8400 Series Narrow Stile Concealed Vertical Rod Exit Device

The Sargent 8400 Series (AD8400 Series) is a narrow stile concealed vertical rod (CVR) exit device built exclusively for aluminum door applications  UL10C fire listed, UL305 panic listed, Grade 1 ANSI/BHMA A156.3, with all functions determined by outside ET trim. American Locksets has stocked Sargent 80 Series exit devices since 2001. Free shipping on orders over $300 and same-day shipping available. 

What the Sargent 8400 Series Is

Narrow Stile. Aluminum Door. Concealed Vertical Rod.

The AD8400 is Sargent's answer to one specific problem that comes up constantly on commercial construction: aluminum storefront doors  full-glass doors, narrow stile aluminum frames, retail entrances, office lobby doors  need life safety egress hardware just like every other commercial door, but the door frame geometry makes standard wide-body exit devices physically impossible to install. The stile is too narrow, the hollow construction too constrained, the frame profile too slim for conventional hardware.

The 8400 Series addresses this by designing the entire device around aluminum door geometry. The concealed vertical rods run inside the door frame, completely hidden  no exposed rods on the face. The minimum stile width required is 1-3/4 inches (44mm), and the stile must be hollow with an inside dimension of at least 1-3/8 inches (35mm) square. Those numbers match the profile of standard aluminum storefront stiles. That's not an accident  it's the specification that makes the 8400 the preferred exit device for aluminum commercial doors.

Sargent 8400 Series vs Sargent 80 Series: Where AD8400 Fits

The 80 Series Aluminum Door Platform

Sargent's 80 Series covers every exit device configuration type  rim, mortise, surface vertical rod, and concealed vertical rod  across both narrow and standard stile applications. Within that family, the 8400 Series occupies a specific position: it's the narrow stile CVR device for aluminum doors.

This matters for specification accuracy. If you searched "sargent concealed vertical rod exit device," there are two CVR options in the 80 Series. The 8400 Series (AD8400) is for aluminum narrow stile doors. The 8600 Series is for aluminum narrow stile doors in a different configuration. The standard width stile versions of these devices  for hollow metal and wood  are different product families entirely.

Sargent 8400 vs Adams Rite 8400

If you searched "adams rite 8400" alongside "sargent 8400"  these are two different products from two different brands, both under ASSA ABLOY, serving related but distinct applications. The Adams Rite 8400 is a narrow stile mortise exit device (single-point locking), designed for aluminum storefront doors with a mortise lock body inside the door. The Sargent AD8400 is a concealed vertical rod exit device (two-point locking  top and bottom), for the same aluminum door application but with a different locking architecture. 

Sargent Concealed Vertical Rod Exit Device: What CVR Does on Aluminum Doors

 

Two-Point Locking Without Exposed Hardware

 

On a standard rim exit device, one bolt engages the frame at the latch side when the door closes. That's a single locking point. On a surface vertical rod device, top and bottom rods are visible on the door face  functional, but not appropriate for full-glass aluminum doors where aesthetics matter and exposed hardware would interrupt the glass panel.

The concealed vertical rod device on the 8400 Series does what neither alternative can: it locks at both the top and bottom of the door, with the rods fully concealed inside the aluminum stile. When the push bar is in its neutral (non-depressed) position, the top rod engages a header strike and the bottom rod engages a floor strike or bottom rail strike, holding the door closed at two points simultaneously. When the push bar is depressed for egress, both rods retract simultaneously for instant single-motion egress. From outside the door, you see only the push bar and any outside trim. The rods, the case, the mechanical linkage  all inside the door frame.

Narrow Stile Exit Device Specifications: AD8400 Series

 

Dimensions and Door Requirements

 

Door type: Hollow or extruded aluminum. Standard 1-3/4-inch thick. For doors 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" thick, specify thickness and order with 31- option prefix.

Stile width: 1-3/4-inch (44mm) minimum. The stile must be hollow with an inside dimension of at least 1-3/8 inches (35mm) square  this is non-negotiable and must be verified before specifying.

