My new Fastec latch assembly is a knock-off

[Old Crow]

I finally got around to ordering a replacement latch assembly for the rear door of my Hawk. The original on my 2001 Hawk didn't have a lock cylinder on the deadbolt-- just a lever inside and a blank spot outside. I could of course lock the flip-out handle but wanted the extra security of a deadbolt lockable from the outside.

After reading up on WTW, I contacted Fastec and checked that a swap out is not only possible but easy. I thought I'd just go ahead and order from Fastec since they show a price of about $26 for it. What they don't mention until the shopping cart, though, is a $20 add-on for shipping and 'handling'.

That led me to Amazon where I found one for $24 and free shipping. Amazon itself wasn't the seller but rather a third-party Marketplace vendor but the listing said it was indeed a Fastec product and gave the Fastec part number.

I received the lock assembly today and took it apart. I first noticed it doesn't have the key-code on a sticker on the inside, nor does it have a part-number molded in. I also saw the keys don't have a key-code stamped in them and there's no way to identify what the key codes are.



I called up Fastec Customer Service and they confirmed that their product would have the Fastec name molded in and would have the key-code sticker and part number molded in as well as numbers stamped in the keys. They also mention this competitor but a close look suggests it's not that one.

The assembly itself isn't bad. The slide and deadbolt seem to work fine, the finish is good, etc. The one issue is the screws don't seem to want to go in smoothly, i.e., they get crossed up easily if I'm not extra careful. Bottom line... just a warning to say there are knockoffs around and of course the old caveat emptor thing.

 

[Old Crow]

Update:

(I like to keep notes to supplement my leaky memory so thought I'd go ahead and post them here in case the info could be useful to someone else).

When I asked the seller to replace the lock assembly with a genuine Fastec as shown in the listing, the seller said he sells both and happened to send the wrong one. He issued a prepaid return and when I notified him it was on the way, he sent the replacement.

Here's the replacement:



I note several other small differences....

The replacement assembly came in a box clearly marked with the stock number I ordered while the previous one came in a plastic bag with no markings. The Fastec assembly comes loosely fit together without its screws and the screws in a separate plastic bag while the previous one had the screws in place and screwed not quite the whole way in.

The screws were my biggest concern. The ends of the first one were slightly tapered at the end and had lines indicating they were some type of self-tapping screw. But they were difficult to get started straight while the Fastec ones don't have that taper or lines and start very easily.

The Fastec version came with one set of keys, the other with two sets of keys, perhaps because there's no way to order replacement keys on the latter.

Swapping out the old for the new was very easy and took about a half hour overall.

I will mention one thing I thought was going to be a problem but turned out fine. Before ordering the replacement, I had attempted to disassemble the latch assembly. After removing the screws from the back plate, I was supposed to be able to just lift it off but it wouldn't come. I could rotate it a bit but couldn't get the lock-bolt lever to let loose. At the time I was afraid of messing with it too much and finding myself with a door I couldn't operate and no replacement in hand so I put it back together. I didn't understand that the lever (black on the old, red on the new) is merely on a half-round shaft and I only needed to pry out a bit to get it off.

Today, the old back plate came right off and I didn't even need to use a tool to pry the lock-bolt lever off its shaft. Removal of the main assembly was a matter of removing the two screws in the plate in the door edge and removing that edge plate, then lifting out the assembly against the pull of its gasket.

After cleanup, installation was the reverse of removal. I did not use a sealant as there was no indication of sealant on the old one and the gasket on the outside portion of the assembly should do the job. The one trick was to be sure the latch lever on the back plate is down so it goes together properly and will operate the slide after re-assembly. I also replaced the striker plate in the door frame using the existing screws. After testing the new latch for proper operation and lubing the lock cylinders, I swapped keys and reassembled the old assembly and stored it away for spare parts (mostly the screws).

Old and new:



Cost of the swap-out was $24.50 total. Fastec part number is 43610-06-SP.