Dormakaba 8916 SDS Door Closer...
IN STOCK (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)
$943.00
$590.83
Dormakaba 8916 SDS Door Closer with Heavy Duty Parallel Spring Stop Door Saver Arm

Dormakaba 8916 SDS Door Closer with Heavy Duty Parallel Spring Stop Door Saver Arm

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Model: 8916 SDS 689
$943.00
$590.83
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In Stock (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)

$943.00
$590.83
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DORMA 8900 Series door closer

Heavy-Duty Surface Applied Door Closer

The 8900 door closer series designed to provide a highly flexible door control system suitable for institutional or high-traffic commercial applications. Its hydraulic control system features a full range spring power adjustment and backcheck, along with a narrow projection full cover and flatform style arm.

Door closer ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certified.

  • Long term performance
  • Adjustable spring sizes and power
  • Meets barrier-free requirements
  • Adjustable backcheck
  • Backed by 25 year warranty

Product details

Features

Controlled opening with backcheck feature

The 8900 Series hydraulic backcheck feature protects doors and their adjacent structures. It’s valve adjustment regulates backcheck intensity. In addition, a backcheck positioning adjustment for parallel arm applications provides a consistent range similar to regular and top jamb applications.

Long term performance

The 8900 Series heavy-duty, 10 million cycle closers represent the latest in door control technology, combining over a quarter century of proven performance with its hydraulic control system and modern architecturally styled aesthetics. It results in the perfect combination of durability, reliability, and appearance.

Barrier-free

The 8900 Series, with the fully adjustable spring, also meets barrier-free accessibility requirements.

Product downloads

Architectural documentsInstruction sheetsTechnical BrochureTechnical drawings CAD PDF

Manufacturer Resources

Product Specs

Product Group:
Door Controls
Series:
8900 Series
Grade:
Grade 1
Duty Level:
Heavy Duty
ADA Compliant:
Yes
Warranty:
25 Year
Closer Size:
1 to 6
Product Subgroup:
Door Closers - Surface Mounted
Product Type:
Surface Mounted Door Closers
Subcategory:
Surface Mounted Closers
Door Weight:
180
Endurance Cycles:
10,000,000
Fasteners:
Sex Nuts for 1-3/4" Door
Commercial/Residential:
Commercial
Product Model:
8916
Product Function:
SDS-Extra heavy-duty door saver spring cushion parallel arm
Door Hand Direction:
Non-Handed
Product Size:
48"
Product Substrate:
Aluminum
Product Category:
Door Controls
Department:
Door Hardware

