The exit device on a Kawneer aluminum entrance no longer relocks, a pivot has worn out, or the closer in the header has failed. Before you order, find out which device and which pivots the door actually has. Kawneer's hardware manual covers all three.
Where Kawneer documents its entrance hardware
The manual is Kawneer Entrance Hardware (PDF), listed on the Kawneer 190, 350 and 500 standard entrances page. Exit devices are on pages 8 to 14 (the 1686 and 1786 on page 8), the NP1 power supply on page 18, pivots on pages 2 and 3, closers on pages 20 to 22. It describes and illustrates each item but gives no installation steps, and we found no 1686 or 1786 installation instructions among the documents on that page.
Kawneer 1686 or 1786 exit device?
Both are Kawneer touchbar devices, and the manual gives both the same dimensions. They differ in how they latch; our exit device types guide explains rim and concealed rod devices.
The 1686 is a concealed rod device: its vertical rods and latch mechanisms sit inside the vertical stile. Pressing the touchbar pulls the rods out of the transom bar and the threshold. When the door closes, the top rod is released and frees the bottom rod to engage the threshold, and the door is locked again. Kawneer notes that the rods can be adjusted without removing a panel. The device requires a 5-pin mortise cylinder, 1-5/32 inch in diameter, with trim.
The 1786 is a rim device. A latch bolt with a 5/8 inch throw in the rim of the housing engages a strike on an aluminum jamb or on a removable mullion; for pairs, the manual lists the RM86 removable mullion.
| Item | 1686 | 1786 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | concealed rod | rim |
| Latches into | transom bar and threshold | jamb or mullion strike |
| Dogging, standard | hex key or cylinder | hex key, cylinder as option |
| Dogging, MEL | hex key or electrical | no hex key or cylinder |
For both, the centerline of the touchbar is 40 inches above the bottom of the door, the device is 3-3/16 inches high and projects 2-3/4 inches, or 1-13/16 inches when dogged. Both come in clear and dark bronze with an optional exterior lever trim.
1686 MEL and 1786 MEL
Both devices come in a MEL version: the manual describes the 1786 MEL as the access control version and gives the 1686 MEL electrical dogging. It pairs both with the NP1 power supply: one NP1 runs two devices, takes 120 VAC and delivers 24 VDC regulated at 3.2 A. Battery backup is standard, and the manual notes that it is required for fail secure operation (see our fail safe and fail secure guide).
Other exit devices on Kawneer doors
Not every Kawneer door has a 1686 or 1786. The manual also lists the Kawneer Paneline and devices from Falcon, Adams Rite, Calibre, Von Duprin, Sargent and Jackson. According to the manual, the Paneline hides its mechanism in the cross rail and uses the latch mechanisms and vertical rods described for the Falcon 1990.
Kawneer pivots: offset hung or center hung
Which pivot fits depends on how the door hangs and where its closer sits:
| Pivot | Used on, with notes |
|---|---|
| Top offset | offset hung doors; frame part mortised into header |
| Bottom offset | offset hung doors; threshold or floor version |
| Intermediate | offset hung, high traffic or over 7 ft 6 in tall; standard type does not replace a top pivot |
| Top center | center hung doors with floor closers; 190 door part differs from 350 and 500 |
| Bottom center | center hung doors with concealed overhead closers; threshold or floor version |
The top center pivot's door part is adjustable once and 3 inches long on the 190 narrow stile door, but nonadjustable and 2-3/8 inches long on the 350 and 500, so the door series matters. Without a threshold, the bottom center pivot pin is pressed into a stainless steel plate fastened to the floor, and the pivot block is shimmed for height.
Calibre offset pivot sets, including the PV-7000 that Calibre labels Kawneer Type, are covered in our Calibre pivots and closer arms guide. For pivots compared with butt and continuous hinges, see our door hinge types guide.
Closers on Kawneer entrances
For surface closers the manual names the Norton 1601 as the standard offering in Kawneer's entrance package program and also lists the Norton 8101, LCN 1260 series, LCN 4040 XP and Falcon SC 60. Our Norton model numbers guide covers the 1601 and 8101 and their replacement bodies.
Concealed overhead closers sit in the transom bar or header. The Calibre and International closers are double acting closers for center hung doors, with side load or end load arms; for offset hung doors Kawneer adds a single acting offset arm whose guide shoe slides in a track in the top rail. The LCN 2030 and 5030 are single acting concealed closers. The manual asks for a transom bar or header of at least 1-3/4 by 4 inches (1-3/4 by 4-1/2 for the LCN 5030). Our door closer types guide compares the families.
Kawneer parts in our catalog
Our catalog lists complete 1686 and 1786 devices and service parts named after the series, such as the 1686 latch mechanism, 1686 top and bottom guide, 1786 latch mechanism, 1786 frame strike kit and 1686/1786 dogging kit, plus the NP1 power supply, pivots, closer bodies, glass stops and push-pulls. The manual describes complete devices and the NP1, but it has no separate entries for latch mechanisms, guides, strike kits or dogging kits, so match those parts to the device series on your door. Check the hand too: our catalog lists the 1686 latch mechanism in a right-handed and a left-handed version (see our door handing chart). Browse the parts on our Kawneer brand page.
What to have ready when you order
- The entrance: 190, 350, 500 or another Kawneer series (Kawneer gives vertical stiles of 2-1/8, 3-1/2 and 5 inches for the 190, 350 and 500)
- Single door or pair, and the hand
- The exit device: 1686 or 1786, standard or MEL, and how it is dogged
- The finish: Kawneer uses numbers such as #17 clear, #40 dark bronze and #29 black anodized
- How the door hangs, and whether it has a threshold
- The closer: surface or concealed, with brand and model if readable
If you are not sure which part matches your door, email us those details with a photo of the old part. Our customer support team is available Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM Central Time, at 1-888-800-7789 or [email protected].
