BEST Precision 5201 Series Fir...
IN STOCK (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)
$1,515.00
$1,102.42
BEST Precision 5201 Series Fire Rated 48" Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device

BEST Precision 5201 Series Fire Rated 48" Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device

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Model: FL5201 689 48
$1,515.00
$1,102.42
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In Stock (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)

$1,515.00
$1,102.42
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BEST Precision 5201 Series Fire Rated 48" Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device

Professional Fire-Rated Exit Hardware Solution

The BEST Precision 5201 Series Surface Vertical Rod Exit Device delivers Grade 1 commercial performance for fire-rated applications up to 48" wide doors. This UL Listed fire exit hardware accommodates door thicknesses from 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" with reversible operation for flexible installation. Heavy wrought steel construction with powder coated finish ensures long-term durability in demanding commercial environments.

Professional Features & Benefits

  • Fire-Rated Performance: UL Listed for panic and fire exit hardware applications with ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification for maximum reliability.
  • Wide Door Compatibility: Designed for doors up to 48" wide and 10'-0" high, accommodating 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" thick door construction.
  • Heavy-Duty Construction: Zinc dichromate plated heavy wrought steel active case and powder coated steel touchbar assembly for exceptional durability.
  • Reversible Design: Field-reversible for all functions and trims with standard RHRB packaging for installation flexibility.
  • Precision Hardware: Stainless steel deadlocking top latchbolt with 3/4" throw and independent action bottom bolt with 5/8" throw.
  • Professional Strikes: Investment cast stainless steel top strike (S300) and flush-mounted steel bottom strike (S460) with black powder coat finish.
  • Standard Touchbar Height: 40-5/16" from floor standard with custom height options available for specific applications.
  • Cylinder Compatibility: Covers ANSI A115.2 (Type 161) or ANSI A115.18 cylinder lock preparation for universal trim compatibility.

Technical Specifications

  • Commercial/Residential: Commercial
  • Department: Door Hardware
  • Fire Rating: Yes
  • 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 48"), and handing as applicable to this product.
  2. Use manufacturer-provided templates to mark mounting hole locations accurately on door and frame surfaces for ANSI A115.2 or A115.18 cylinder preparation.
  3. Prepare door and frame by drilling required holes and routing as specified in manufacturer instructions for vertical rod mounting points.
  4. Install all mounting hardware and secure the device to door and frame per manufacturer torque specifications, ensuring proper alignment of top and bottom strikes.
  5. Adjust operational components for proper alignment, latching, and smooth operation throughout the full range of motion, setting touchbar height at 40-5/16" from floor or specified custom height.
  6. Test device operation 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 ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification. UL Listed for fire exit hardware applications with investment cast stainless steel components for long-term performance. Engineered for demanding commercial applications where dependable fire-rated exit hardware performance is 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:
Yes
Product Category:
Exit Devices and Trim
Department:
Door Hardware

