Installing an AMSEC INSWING VAULT DOOR.

Remember, this is for an INSWING DOOR. The door doesn't need to be removed for an outswing door.

American Security makes a great door. It has a solid 1/2" plate with a 1- 1/8" layer of their proprietary dry-lite concrete type mixture behind that. This combo makes for a very formidable door but the installation is a bit tough sometimes.

Here's how we address some of the problems with their design.

1. Toss out the instructions that come with the door! Well, you can read them if you want, but they won't apply if you are installing the door into a concrete jamb.

2. Put all the tools and materials you'll need as well as the interior frame inside the vault room. The tools required inside would be a couple flashlights or work lights, a small sledge hammer, a ball pein hammer, a prybar or two, some 2x4's to use as cribbing under the door that you'll remove and for a fulcrum for your prybar, a 3/8" allen wrench, (an allen socket and flexible extension for a cordless impact would help) a cordless drill and impact, a 6' level, a quick- grip clamp or two, a few 3/16" punches about 3" long (make sure these are hardened steel and that the 3/16" shaft part is about 3" long to drive the hinge pin all the way out of the hinge barrel) a 3/8"punch, a few 3/8" steel drill bits, a few 1/4" concrete/ masonry bits, 16 (sixteen) 1/4" x 3 1/2" Simpson Strong Tie Titen HD concrete anchors, a 3/8" socket, and some cardboard and duct tape, You'll also want an assistant to help move the door once it's off its hinges, If you forget something, no worries, you can just open the door a bit and have someone on the outside pass it to you. 

3. Station yourself and an assistant inside the vault room and have some help position the door into place with the outer frame snug against the outside wall.

4. Tape about a square foot of cardboard to the door and frame above each hinge to protect the paint while you are trying to beat the hinge pins out of the hinge. Trust me, just do it or you'll be touching up the paint. (The door comes with touch up paint though so suit yourself.)

5. Use the 3/8" allen wrench to remove the set screw and ball bearing  from the bottom of the hinge. (Note how they come out, one side is beveled)

6. Use the 3/16" punch to drive the hinge pin down from the top of each hinge. Yep, this is the hard part. You may have to get creative with the prybar and perhaps the small sledge hammer for the top hinge because there's little room to work.

7. Use the prybar and 2x4's to remove the door from the frame. Set the door aside carefully and with help for now by leaning it against the wall.

8. Use a little piece of duct tape and cover the hinge pin hole on the jamb. This will prevent any metal shavings from falling in there while you are drilling the steel frame.

9. Place the steel, U-shaped, interior frame trim piece in place behind the door frame. It should overlap if the the rough opening is less than 9.5 inches.

10. Use the level to plumb the jamb and secure it in place with the quick grip clamps. CHECK PLUMB BOTH DIRECTIONS AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.

11. Use the 3/8" steel bit and drill holes through the interior frame at the top and bottom corners by using the access holes in the main frame as a pilot. Be careful not to drill into the concrete or you'll ruin your bit. Check plumb both ways while you do this to ensure nothing has shifted.

12. Use the 1/4" masonry bit to predrill the corner holes for the Titen Anchors.

13. Do the same to predrill the remaining anchor points. 

14. Don't tighten the anchors all the way until the door is back on the hinges, but run the Titen anchors into the jamb to secure it to the frame. TAKE CARE TO NOT OVERTIGHTEN AND DISTORT THE FRAME.

15. Re-hang the door. You can use the 3/8" punch to drive the pins back up into the hinge barrel. Then install the ball bearing and Allen set screw.

16. Tighten the anchors but TAKE CARE TO NOT OVERTIGHTEN AND DISTORT THE FRAME.

17. Check the door boltworks. If there is any friction or interference, you might be able to address that by adjusting the allen set screws. 

18. Please let us know if these instructions helped or need edited! Aaron Parker 931.842-6445

19. Call AMERICAN SECURITY after you've calmed down and politely ask them to redesign their vault door frame and mention how cool a clam-shell frame would be.