Rim locks are most often found in residential applications. They can be identified by the rim cylinder mounted flush on the outside of the door, held in place by 2 screws from the inside, and the "box" portion of the lock mounted on the surface of the inside of the door, usually by 3 or 4 screws or bolts. Rim deadbolts can be either single cylinder or double cylinder. Rim locks are commonly sold at home hardware centers, and most are lower priced items of cheap manufacture and quality. However, a few brands offer heavy duty and high security versions for commercial and heavy duty applications. If you are trying to replace one of the Yale locks pictured below, you can't cheap out and go with another brand. Only the original Yale seems to fit as a replacement. Conversely, if you have a lesser brand, the Yale locks do not line up correctly as a replacement. Rim locks are also found on some iron gate applications, sometimes welded into place. Depending on the quality and the brand, some rim locks are also compatible with high security cylinders.

    LockInfoNet recommendation regarding rim locks, as a general rule LockInfoGuy dislikes rim locks. The screws often do not remain tight, and they are more sensitive to changes in the door from sagging or whatever. They are also harder to do a decent job of installing, for the main reason that by the time you have chiseled away enough material from the typical door frame, there is nothing left to screw it to, resulting in weak installations. If the door and jamb do not line up sufficiently, a decent installation may not even be possible. Some door and jamb combinations do a lot better with this type of lock than others. A solid wood or heavy steel door with a flat steel jamb seems to do best with these locks, used with the correct flat strike. Too often I see the angled strike for a wood jamb installed on a steel jamb, with a lot of butchering done to the jamb and or door. When I find a failing rim lock on a door I often find it more feasible and preferable to re drill the door for a tubular type deadbolt. A professional locksmith should be able to do this for you, and customers are very happy with the results. Especially after having wrestled with a missaligned rim lock for months or years. To name names, the best commonly available rim locks are the 2 Yale models shown below. Yale 197F On Steel Door installation article

COMMON RIM LOCKS AND PARTS

Rim Cylinder Common cylinder for Rim type locks