BEST Precision 5201 Series 36"...
IN STOCK (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)
$1,257.00
$904.76
BEST Precision 5201 Series 36" Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device - Reversible

BEST Precision 5201 Series 36" Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device - Reversible

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Model: 5201 689 36
$1,257.00
$904.76
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In Stock (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)

$1,257.00
$904.76
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BEST Precision 5201 Series 36" Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device - Reversible

Professional Grade 1 Exit Device Solution

The BEST Precision 5201 Series Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device delivers Grade 1 performance for commercial door applications up to 36" wide. Designed for doors 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" thick and up to 10'-0" high, this UL Listed panic and fire exit hardware features reversible operation for flexible installation. The device includes heavy wrought steel construction with powder coated finish and stainless steel deadlocking latchbolt with 3/4" throw for reliable security.

Professional Features & Benefits

  • Door Compatibility: Accommodates doors 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" thick, up to 36" wide by 10'-0" high for versatile commercial applications.
  • Heavy-Duty Construction: Zinc dichromate plated heavy wrought steel active case and powder coated heavy wrought steel touchbar assembly provide exceptional durability.
  • Reversible Design: Field reversible for all functions and trims with standard RHRB packaging for installation flexibility.
  • Grade 1 Performance: BHMA certified for ANSI 156.3, Grade 1 specifications ensuring commercial-grade reliability.
  • UL Listed Compliance: UL Listed for both panic and fire exit hardware applications meeting code requirements.
  • Precision Hardware: Stainless steel deadlocking top latchbolt with 3/4" throw and steel bottom bolt with 5/8" throw and adjustment range.
  • Professional Strikes: Investment cast stainless steel top strike (S300) and steel bottom strike (S460) with black powder coat finish.
  • Standard Dogging: 1/4 turn hex key dogging standard for operational convenience (not available for fire exit hardware).

Technical Specifications

  • Commercial/Residential: Commercial
  • Department: Door Hardware
  • Fire Rating: No
  • Product Category: Exit Devices and Trim
  • Product Group: Exit Devices and Trim
  • Product Subgroup: Exit Devices - Vertical Rod
  • Product Type: Exit Devices - Surface Vertical Rod
  • Series: 5200 Series
  • Subcategory: Surface Vertical Rod

Installation & Operation

  1. Review manufacturer specifications and verify door preparation requirements including door thickness (1-3/4" to 2-1/4"), width (up to 36"), and height (up to 10'-0") compatibility.
  2. Use manufacturer-provided templates to mark mounting hole locations accurately on door and frame surfaces, ensuring proper alignment with ANSI A115.2 or ANSI A115.18 cylinder lock preparation.
  3. Prepare door and frame by drilling required holes and routing as specified in manufacturer instructions for vertical rod exit device installation.
  4. Install active case, vertical rods, and strike hardware securing all components to door and frame per manufacturer torque specifications.
  5. Adjust touchbar height (standard 40-5/16" from floor) and configure reversible operation for proper handing and smooth operation throughout the full range of motion.
  6. Test device operation including latchbolt engagement, vertical rod action, and dogging function to verify proper function and make final adjustments as needed. Refer to manufacturer documentation for complete installation details and troubleshooting.

Professional Applications

  • Commercial Office Buildings
  • Educational Facilities
  • Healthcare Institutions
  • Retail Establishments
  • Industrial and Warehouse Facilities
  • Multi-Tenant Residential Properties
  • Government and Municipal Buildings

Why Choose BEST Quality?

BEST Precision 5200 Series exit devices deliver professional-grade reliability with heavy wrought steel construction and BHMA Grade 1 certification for demanding commercial applications. UL Listed for panic and fire exit hardware with reversible design for installation flexibility. Engineered for dependable performance where code compliance and operational reliability are essential.

Product Specs

Series:
5200 Series
Product Group:
Exit Devices and Trim
Product Subgroup:
Exit Devices - Vertical Rod
Product Type:
Exit Devices - Surface Vertical Rod
Subcategory:
Surface Vertical Rod
Commercial/Residential:
Commercial
Fire Rating:
No
Product Category:
Exit Devices and Trim
Department:
Door Hardware