Dormakaba 8916 SDS 689 – Frequently Asked Questions

1) What does the SDS arm on the Dormakaba 8916 actually do?
SDS stands for the extra heavy-duty door saver spring cushion parallel arm. It's a parallel arm with a spring cushion stop built into it, so the arm absorbs the shock when someone throws the door open instead of letting the door or the wall take it. That means you get the stop function in the closer arm itself rather than mounting a separate wall or floor stop. It mounts parallel arm, push side. Use it on openings where doors get abused: gym corridors, service entries, school and dorm doors, loading areas.
2) Do I still need a separate wall stop or overhead stop with the 8916 SDS?
No. The door saver spring cushion arm on the 8916 is the stop, so a separate wall bumper or floor stop isn't required to control the backswing. Two things back it up: the arm's spring cushion stop absorbs the opening shock, and the closer has an adjustable hydraulic backcheck that slows the door before it ever reaches the stop. That's the whole reason to specify SDS over a plain parallel arm on an opening where there's nowhere to mount a wall stop, or where a previous stop kept getting torn out.
3) Is the Dormakaba 8916 door closer ADA compliant?
Yes, the 8916 is ADA compliant and the 8900 Series is built to meet barrier-free accessibility requirements. The fully adjustable spring is what gets you there: you can dial the opening force down to the level an accessible opening requires and still have a Grade 1 heavy-duty closer on the door. That matters on interior accessible routes in schools, healthcare, and multi-family where the inspector checks opening force with a gauge.
4) Is the Dormakaba 8916 handed, or does one closer cover both left and right doors?
Non-handed. One 8916 works on a left-hand or right-hand door, so a property manager stocking spares for a building only needs one part number on the shelf rather than a pair. The mounting hardware supplied is sex nuts for a 1-3/4 inch door.
5) Does the Dormakaba 8916 come with mounting hardware, and will it work on a 1-3/4 inch hollow metal door?
Fasteners supplied are sex nuts sized for a 1-3/4 inch door, which is the standard commercial door thickness, so a 1-3/4 inch hollow metal or wood door is exactly what the shipped hardware is cut for. Sex nuts means through-bolting: you drill through the door and clamp the closer from both faces, which is what you want on a high-abuse opening because the closer can't pull screws out of the door skin over time.
6) What grade and cycle rating does the Dormakaba 8900 Series closer carry?
ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certified and tested to 10,000,000 cycles. For an institutional buyer that's the pairing to write into a spec: Grade 1 is the top commercial grade, and 10 million cycles is heavy-duty life, not the 500,000 to 2 million a light-duty closer is built for. On a door cycled a few hundred times a day, that's the difference between a closer that lasts the life of the building and one on a replacement cycle.
7) I need a closer that mounts on the pull side, not parallel arm. Is the 8916 SDS the wrong one?
Yes, wrong one for that. The 8916 SDS is a parallel arm application, mounted on the push side of the door, and the spring cushion stop only works in that configuration. For a pull-side regular arm, look at the Corbin Russwin DC6200 or DC8200 Series, both Grade 1 double lever regular arm pull-side mounting for 1-3/4 inch doors, or the DC5230 with a slide track arm for pull-side. If you want the flexibility to decide mounting in the field, a tri-pack closer such as the Norton Rixson 8501A Grade 1 or the Dexter DCH1000 ships to mount regular, parallel, or top jamb.
8) I want the door to stay open on its own. Does the 8916 SDS hold open?
No. The SDS arm is a spring cushion stop, it stops the door at the backswing but it does not hold the door open, and hold open isn't an option on the 8916. Delayed action is the closest thing offered here, and that only pauses the door briefly before it closes. For a true mechanical hold open, look at the Accentra 51 Series with a tri-packed hold open arm, the Orca BHDC1958HO/PA hold open with parallel bracket for 1-3/4 inch doors, or the Stanley Security A45-501HL long hold open arm for top jamb. Don't put a hold open closer on a fire-rated opening.
9) What is the closest equivalent to the Dormakaba 8916 SDS from another manufacturer for a heavy-duty Grade 1 opening?
The Dormakaba 8916 is a heavy duty, ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 surface closer with an adjustable spring size 1 to 6. The BEST EHD9000 Series is an extra heavy-duty Grade 1 surface mounted closer with adjustable spring sizes 1 to 6, and the BEST HD8000 Series is a heavy duty Grade 1 surface mounted closer. The Sargent 1431 Powerglide is also a heavy duty Grade 1 surface closer with adjustable spring power, and the Falcon SC71A is a heavy-duty Grade 1 surface-mount closer. All four cover the same heavy-traffic Grade 1 territory as the 8916.
10) I do not need the door saver spring stop arm, just a heavy-duty closer. What else works?
The 8916 SDS carries an extra heavy-duty door saver spring cushion parallel arm, which absorbs the shock of a door thrown open and doubles as a stop. If the opening already has a floor or wall stop and you only need closing control, the Design Hardware 116 Series and 416 Series are heavy duty closers with a tri-packed non-hold open arm, and the Design Hardware 316 Series is a medium to heavy duty closer with the same tri-packed non-hold open arm and a cover. The Imperial USA TC4300 Series is a heavy duty size 1-6 ADA closer. None of these carry the spring cushion stop arm, so the opening needs its own stop.
