By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

One touch bar, five ways to latch it

The Von Duprin 33A Series is a single touch bar with several latching systems under it. The part number tells you which one: 3327A, 3347A, 3348A, 3349A and 3350A-WDC. They share the same 33A touch bar, which the listings describe as smooth and quiet, non-handed and field reversible, with a 10-year mechanical warranty, Grade 1, and hex key dogging standard. What changes is what the device does at the top and bottom of the door.

Our guide to the Von Duprin 33A on an aluminum storefront covers the rim version. This piece is about the others, the ones you reach for on pairs of doors.

3327A: surface vertical rod

The 3327A-EO-US26D-3 uses surface mounted vertical rods for top and bottom latching. The listing calls it the standard choice for pairs of doors where both leaves need to be active. The rods are visible on the door surface and the bolts latch at the header and threshold. That means the strikes matter: the listing's pro-tip says surface vertical rod devices need proper strike alignment at both header and threshold, and if either strike pocket is too shallow, which it says is common on older frames, you will need surface applied strikes. Check before you order.

3347A: concealed vertical rod

The 3347A-EO-US26D-3 is the same job with the rods hidden inside the door stile for a clean look. The listing says it latches at the header and threshold for positive latching on pairs, and its pro-tip calls it the best choice for glass storefront pairs. The warning goes with it: concealed rods are sensitive to door sag, and even 1/8 inch of sag will prevent the top rod from engaging the header strike. If the door has dropped, fix the door first.

Our write-up of the 3547A concealed vertical rod covers the 35A version of the same mounting.

3348A: read the listing twice

The 3348A-EO-US26D-3 needs care. The product title calls it a concealed vertical rod exit device for hollow metal doors. The description and the specification table call it a touch bar rim exit device with a horizontal latch bolt that strikes into the frame on the lock side. The pro-tip describes the 33A as Von Duprin's value-line touch bar rim device, using the same proven latch mechanism as the 98 and 99 at a lower price point. Those two descriptions do not match. If you need a vertical rod device on a hollow metal pair, do not order the 3348A off the title alone. Send us the door and the device you are replacing and we will confirm which one it is before it ships.

3349A: concealed vertical cable

The 3349A-EO-US26D-3 replaces the rigid rods with a steel cable. The listing says the cable system is more forgiving of slight door misalignment, which makes it a practical choice when perfect alignment cannot be guaranteed. The mount type reads Concealed Vertical Cable, and the listing describes the cable as easier to install than rod devices. If the door is out of true or the frame has settled, this is the 33A that tolerates it.

3350A-WDC: the wood door cable

The 3350A-WDC-EO-US26D-3 is the cable version built for wood doors. The WDC in the part number is the catalog's Wood Door Concealed, and the listing's pro-tip is specific: the cable routing and mounting are optimized for wood door construction, so do not install a standard cable device on a wood door, or the reverse. We cover the 98-body version of the same idea in our guide to the 9847 and 9857 exit only devices.

Door width and size

The listings are written for a 3 foot (36 in.) door. The catalog also lists 2 foot and 4 foot versions, and each version ends with the width in feet. Measure the leaf, not the opening. The listings give the door material as aluminum, glass, hollow metal or wood, which is where the part number and the mount type do the narrowing.

Before you order a pair

A pair of doors is two devices and two sets of problems, and most returns on these come from the same four checks that nobody ran. Walk the opening with this list.

• Strike pockets: are the header and threshold pockets deep enough? The 3327A listing says shallow pockets are common on older frames and call for surface applied strikes.
• Door sag: hold a straightedge to the top of the leaf. The 3347A listing says 1/8 inch of sag is enough to stop the top rod engaging.
• Door material: the listings list aluminum, glass, hollow metal and wood. The cable version for wood is its own part number, the WDC.
• Outside trim: the exit only listings say outside trim is not included and is ordered separately. The family also lists dummy trim versions. Decide what is on the outside before you pick the function.

Those four checks cost ten minutes and prevent a second trip. If any answer is a surprise, call us before you order.

Dogging on a pair

Hex key dogging is standard on the listings: it holds the latch retracted during business hours so the leaf works as a push and pull, and the hex key releases it at close. On a pair it is worth deciding which leaf you will dog before you order, because both leaves carry the device and the dogging hardware is on each one.

Which one do I order?

• A pair, visible rods are fine: 3327A surface vertical rod.
• A glass or storefront pair, clean look: 3347A concealed vertical rod. Fix the sag first.
• A door that is not perfectly true: 3349A concealed cable.
• A wood door, concealed cable: 3350A-WDC.
• A hollow metal door, one leaf: the 3348A is listed as a rim device. Confirm before ordering.

Common questions

Is the 33A touch bar handed?

No. The listings say non-handed and field reversible, one device for either swing.

Which 33A is for a pair of doors?

The 3327A surface vertical rod, the 3347A concealed vertical rod, and the cable versions, 3349A and 3350A-WDC.

What does a vertical cable do that rods do not?

The listing says it is more forgiving of slight door misalignment.

Does the 33A include outside trim?

No. The exit only listings say outside trim is not included and is ordered separately.

What is the warranty?

The listings give a 10-year mechanical warranty.

The full range is on our Von Duprin page. Send us the door, the width and what is on it now and we will name the part number.