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Quick Verdict

Adams Rite splits its 8000 series by what the door and frame give you. 8800 is the narrow stile rim device (Starwheel interlocking) for aluminum doors, single or pairs with a mullion. 8400 is the narrow stile mortise device for single aluminum doors. 8600 is the narrow stile concealed vertical rod device with a top bolt and a bottom bolt, for single doors or pairs. 8700 is the same rim design built for hollow metal and wood doors, with a 3-3/4" minimum stile. Suffixes add function: C is cylinder dogging, A is a battery alarm, EL and LR are electric latch retraction, MLR is motorized latch retraction. Entry price points at NLS run from about $529 (8700) to about $701 (8800EL). The decision tree is door material, then stile width, then latching method.

What are the four Adams Rite exit device families?

The 8400 and 8700 product data list UL 305 panic hardware and ANSI/BHMA A156.3 Grade 1. The difference is the latching hardware and the door they were built for.

Series	Latching	Door type	Typical replacement
8800	Rim, Starwheel interlock	Narrow, medium or wide stile aluminum, single door or pair with mullion	Surface-mounted rim device on a storefront door with a rim strike
8400	Mortise deadlatch in the stile	Narrow, medium or wide stile aluminum, single door only	Mortise-prepped storefront door
8600	Concealed vertical rods, top bolt that deadlatches around the header strike	Narrow, medium or wide stile aluminum, single door or pair	Door with rod prep and a header strike, no mullion needed
8700	Rim, Starwheel interlock	Hollow metal and wood, 3-3/4" minimum stile	Rim device on a non-aluminum door

The three aluminum families (8800, 8400, 8600) share a 2" minimum stile and a 1-3/4" standard door thickness (the rim and rod devices go up to 2-1/4"). The 8700 is the odd one: it is not for aluminum, and the minimum stile is 3-3/4" because the door construction has to carry the device. For the channel-by-channel explanation of rim versus surface vertical rod versus mortise versus concealed rod, see exit device types: rim vs SVR vs mortise vs CVR. The Adams Rite line sits in the Adams Rite 8000 series exit devices category.

One numbering note: Sargent also uses 8800-style numbers (8804, 8810) for a different product line. If your door has an Adams Rite device on it, the markings on the case decide, not the number. For the Sargent side, see Sargent commercial hardware series guide.

Which one fits the existing aluminum storefront prep?

Look at what is already cut in the door, then buy the matching family.

Mortise lock pocket in the stile: 8400. The Adams Rite 8400 life-safety mortise exit device lists backsets of 31/32", 1-1/8" or 1-1/2", and the bar handing must be specified. It is for single doors only. Standard bars are dimensioned for 30", 36" and 42" openings and can be field cut to the next smallest width. The product data lists a mortise deadlatch with a 5/8" x 1" x 5/8" throw, a solid brass bolt, and a stainless steel strike included. It is about $564 at NLS.

No pocket, surface mounting on the stile: 8800. The 8800 is non-handed and available in 30", 36", 42" and 48" bar lengths. It can be used on a pair of doors with a mullion, since the Starwheel latch interlocks with the strike. Projection is 2-5/8" fully projected and 1-5/8" dogged. Standard dogging is by hex key. Order from the rim family when the door has no mortise pocket and the frame accepts a rim strike.

Rod prep and header strike: 8600. The Adams Rite 8600 concealed vertical rod exit device is non-handed with adjustable protected steel rods. The patented top latching mechanism uses a rotating top bolt that deadlatches around the header strike, and the hexagonal hardened steel bottom bolt is shielded in a cast housing. It adjusts from 30" to 44" bar height, suits doors up to 66" above the selected bar height, and projects 2-15/16" (1-15/16" dogged). The stile wall is expected to be 1/8"; other thicknesses require modification. It is about $544 at NLS.

Hollow metal or wood door: 8700. The Adams Rite 8700 life safety rim exit device has a wide stile pushpad, a hardened steel strike included, and self-tapping plus machine screws. It is about $529 at NLS. Confirm the door's own construction and rating before you commit, because the data notes that door construction may require additional stile width to meet fire ratings.

For broader storefront push bar choices, including when a rim device is the wrong answer on glass doors, see panic bars for glass storefront doors and gates.

What do the suffixes C, A, EL, LR and MLR mean?

The suffix goes right after the series number and tells you which factory option is installed. They are factory-installed, so confirm the suffix before ordering.