11) Which alternatives to the 8916 still meet barrier-free and ADA requirements?
The Dormakaba 8916 is ADA compliant and its fully adjustable spring meets barrier-free accessibility requirements. Peers that state the same: the Cal-Royal 500S is a Grade 1 barrier free closer with adjustable back-check, the Cal-Royal N900PBF is a Grade 1 barrier free hydraulic surface closer, the Calibre CA9901 is a Grade 1 tri-pack arm size 2-5 ADA closer, the Calibre CA4001 is a Grade 1 adjustable spring tension ADA hydraulic closer, and the Imperial USA TC4300 is a Grade 1 heavy duty size 1-6 ADA closer.
12) Can I substitute a Grade 2 closer for the Dormakaba 8916 on a spec that calls for Grade 1?
No. The Dormakaba 8916 is ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certified and rated to 10,000,000 cycles. The Cal-Royal 400 Series is a Grade 2 commercial hydraulic closer and the Falcon SC91A is a light duty Grade 3 surface-mount cast aluminum closer, so neither satisfies a drawing that calls out Grade 1. If the spec is Grade 1 and the traffic is heavy, stay with a Grade 1 heavy duty peer such as the BEST HD8000 Series or the Norton Rixson 1600BC Series aluminum storefront closer.
13) Should I order the delayed action option on the 8916, and what does it change?
Delayed action is an order-time choice on the 8916, yes or no. With it, the door pauses at the open position for a few seconds before it starts closing. Order it where people need extra time to get through: healthcare corridors, doors used with carts and gurneys, service entries, and openings used by residents with mobility aids. Skip it on doors where you want the leaf shut immediately, like a stair or a secured entry. It isn't field-addable, so decide it on the order form.
14) What finishes does the Dormakaba 8916 closer come in?
Three: 689 aluminum, 693 black, and 695 dark bronze, and each of those is available with or without delayed action. Choosing to match existing openings is straightforward, 689 is the default painted aluminum that blends with most aluminum storefront and hollow metal frames, 695 dark bronze matches bronze-anodized storefront, 693 black for dark frames and painted door packages.
15) What cover options are available on the Dormakaba 8916, and which one should I use on a vandal-prone door?
Three covers: the standard full plastic cover (FC), a full plastic slotted cover (FCSL), and a full metal cover (FMC). On an abuse-prone opening, which is exactly the kind of door an SDS spring stop arm is specified for, take the full metal cover. Plastic covers get kicked off and cracked in corridors, dorms, and public restrooms. The slotted cover is the one to use when you need clearance around the arm or mounting condition. Cover is an add-on selection at order time, not something you change later without buying the part.
16) What's the difference between the Dormakaba 8916 and a light-duty closer like the Arrow DCN325?
Duty level and what the arm does. The 8916 is heavy duty, Grade 1, adjustable size 1 to 6, with a spring cushion stop built into a parallel arm. The Arrow DCN325 is a light-duty Grade 1 closer, also adjustable size 1 to 6, tri-pack for regular, parallel, or top jamb mounting and shipped less cover. Tri-pack gives you mounting flexibility on a job where you don't know the condition yet. The 8916 gives you a stop in the arm and a 10 million cycle body. For a low-traffic office or interior door the light-duty unit is enough. For an entry that gets slammed, the door saver arm is what you're paying for.
17) What other heavy-duty Grade 1 surface closers could I use instead of the Dormakaba 8916?
Straight heavy-duty Grade 1 equivalents we carry include the BEST EHD9000 Series and HD8000 Series, both heavy duty and Grade 1 with adjustable spring sizes 1 to 6 on the EHD9000, the Falcon SC71A heavy-duty Grade 1, the Sargent 1431 Powerglide heavy-duty Grade 1, and the LCN 1460T heavy duty. All are surface closers in the same class. What none of those names promises is the spring cushion stop arm, that's the 8916 SDS feature. If you need a stop in the arm, specify it explicitly on whichever brand you land on.
18) What does the backcheck on the 8916 do and can I adjust it on the job?
Backcheck is a hydraulic cushion that slows the door in the last part of the opening swing, before the arm's spring stop takes over. It protects the door, the frame, and whatever is behind the door from a wind gust or someone shoving it. It's adjustable by valve on site, and on the 8900 Series there's also a backcheck positioning adjustment specifically for parallel arm applications, so the parallel arm mount gets a backcheck range comparable to regular and top jamb mounts. Set it on a windy exterior opening and you'll notice the difference immediately.
19) Can I standardize a whole building on the Dormakaba 8916 SDS?
For push-side parallel arm openings, yes, and that's the argument for it. It's non-handed, so no left and right versions to stock. The spring adjusts across sizes 1 to 6, so the same unit covers a light interior door and a heavy exterior one, up to 180 pounds of door. Three finishes cover most frame packages. Where it won't standardize is openings that need a pull-side regular arm or a genuine hold open, those need a different closer, so plan on a second part number for those conditions rather than forcing this one.
20) Is a lighter-duty closer enough for an interior office door instead of the 8916?
