. My company is an LCN distributor. Stanley, too, among other lines. Hager or Dorma are less expensive and have better warranties. LCN makes great stuff but it's more expensive. Lots of mfgrs make good closers for low frequency doors. Get a universal size spring power and adjust as required. be patient with valve adjustments. Make very small adjustments, not big ones.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
a) door not sailing off into parking lot when staff forgets to pull it shut.
Click to expand...

Might need door retention straps.

Okay, that was a joke. As a victim of Wyoming door location, orientation and handing will determine whether or not the door gets converted to a windsurfing device. The closer is just another part that gets ripped off.
 
An LCN 4041XP SCUSH is the gold standard for heavy duty closers with a spring cushion stop arm. You can find import copies for about half the price. Probably not as good a closer but probably good enough. Either way... You should put a floor stop in place and coordinate it with the cush arm so you limit the top and bottom at the same degree of opening. A closer alone is not going to do the job without the door twisting and the closer arm failing. Closers are intended to close doors, not keep them from blowing open. Controlling the motion is good, for sure, but a door stop will be important.
 
Floor stop would have everyone tripping here. Is there such a thing which pops down, catches the floor as the door reaches its limit?
 
I might just put a retention strap on the top of the door.
I see LCN 4040s for about $200
 
Look at a surface applied overhead door stop like Glynn Johnson 904S. In combo with a closer that's a good solution. Make sure you get the correct PA shoe.
 
more reading, more questions.
I see reference to Door Closer Size ie Number 1,2-6 or so.

This is a 36" metal (foam core) LH exterior door so I think I need number 5. Sound right?

Also, ANSI Grade 1 sounds good to me; best quality

I cannot figure out if I want parallel arm, or standard or top jamb. Does it even matter?
I know there is no room between the door and its frame for any bracket.

LCN 4041 is not as available as LCN 4040. How are they different?

I am concerned about the door mount; someone installed a closer for me years ago on another, similar exterior door and a) they had to weld up a rod to make it fit to the door which looks very ghetto. b) when the arm was mounted to the top of the door, it compressed and deformed the door when the mounting hardware was cinched down.

@Stewartb maybe you can answer these things, I will buy from you. Thanks.
 
4040 is a generic name. 4041 indicates adjustable spring power. For a 3-0 exterior door you need a size 4 spring so adjust a 4041 to #4 on the adjuster. All closers are sized this way. #3 for a 3-0 interior door, #4 for exterior. Order sheets show the size relationship for door and closer. The 4040 is a universal closer. Non-handed and universal mount. A dedicated, handed push side closer for your application would be a 4114. Contractors like installation flexibility so the 4040 family is the #1 seller.

Parallel arm means push side mounted. Regular arm is pull side mounted. Nobody uses top jamb unless trim conditions dictate it. A parallel arm closer body mounts to the door. Use through bolts. The arm attaches to a shoe that screws up under the soffit (stop) of the header. The shoe doesn’t fit between door and header. The frame should have a doubler welded to the inside of the head if it was intended to have a closer. If not reinforced use Rivnuts for the machine screws that attach the shoe to frame. The arm will bolt right up to the shoe.

Spring power is only part of the motion control. Good closers have back-check valves to limit opening speed, sweep speed valves to control closing speed, and latch speed to make sure the door closes securely at the end of it’s travel. adjust those in tiny increments, like 1/8 turn at a time. A little valve adjustment goes a long way.
 
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Sure, I’ll be happy to help or to coach you if you have a local alternative.
 
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