Suffix	Meaning	Power needed	Example model
C	Cylinder dogging: a mortise cylinder with MS cam locks the device in dogged state; for non-fire-rated devices	None	8600C (36" device)
A	Battery operated alarm: 95 dB, twin horns for two minutes, armed and disarmed by key	Four AA alkaline batteries	8800A
EL	Electric latch retraction (solenoid) on rim devices; fail-secure	12 VDC at 1.5 A inrush/hold, or 24 VDC at 0.6 A inrush/hold	8800EL
LR	Electric latch retraction (solenoid) on non-rim devices (8400, 8600); fail-secure	DC power, see the product data for the solenoid rating	8600LR
MLR	Motorized latch retraction; quieter than a solenoid, fail-secure	24 VDC regulated and filtered, 2 A supply; 850 mA retracting, 370 mA holding	8800MLR, 8600MLR, 8400MLR

Details worth knowing. The cylinder dogging on the 8600C takes a standard mortise cylinder with an MS cam, such as the 4036, in lengths from 15/16" to 1-1/8", and the C option cannot be combined with any other device option. The alarm option fits devices 36" wide or greater and does not change the life-safety operation of the device. It uses a 1" mortise cylinder to arm, disarm, delay or reset. Electrically, EL and LR are both fail-secure and relock automatically on power loss, so both can be used on fire-rated as well as life-safety doors per the manufacturer data.

MLR needs the larger, regulated 24 VDC supply, so size it before you order. The 8800MLR, 8600MLR and 8400MLR all share that requirement. Supply sizing is covered in how to choose an access control power supply. On the rim line, the 8800EL with electric latch retraction is the simplest electrified option at about $701 at NLS, and a transformer and rectifier can power it.

How do I match an electrified Adams Rite device to the door?

Step through three checks. Fail-secure behavior: every EL, LR and MLR device defaults to latched on power loss, with free egress through the pushbar at all times., so these options do not suit an opening that must unlock on power loss. Bar length: MLR is listed for 30" to 48" doors. Power: choose the voltage the access control panel already supplies and run the wire to the bar.

Because the retraction mechanism sits under the pushbar, an electrified replacement uses the same series door prep as its mechanical twin. The addition is the power lead to the door.

Where do I find parts and service for Adams Rite exit devices?

Parts are organized in the Adams Rite parts and accessories category. Bring the series number, the suffix, the bar length and the finish. The data on each product lists the options as separate characters, so a replacement for a 36" 8600C is not the same part as one for a 36" 8600.

The Adams Rite brand page lists the rest of the manufacturer's range.

When you need a keypad on the outside of one of these doors, use a pushbutton exit trim. The mechanical options are in the Kaba Simplex mechanical pushbutton lock guide, including the 3000 series narrow stile lock that drives Adams Rite 4510, 4710 and 4910 latches.

Common mistakes

1. Ordering an 8700 for an aluminum door. The 8700 is for hollow metal and wood with a 3-3/4" minimum stile. Aluminum needs 8800, 8400 or 8600.
2. Ordering the 8400 for a pair of doors. It is for single doors only.
3. Wrong bar length. Standard bars are dimensioned for 30", 36", 42" and 48" openings (48" on the rim and rod families). The bar can be field cut to the next smallest width, never longer.
4. Skipping the suffix. 8600 and 8600C are different parts. Specify C, A, EL, LR or MLR at order time.
5. Putting cylinder dogging on a fire-rated door. The cylinder dogging option is for non-fire-rated devices.
6. Undersizing the supply on MLR. It needs a regulated and filtered 24 VDC supply at 2 A.
7. Ignoring stile wall thickness on the 8600. Walls other than 1/8" require modification.

FAQ

What is the difference between Adams Rite 8800 and 8600? The 8800 is a rim device with a Starwheel latch at the stile, and it works on a pair of doors with a mullion. The 8600 uses concealed vertical rods with a top bolt around a header strike and a bottom bolt, so it needs rod prep and a header strike.

What is the Adams Rite 8400 panic bar? It is the narrow stile mortise exit device for single aluminum doors. It carries a mortise deadlatch and offers backsets of 31/32", 1-1/8" and 1-1/2".

What does EL mean on an Adams Rite exit device? EL means electric latch retraction using a solenoid under the pushbar, fail-secure, available in 12 or 24 VDC. On non-rim devices the same option is called LR.

What is the difference between EL and MLR? EL uses a solenoid for instant retraction. MLR uses a motor, which is quieter and needs a regulated 24 VDC supply rated at 2 A.

Can I use Adams Rite 8800 on a wood door? Use the 8700 instead. It is the same rim design built for hollow metal and wood doors.

Next step

Send the series, suffix, bar length, finish and handing (for 8400) to the quote desk at /get-a-quote/ and we will confirm the exact device. Government and municipal buyers can submit a PO at /submit-a-gov-po/. Stock orders placed before 3:00 p.m. EST ship same day, and ground shipping is free on orders of $450 and up. For a direct answer, call 718-814-6300.