BEST 5201 689 36 – Frequently Asked Questions

1) Do I have to order the BEST Precision 5201 handed, or is it reversible in the field?
No handing to specify. The 5201 is field reversible for all functions and trims, and it ships packaged RHRB. One device covers left or right hand doors, which is why it works well as a shelf stock item across a building with mixed swings.
2) Can a surface vertical rod exit device like the Precision 5201 be used on a pair of doors without a mullion?
That is exactly what a surface vertical rod device is for. The 5201 latches at the head with a stainless steel deadlocking top latchbolt (3/4 inch throw) and at the floor with a steel bottom bolt (5/8 inch throw, adjustable), so the leaf secures top and bottom instead of into a center mullion. A rim device, by contrast, throws into a strike at the jamb or a removable mullion, so on a pair you would have to add the mullion.
3) What does the less bottom rod option on the Precision 5201 actually change?
Ordering less bottom rod deletes the bottom rod and floor bolt, so the device latches only at the head. Crews specify it where the floor strike is a trip hazard, where the finish floor is uneven or carpeted, or to keep the bottom of the door clear for cleaning. The 5201 can be ordered either way, with or without the bottom rod, in both painted finishes and with any of the dogging choices.
4) Which dogging should I order on the BEST Precision 5201, hex key or cylinder?
Three choices: 1/4 turn hex key dogging (the standard), cylinder dogging, or less dogging. Hex dogging holds the touchbar depressed with a supplied hex wrench, fine for a back of house door. Cylinder dogging lets staff dog and undog with a key on the same keyway as the rest of the building, which property managers usually prefer on doors the public can reach. Note that dogging is not available on fire exit hardware, so if the opening is a fire door you order less dogging.
5) My door is a narrow stile aluminum storefront. Is the BEST Precision 5201 a fit, or do I need something else?
Glass front installers should look at a narrow stile device instead. Comparable 36 inch narrow stile surface vertical rod options ZenSupply carries include the Von Duprin 3327A and 7527, the Corbin Russwin ED4400, the Falcon 19-V-EO, and the TownSteel ED3727. Those are built for the slim stile of an aluminum storefront leaf, where a wide stile case will not land on the stile face.
6) What is the closest Grade 1 surface vertical rod exit device to the BEST Precision 5201 for a 36 inch door?
The BEST Precision 5201 is a Grade 1 surface vertical rod device for doors up to 36 inches wide, 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 inches thick. Direct 36 inch Grade 1 counterparts include the Von Duprin 2227-3FT wide stile device for 36 inch doors and 1-3/4 inch thickness, the Corbin Russwin ED5400 wide stile Grade 1 36 inch device that accepts trim, the Falcon 25-V-EO wide stile 3 foot Grade 1 exit-only device, and the TownSteel ED8927 wide stile Grade 1 device for 36 by 84 inch doors. All four are wide stile like the 5201's touchbar case, so the decision usually comes down to trim family and keying rather than size.
7) The BEST Precision 5201 is not fire rated - what fire rated surface vertical rod device should I use on a labeled opening?
The 5201 carries a Fire Rating of No, so for a labeled opening choose a fire rated device instead. Options in the same surface vertical rod format are the TownSteel EF9727 heavy duty Grade 1 fire rated device for 36 by 84 inch doors, which is also listed as wood door compatible; the Sargent 2727 Grade 1 fire rated reversible wide stile device; the Adams Rite 3100 Series fire rated wide stile device for 1-3/4 inch doors; and the Arrow S1150 fire rated exit-only device offered for narrow or wide stile. Note that fire rated devices are supplied without dogging, while the 5201 offers hex and cylinder dogging choices.
8) What looks like a substitute for the BEST Precision 5201 but will not work as one?
Two items in the same surface vertical rod format are not functional replacements for the 5201. The Sargent 12-8710 is a dummy function device, so it provides the appearance and push action without the latching exit function the 5201 delivers through its deadlocking top latchbolt and bottom bolt. The Corbin Russwin ED7400 is a crossbar device rather than a touchbar, so it will not match the 5201's touchbar appearance on an adjacent leaf even though both are Grade 1 surface vertical rod devices. Also watch stile type: the Von Duprin 7827 is described as a wide stile 3 foot Grade 1 device with hex key dogging but is specified narrow stile.
9) The BEST Precision 5201 is exit only with a 501 cover plate - which comparable devices accept exterior operating trim?
The 5201 is configured as an exit-only device, with the trim choice being either a 501 cover plate or no trim at all. If the opening needs keyed or lever entry from the outside, the Corbin Russwin ED5400 wide stile Grade 1 and ED4400 narrow stile Grade 1 36 inch devices are both specified as exit only with the ability to accept trim, and the Corbin Russwin ED7400 narrow stile crossbar device accepts operator trim.
