Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Medeco Deadbolt Installation: The Chicago Owner’s Guide
Medeco deadbolt installation in Chicago typically runs $340-$580 for a complete single-cylinder setup, including the high-security cylinder, reinforced strike, and labor. We stock Medeco Maxum 11*603 and 11*605 series deadbolts on our trucks, and most residential installations are completed same-day. Homeowners usually discover the problem when the key begins to drag in the cylinder, the bolt sticks in the jamb during a freeze-thaw cycle, or the thumb turn spins without retracting the bolt - signs that the deadbolt body, cylinder, or mounting hardware has worn past specification.
Which Medeco Models This Applies To
Medeco residential deadbolts fall into two series we install regularly in Chicago: the Maxum 11*600 line (single-cylinder, thumb-turn interior) and the 11*700 line (double-cylinder, key-both-sides). The four-digit suffix matters. An 11*603 indicates a satin brass finish with a 2-3/8″ backset; an 11*605 is the same mechanism in satin nickel with a 2-3/4″ backset. Measure from the door edge to the center of the bore hole to confirm yours. If your door was built after 1995 in a Chicago frame construction, you likely have the 2-3/4″ backset.
Medeco cylinders are keyed to six pins with angled cuts and sidebar geometry that standard key blanks cannot reproduce. This means an aftermarket cylinder marketed as “Medeco-compatible” without the M3 or Biaxial keyway will not match your existing key system. We carry factory-authorized Medeco cylinders and deadbolt bodies. For customers with an existing Medeco key system, we can key the new deadbolt to your current key on-site. For those switching from Schlage or Kwikset, we install the full Medeco cylinder and provide new keys cut to factory spec.
One Chicago-specific compatibility note: many vintage bungalows in neighborhoods like Portage Park and Irving Park have 1-3/8″ thick doors, which is below Medeco’s standard 1-3/4″ specification. We stock extension collars and longer through-bolts for these installations, and we note the door thickness before quoting so the hardware does not arrive undersized.
Signs Your Medeco Deadbolt Installation Is Failing
- Key drag or catching in the cylinder. The angled pin chambers in a Medeco cylinder accumulate brass dust and road grit, especially in Chicago where winter salt gets tracked inside. When lubrication breaks down, the sidebar binds against the pins and the key feels like it’s fighting the lock. This is the most common early warning.
- Bolt sticks extended or retracted after temperature swings. Chicago’s freeze-thaw cycles warp door frames and compress weatherstripping. A deadbolt that worked in October may bind by January because the strike plate no longer aligns with the bolt path. The lock mechanism is often fine; the installation geometry has shifted.
- Thumb turn spins without moving the bolt. The tailpiece connecting the thumb turn to the deadbolt body has sheared or slipped its set screw. On Medeco Maxum units, this usually means the deadbolt body itself needs replacement - the tailpiece is not a separate field-serviceable part in most configurations.
- Door rattles or strike plate has visible gap. The reinforced strike that comes with a Medeco deadbolt is designed to resist kick-in force, but if the framing behind it has degraded or the screws have pulled out, the security benefit is gone. We find this in older Chicago brick buildings where the jamb is soft pine or where previous installers used 3/4″ screws instead of the 3″ security screws Medeco specifies.
- Key turns but bolt does not extend fully into strike. The internal cam or bolt carriage has worn. Medeco deadbolts use a hardened steel bolt, but the cam that drives it is zinc alloy and can crack after years of heavy use or after a tenant has forced it against a misaligned strike.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
| Component | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Medeco Maxum single-cylinder deadbolt (complete) | $220-$340 |
| Medeco Maxum double-cylinder deadbolt (complete) | $260-$390 |
| Labor - standard wood door, no modifications | $120-$190 |
| Labor - door modification, extension collars, or frame repair | $180-$260 |
| Rekey to existing Medeco key | $35-$55 |
Our dispatcher quotes the full installed price before we dispatch. Haven Standard Clause 1: the price on the phone is the price on the invoice. The technician is not permitted to change it at the door. What drives the range: door thickness, backset measurement, whether the existing bore is standard 2-1/8″ or needs enlarging, and whether the frame requires a new security strike with 3″ screws into studs. Every installation includes the documented photo record, the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and a written scope signed before work begins.
DIY or Call Us?
A homeowner can safely check two things: the backset measurement and whether the bolt retracts smoothly with the door open. If the bolt binds only when the door is closed, the problem is frame alignment, not the lock.
Where DIY goes wrong with Medeco deadbolts: the cylinder removal requires a specific cam orientation to avoid dropping the bottom pins into the body. If the cylinder is removed incorrectly, the pin stack disassembles inside the door. Reassembly without a pinning kit and factory key gauge is not practical. The deadbolt body also contains a spring-loaded anti-saw pin that can launch if the housing is opened without the bolt in the correct position. We have found dropped pins and cracked housings from well-intentioned attempts. The name is on the van. The work is the argument.
If you have the part number from your existing deadbolt, call us at (331) 202-1318 and we will confirm compatibility and quote the full installed price before scheduling.
FAQs
A properly installed Medeco Maxum deadbolt typically lasts 15-25 years in Chicago’s climate, though salt exposure and freeze-thaw frame movement can shorten that to 10-15 years in heavily trafficked entry doors. The cylinder itself often outlasts the deadbolt body because the internal cam and bolt carriage take the mechanical stress. Call (331) 202-1318 and we will assess whether your cylinder can be reused in a new body.
Sometimes the cylinder can be repinned or cleaned if the issue is key drag, but a cracked cam, sheared tailpiece, or bolt carriage wear requires full deadbolt body replacement. Medeco does not sell individual cam or carriage assemblies for field repair. We diagnose on-site and tell you which path applies before any work begins.
A straightforward replacement on a standard wood door takes 45-75 minutes, including removal of the old hardware, bore inspection, strike alignment, and key verification. Door modifications or frame repairs add 30-60 minutes. We schedule a two-hour window and usually finish well within it.
Yes. We carry Maxum single-cylinder and double-cylinder units in satin nickel and satin brass, the two finishes we see most requested in Chicago. For oil-rubbed bronze or polished brass, we may need one business day to pull from our supplier. We confirm stock when you call and quote.
Written by Daniel Novak, Owner, Novak Lock & Security Chicago at Novak Lock & Security Chicago, serving Chicago and nearby areas.