By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

Pick the box by what is going in it

Keedex makes a gate box for most of the locks people hang on a gate. Seven of them are the everyday catalog: a single box, a wide single, a Schlage Rhodes box, two double boxes, and two narrow ones for Adams Rite. The names are all K-BX and a few letters, which is how you end up with the wrong one in the cart.

The way through is to separate them into two groups first. Five are for a cylindrical lock, one bore through a plate. Two are for a narrow stile mortise lock. Once you know which group your lock is in, the choice is small.

The cylindrical boxes

Keedex part	What the listing says	Size as listed	Hole / backset
K-BXSGL234-112	Standard single gate box, 14 gauge steel	4-3/4 in. W x 3-1/2 in. H x 1-5/8 in. D	1-1/2 in. hole, 2-3/4 in. backset
K-BXSGL234-2W	Weldable, for wide applications, 14 gauge steel	4-3/4 in. W x 4-1/8 in. H x 2 in. D	2-1/8 in. hole, 2-3/4 in. backset
K-BXRHO	For Schlage Rhodes, 14 gauge steel	4-3/4 in. W x 4-1/8 in. H x 1-3/4 in. D	2-1/8 in. hole, six thru-bolt holes around it, 2-3/4 in. backset
K-BXDBL	Double gate box, 14 gauge steel	6-7/8 in. H x 4-1/2 in. W x 1-5/8 in. D	2-1/8 in. cylindrical, 2-3/8 in. backset, 3-1/2 in. center to center
K-BXDBL234	Steel box for Schlage Rhodes and many other lever sets, 14 gauge	4-3/4 in. W x 8-5/8 in. H x 1-3/4 in. D	2-1/8 in. cylindrical, 2-3/4 in. backset

Single: the 1-1/2 in. hole or the 2-1/8 in. hole

This is where most wrong orders happen. The K-BXSGL234-112 has a 1-1/2 in. hole. The K-BXSGL234-2W has a 2-1/8 in. hole. Both are single boxes with a 2-3/4 in. backset, and from across a shop they look like the same box.

A 2-1/8 in. hole is the standard bore for a cylindrical lockset, the same bore you cut in a door. A 1-1/2 in. hole is smaller, and the listing gives it for the standard single box. The practical question is what is in your hand. Measure the body of the lock you are mounting. If it needs the 2-1/8 in. bore, the K-BXSGL234-2W is the box and the 1-1/2 in. hole is useless. The 112 box is for the lock that wants the smaller opening. If you cannot tell, send us the model number.

The 2W is listed for wide applications, 2 in. deep. The listing does not name a lock for it, so check your lock's depth against 2 in. before you assume it fits.

The Rhodes box and the universal pattern

The K-BXRHO is listed for Schlage Rhodes. It has a 2-1/8 in. hole with six thru-bolt holes around it, and the listing calls it a universal hole pattern. The K-BXDBL234 is listed for Schlage Rhodes and many other lever sets, and it also states a universal hole pattern.

Read that as a convenience, not a promise. The universal pattern means the box is drilled to take several lever sets. It does not mean it takes yours. The listing names Rhodes and says many others without naming them, so I will not name them either. Compare the bolt pattern on your lock to the box before you cut anything. Our guide on mounting a lockset to a steel gate with a Keedex box covers the layout and the through-bolt step.

Single or double

The two double boxes are listed as a double gate box and as a steel box for lever sets. The K-BXDBL lists a 3-1/2 in. center to center. That is the distance between the two bores, and it matters if both holes have to line up with the hardware you are mounting. The K-BXDBL has a 2-3/8 in. backset. The K-BXDBL234 has a 2-3/4 in. backset and is 8-5/8 in. tall.

The listing does not say which two locks the double boxes are meant for, and I will not guess. Take the lock hardware you plan to mount and measure the center to center of your two bores. If it is not 3-1/2 in., the K-BXDBL is not the box. The K-BXDBL234 does not list a center to center, so ask before you buy it for a pair.

The narrow stile boxes: Adams Rite

The other group is a different lock entirely. K-BXA/R is a steel box and K-BXA/R-AL is the aluminum one, for Adams Rite 1850S, 1851S, 4511, 4710 and 4711. The steel box also lists the 4900 Series. Both are listed as mortise, narrow style, 2-1/16 in. wide by 8 in. tall by 1-13/16 in. deep, with a 1-1/8 in. backset.

The listing names the Assa 8508, 8513 and 8518 and the International DH1822 and DL4511 as locks that also work. That is the narrow stile family, the one on aluminum storefront doors and pedestrian gates. The Adams Rite lock itself is explained in our article on the MS1850 on a narrow stile door.

Steel or aluminum follows the gate. A steel box on a steel gate, aluminum on aluminum. Do not weld one to the other.

A short decision path

1. Is the lock a cylindrical lockset or a narrow stile mortise? Narrow stile means the K-BXA/R pair.
2. Cylindrical: what is the bore, 1-1/2 in. or 2-1/8 in.? That separates the 112 box from the 2W, Rhodes and double boxes.
3. Do you need one lock or two? Two means the K-BXDBL or K-BXDBL234, and a measured center to center.
4. Match the box metal to the gate metal.
5. Dry-fit the lock before welding.

If you have a Simplex or Kaba Ilco pushbutton to mount, read our guide to the Keedex boxes made for those locks first, because they have their own boxes.

Common questions

Which Keedex box is for Schlage Rhodes?

The K-BXRHO, a steel box with a 2-1/8 in. hole and six thru-bolt holes. The K-BXDBL234 is also listed for Rhodes and many other lever sets.

What is the difference between the K-BXSGL234-112 and the K-BXSGL234-2W?

The 112 has a 1-1/2 in. hole. The 2W is listed for wide applications with a 2-1/8 in. hole and 2 in. depth.

What is the center to center on the double box?

The K-BXDBL lists 3-1/2 in. center to center. The K-BXDBL234 does not list one.

Which boxes fit an Adams Rite narrow stile lock?

The K-BXA/R in steel and the K-BXA/R-AL in aluminum, both listed for the 1850S, 1851S, 4511, 4710 and 4711.

Do I weld steel or aluminum?

Match the gate. Steel box on a steel gate, aluminum box on an aluminum gate.

Does the box include the lock?

No. Keedex sells the box only.

The full range is on our Keedex page. Send us the lock model number and we will confirm the box before you cut or weld anything.