BEST FL5201 689 48 – Frequently Asked Questions

1) Can I use the Precision 5201 on a fire rated door?
Yes. The 5201 is UL Listed as fire exit hardware and carries ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification. Note that fire exit hardware cannot be dogged down, so if you order it fire rated the dogging choice matters: hex or cylinder dogging is offered on the device, but on a fire door the hardware must latch on every cycle.
2) Will the top latchbolt on the 5201 engage my existing strike?
The 5201 uses a stainless steel deadlocking top latchbolt with a 3/4 inch throw into an investment cast stainless top strike (S300), plus an independent-action bottom bolt with a 5/8 inch throw into a flush mounted steel bottom strike (S460) in black powder coat. Both strikes come with the device, so plan on setting the supplied strikes rather than reusing what is in the frame and threshold.
3) What is the less bottom rod option on the 5201 for?
Less bottom rod drops the lower rod and bottom bolt, so the device latches only at the head. Crews pick it where the floor is uneven, where a threshold or carpet fouls the bottom strike, or to cut down on the rod damage that carts and traffic cause in schools and healthcare corridors. Both the full two-point version and the less bottom rod version are offered on the 48 inch device.
4) What trim and cylinder prep does the 5201 work with?
The device covers ANSI A115.2 (Type 161) or ANSI A115.18 cylinder lock preparation, which is what lets standard exit trim mount to it. Order it with the 501 cover plate if the opening is exit only and you just need the outside door face closed off, or with no trim if you are supplying lever or pull trim separately.
5) Will the Precision 5201 fit an aluminum storefront narrow stile door?
It is not the part for a narrow stile aluminum door. The 5201 is a wide stile style device on a 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 inch door. For narrow stile storefront, look at the Adams Rite 8200 Series, the Von Duprin 3327A, the Corbin Russwin ED4400, or the TownSteel ED3727, all Grade 1 narrow stile surface vertical rod devices. None of those four is listed as fire rated, so if the storefront opening is labeled, that changes the selection.
6) I need a vertical rod exit device for a 36 inch fire door, not a 48 inch one. What should I order instead?
For a 36 inch fire-rated opening, the TownSteel EF9727 is sized 36 inches by 84 inches and is Grade 1 fire rated, heavy duty, wide stile, and wood door compatible. The Arrow S1150 is a 30 inch fire-rated surface vertical rod exit device, exit only and less trim, and it is listed for narrow or wide stile with a 1-3/4 inch door thickness. The Adams Rite 3100 Series covers 30 inch fire-rated wide stile openings at Grade 1 and 1-3/4 inch door thickness. The Precision 5201 is built for doors up to 48 inches wide and accepts 1-3/4 inch to 2-1/4 inch thickness.
7) What is the closest fire-rated equivalent to the BEST Precision 5201 surface vertical rod exit device from another manufacturer?
The Sargent 2727 is the nearest match in intent: it is a reversible surface vertical rod exit device, Grade 1, fire rated, exit only, wide stile, in the Sargent 20 Series. Like the Precision 5201, it is a reversible exit-only device carrying a fire rating and ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification. The TownSteel EF9727 of the 9700 Series is another fire-rated Grade 1 wide stile surface vertical rod device, heavy duty, and it is listed as wood door compatible. Confirm the door width you are covering, since the Precision 5201 is built for doors up to 48 inches wide.
8) Do I need to order the 5201 handed, or is it reversible?
It ships RHRB as standard and is field reversible for all functions and trims, so one device covers either hand. You set the handing on site rather than specifying it on the order.
9) Should I use a surface vertical rod device or a rim device with a mullion on a pair of doors?
A surface vertical rod device like the 5201 latches at the head and at the threshold on each leaf, so a pair of doors works with no center mullion and you keep the full clear opening for carts and gurneys. Rim devices need a mullion between the leaves. Rods are the trade-off: they hang on the door face, need periodic adjustment, and take abuse in high traffic. Removable mullion plus rim devices is the lower maintenance route if a center post is acceptable.
10) Does the 5201 come with outside trim, or do I order that separately?
As configured it is an exit only device. You either take it with the 501 cover plate, which closes off the outside face with no operating trim, or with no trim at all if you are furnishing lever or pull trim yourself. Because it covers ANSI A115.2 (Type 161) and A115.18 cylinder prep, standard exit trim mounts to it. If you want a device that takes operator trim out of the box, the Corbin Russwin ED5400 is a Grade 1 wide stile unit listed as exit only, accepts trim.
11) What do I have to specify when ordering the BEST Precision 5201?
Four choices on the 48 inch device: dogging (hex, cylinder, or less dogging), finish (689 aluminum or 695 dark bronze painted), whether you want less bottom rod, and trim (501 cover plate or device only). On top of that you can add a monitoring switch (TS, TDS, WTS, WTDS) and an exit alarm (ALK battery or ALW remote power). Handing is not an order decision, since the device is field reversible.
12) My door is an aluminum narrow stile storefront. Is the Precision 5201 the right vertical rod device, or should I look elsewhere?
The Precision 5201 is a surface vertical rod device for doors 1-3/4 inch to 2-1/4 inch thick, up to 48 inches wide and 10 feet high. If the opening is a narrow stile aluminum door, narrow stile devices are the usual choice: the Von Duprin 3327A grooved case and 7527 are narrow stile Grade 1, the Corbin Russwin ED4400 and ED7400 are narrow stile Grade 1, the Falcon 19 Series and 24 Series are narrow stile Grade 1, and the Adams Rite 8200 Series is narrow stile. Note that those narrow stile options are life-safety rather than fire rated, apart from the Arrow S1150, which is fire rated and listed for narrow or wide stile.
13) Is there a lighter duty or Grade 2 vertical rod exit device if the opening is not fire rated and not high traffic?
Yes. The Dexter ED2000 Series is a Grade 2 surface vertical rod panic device, not fire rated, and the TownSteel TS5100 Series is a heavy duty Grade 2 wide stile device at 36 by 84 inches, also not fire rated. The Design Hardware 2000V is a standard duty surface vertical rod device in a 33 inch size, with the 1000V offered as the heavy duty version. The Precision 5201 sits at ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 with a UL Listing for fire exit hardware, so these lighter options apply only where no fire label is involved.
14) I want a less bottom rod vertical rod device to keep the floor clear. What are my options besides the Precision 5201?
The Precision 5201 can be ordered with the less bottom rod option in either finish and with hex, cylinder, or less dogging. Among other brands, the Orca Hardware OED56 Series is offered as a 36 inch less bottom rod vertical rod device, exit only, aluminum finish, non-handed, for 1-3/4 inch doors, though it is not fire rated. If the opening carries a fire label, stay with the fire-rated Precision 5201 configuration.
15) I need a matching inactive leaf device to pair with a fire-rated exit device. Is the Precision 5201 the right part?
No. The Precision 5201 is an active exit-only surface vertical rod device with a deadlocking top latchbolt and an independent action bottom bolt. For a non-latching inactive leaf, the Sargent 12-8710 is a dummy function fire-rated surface vertical rod device in the 8700 Series, Grade 1, wide stile. Use the dummy device where the leaf only needs the matching push bar appearance and not latching function.
16) Is the touchbar height on the Precision 5201 fixed?
Standard touchbar height is 40-5/16 inches from the finished floor. Custom heights are available where an application or an existing row of openings needs the bars to line up.
17) What finishes does the BEST Precision 5201 come in?
Two: 689 aluminum painted and 695 dark bronze painted. Both are powder coated over steel, with a zinc dichromate plated heavy wrought steel active case underneath. If you are standardizing a building, those are the two you can match across every dogging and trim combination of the 48 inch device.
18) What is the difference between the Precision 5201 touchbar device and a crossbar style vertical rod device?
The Precision 5201 uses a powder coated steel touchbar assembly set at 40-5/16 inches from the floor as standard, with custom heights available. The Corbin Russwin ED7400 is a crossbar style surface vertical rod device, narrow stile, Grade 1, that accepts operator trim, and the Sargent 3727 of the 30 Series uses a standard push bar, Grade 1 wide stile, exit only. Crossbar and push bar styles are often specified to match existing hardware on adjacent openings, so check what is already hung before mixing styles in one building.
How fast can I get the BEST FL5201 689 48 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 FL5201 689 48 come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The BEST FL5201 689 48 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 FL5201 689 48?
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
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