10) Is the BEST Precision 5201 Grade 1 for a high traffic school or hospital exit?
It is BHMA certified to ANSI 156.3 Grade 1, the top commercial durability class, and it is UL Listed panic hardware. Construction is zinc dichromate plated heavy wrought steel active case with a powder coated heavy wrought steel touchbar, with an investment cast stainless top strike (S300) and steel bottom strike (S460). That is the spec level facilities buyers standardize on for schools, healthcare, and government exits.
11) What finishes and trim options come on the BEST Precision 5201, and does it include outside trim?
Two painted finishes, 689 aluminum and 695 dark bronze. For the outside you pick either a 501 cover plate or nothing at all (device only). Both of those are exit only configurations, so there is no outside lever or pull included. If the opening needs entry from outside, that trim is a separate item.
12) What door prep does the Precision 5201 need, and how high does the touchbar sit?
Installation works off the manufacturer templates for the active case, vertical rods, and top and bottom strikes, with cylinder prep following ANSI A115.2 or A115.18 where a cylinder is used. Standard touchbar height is 40-5/16 inches from the finish floor. On a retrofit, check that against the existing device before you commit, since a different bar height means new through-bolt holes in the door face.
13) Is there a lighter duty or Grade 2 alternative to the BEST Precision 5201 for a low traffic door?
The Precision 5201 is a Grade 1 device built with heavy wrought steel cases. Where a lighter specification is acceptable, the Dexter ED2000 Series is a Grade 2 surface vertical rod panic device, the TownSteel TS5100 Series is a Grade 2 heavy duty wide stile device for 36 by 84 inch doors, and the Design Hardware 2000V is a standard duty surface vertical rod device in a 33 inch size. The Orca OED56 Series is also a standard duty 36 inch exit-only device supplied less bottom rod in aluminum finish and non-handed. None of these carry a fire rating.
14) I want a less bottom rod vertical rod device - what are my options besides the BEST Precision 5201?
The Precision 5201 can be ordered with the less bottom rod option, which removes the bottom rod and bottom strike from the assembly. If you want a device that comes that way as standard, the Orca OED56 Series 36 inch device is supplied less bottom rod, exit only, in aluminum finish and non-handed for 1-3/4 inch doors. The 5201 route keeps you in a Grade 1 device with hex or cylinder dogging and a choice of 689 aluminum or 695 dark bronze painted finish.
15) Which alternatives to the BEST Precision 5201 are stated to work on wood doors?
The Precision 5201 is specified for commercial doors 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 inches thick up to 36 inches wide and 10 feet high. Among comparable surface vertical rod devices, the TownSteel EF9727 fire rated Grade 1, ED8927 wide stile Grade 1, and ED3727 narrow stile Grade 1 are all listed as wood door compatible in the 36 by 84 inch size. By contrast, the Von Duprin 7527 and 7827 are listed as not wood door compatible.
16) I need a reversible, non-handed surface vertical rod device - is the BEST Precision 5201 the only choice?
The Precision 5201 is field reversible for all functions and trims and ships RHRB as standard, so one part number covers either hand. If you are cross-shopping, the Sargent 2727 is also a reversible Grade 1 wide stile device and is fire rated, the Von Duprin 2227-3FT is listed as non-handed wide stile Grade 1 for 36 inch doors, and the Orca OED56 36 inch device is non-handed. Handing flexibility matters most when you are stocking spares for a mixed set of openings.
How fast can I get the BEST 5201 689 36 delivered?
Most orders ship the same day from our distribution partners, with quick delivery throughout the continental U.S. Need it urgently? Contact Us for expedited shipping options.
Can I return it if it doesn’t work for me?
Yes—ZenSupply offers a hassle-free return policy. If the product isn’t the right fit, reach out to our support team for a return authorization or setup a return by following our return instructions.
Does the BEST 5201 689 36 come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The BEST 5201 689 36 is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty. For full warranty terms, check the product documentation or Contact Us.
How do I get technical support or installation help for the BEST 5201 689 36?
You can call, text, or email our expert support team for fast answers. We’re here to help with product selection, installation tips, and troubleshooting. Contact Us
Why buy the BEST 5201 689 36 from ZenSupply?
ZenSupply makes it easy to get the commercial door hardware you need—fast shipping, expert support, and rewards on every order. Our team is always ready to help you choose the right product for your project.
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