The Dormakaba 8916 is built heavy duty for institutional and high-traffic commercial openings and is rated to 10,000,000 cycles. For a low-traffic interior door, the BEST SL6000 Series is a light duty Grade 1 surface closer with adjustable spring sizes, the Arrow DCN314 is a light duty Grade 1 surface closer with adjustable spring size 1 to 4, and the LCN 1250 Series is a light duty closer in sizes 1 to 5 with all-weather fluid and ADA compliance. For something between the two, the BEST HD7000 Series is a medium duty Grade 1 closer with adjustable spring power and backcheck control.
21) I need one closer I can mount three different ways across a building. Does the 8916 do that, or should I spec something else?
The 8916 SDS is set up as a parallel arm closer with a door saver spring stop. When you want a single part number that can go regular, parallel or top jamb on whichever opening it lands, the Dexter DCH1000 Series is a Grade 1 surface closer with tri mount and a full cover, the Dexter DCH4000, DCL2000 and DCM1000 Series are Grade 1 tri mount surface closers, and the Norton Rixson 8501A is a Grade 1 tri-mount closer with an adjustable size 1-6 spring. The Arrow DCN325 is a Grade 1 tri-pack regular and parallel arm closer with adjustable spring size 1 to 6, supplied less cover.
22) Does the Arrow DCN500DP drop plate work as a substitute for the 8916 SDS closer?
No. The Arrow DCN500DP is a parallel drop plate for the DCN500, a mounting bracket that lowers a closer body onto a narrow top rail. It is not a closer. The Dormakaba 8916 is a complete surface mounted heavy duty closer with the door saver spring cushion parallel arm and ships with sex nuts for a 1-3/4 inch door.
23) I am replacing a cast iron closer. Is the aluminum-body 8916 the right swap, or should I stay with cast iron?
The Dormakaba 8916 has an aluminum body and is rated heavy duty at 10,000,000 cycles, so the lighter housing is not a step down in endurance. If the standard on the building is cast iron, the Sargent 281 Powerglide is a heavy duty Grade 1 cast iron surface closer and the LCN 1261 is a light to medium duty cast iron closer with adjustable spring sizes 1 to 5. For an aluminum-body peer, the Sargent 1331 is a Grade 1 medium duty closer with a universal aluminum body and the Falcon SC81A is a medium duty Grade 1 cast aluminum closer.
24) My opening is an aluminum storefront door. Is the 8916 SDS the right closer, or is there a better match?
The 8916 SDS is a heavy duty Grade 1 closer with a door saver spring cushion parallel arm, and the spring stop is worth having on a storefront door that gets thrown into the wind. The Norton Rixson 1600BC Series is a heavy duty Grade 1 aluminum storefront closer with tri-style mounting and is purpose-built for that frame, and the Norton Rixson 1601P is a medium duty Grade 1 tri-mount closer rated for 180 degree swing. The 8916 ships with sex nuts for a 1-3/4 inch door, so confirm the stile thickness before you swap in either direction.
25) Which peers match the 8916 on adjustable spring size 1 through 6?
The Dormakaba 8916 adjusts across closer sizes 1 to 6, which lets one part number cover doors from a light interior leaf up to a 180 pound exterior door. Peers stating the same 1-6 range: the Accentra 2701 Series architectural closer with tri-pack mounting, the Accentra 51 Series with hold open, the Arrow DCN325 Grade 1 tri-pack closer, the Norton Rixson 8501A Grade 1 tri-mount closer, the Imperial USA TC4300 Series, the BEST EHD9000 Series, and the LCN 1450 medium duty cast aluminum closer.
26) What are the alternatives to the 8916 if I need delayed action on a door?
The Dormakaba 8916 SDS can be ordered with delayed action in 689 aluminum, 693 black, or 695 dark bronze, so the delay is built into the closer rather than added later. On the peer side, the Orca Hardware BHDC1958DA/PA and BHDC2011DA/PA are delayed action closers with a regular arm and parallel bracket for 1-3/4 inch doors. The Orca units use a regular arm on a parallel bracket, where the 8916 SDS carries the spring cushion door saver arm.
27) I want backcheck to protect the wall behind the door. Which closers besides the 8916 have it?
The Dormakaba 8916 has an adjustable hydraulic backcheck with a valve adjustment for intensity, plus a backcheck positioning adjustment specific to parallel arm applications. Among the peers, the BEST HD7000 Series is a medium duty Grade 1 closer with adjustable spring power and backcheck control, and the Cal-Royal 500S is a Grade 1 barrier free closer with adjustable back-check. The 8916 pairs backcheck with the door saver spring cushion stop arm, so the arm absorbs the overswing as well.
28) What is the Dormakaba 8916 closer body made of?
Aluminum body. That keeps the weight down on the door leaf compared with a cast iron closer, and it's the standard construction for a modern architectural surface closer with an adjustable spring. It's rated commercial, not residential, and carries a Grade 1 certification with a 10 million cycle life.
29) Is the Dormakaba 8916 handed, and do the alternatives need me to specify left or right?
The Dormakaba 8916 is non-handed, so one closer covers both a left hand and a right hand opening and you can stock a single part number across a building. Among the peers, the tri-pack style closers such as the Accentra 1101BF with its tri-packed non-hold open arm, the Accentra 2701 Series, and the Arrow DCN314 tri-pack are likewise supplied to mount regular or parallel on either hand.
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Does the Dormakaba 8916 SDS 689 come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The Dormakaba 8916 SDS 689 is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty. For full warranty terms, check the product documentation or Contact Us.
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