Door height: Up to 120 inches (3,048mm) maximum.

Center case dimensions: 8-3/8 inches (213mm) x 2-5/8 inches (67mm).

Device centerline from finished floor: 41 inches (1,041mm) standard. 38 inches (969mm) for elementary school applications and ADA accessibility compliance when used with a 100 Series auxiliary control.

Projection: Push bar neutral  3 inches (76mm). Push bar depressed  2-1/8 inches (54mm).

Top bolt: Stainless steel, standard.

Dogging: Hex key dogging standard on non-fire rated devices. Cylinder dogging available (specify 16- prefix)  Sargent #41 mortise cylinder supplied with cylinder dogging option.

Mounting fasteners: Machine screws supplied standard.

Strike: 640 strike kit for top and bottom, steel with black nylon coating, machine screws supplied. 639 kit for top strike only. 640 kit contains 2 strikes (top and bottom).

Certifications: UL10C positive pressure fire exit hardware. UL305 panic hardware. ANSI/BHMA A156.3 Grade 1.

Rail Sizes: E, F, J, G

The 8400 Series push bar ships in four rail sizes keyed to door width. The rail suffix in the model number tells you which size you're ordering:

E Rail (32-inch): For door openings 24 to 32 inches wide. F Rail (36-inch): For door openings 33 to 36 inches wide  the most commonly specified size. J Rail (42-inch): For door openings 37 to 42 inches wide. G Rail (48-inch): For door openings 43 to 48 inches wide.

Each rail size can be factory-cut to the specific door width. Standard rails require no cutting when installed on the maximum door width for that rail size.

 

NB- Option: No Bottom Rod

 

The NB- (no bottom) option removes the bottom rod assembly from the device. In applications where a bottom floor strike would create a tripping hazard  retail spaces with high foot traffic, facilities serving wheelchair users, storage areas where carts or equipment must pass through  the NB- device provides single-point top locking only, without any floor-level hardware. The bottom strike is eliminated, the rod is not installed, and egress is through the top bolt only. This requires coordination with the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) to confirm code compliance for the specific application.

 

Functions Available in the Sargent 8400 Series

 

All Functions Determined by Outside ET Trim

 

The AD8400 device body ships less trim  the outside entry function is entirely controlled by which ET (Exit Trim) is installed separately. This modular architecture means you can change the outside function later by swapping the trim without replacing the exit device. Here are the primary functions and their device model numbers:

AD8410  Exit Only / Dummy Trim: No outside operation. Exit only through push bar from inside. Shop the Sargent AD8410-F Narrow Stile Concealed Vertical Rod Exit Device for Aluminum Doors, 36-inch  the primary 8400 product in this category.

AD8413  Classroom Function: Outside lever locks when inside cylinder is turned. Key retracts outside lever from outside. Designed for K-12 lockdown applications on aluminum-framed corridor and classroom doors.

AD8415  Passage Function: Outside lever always active, free egress from both sides. Uncontrolled two-way traffic applications.

AD8406  Storeroom Function: Outside lever always locked. Key from outside retracts latch for entry. No inside cylinder  inside lever always provides instant egress.

AD8443  Classroom with Freewheeling Trim: Classroom function with freewheeling outside lever  when locked, the outside lever spins freely without engaging the latch mechanism, eliminating the physical feedback that tells an attacker whether they're making progress.

 

Compatible ET Trims for the Sargent 8400 Series

 

The "-4" ET Trim Series

 

The 8400 Series requires the "-4" suffix ET trim series  not the standard ET trims used with the 8300, 8900, 8700, or 8800 Series. Ordering the wrong trim suffix is the most common spec error on 8400 installations.

Sargent 710-4 ET_  Pull Only Function: Fixed pull handle on outside, no entry function. Exit only from inside, grip assist from outside for door closing. Compatible with 8400 and 8600 CVR devices.

Sargent 713-4 ET_  Classroom Function: Lever trim with classroom lockdown function. One key turn from inside locks outside lever. Key from outside retracts lever. For K-12, university, and healthcare corridor security.

Sargent 715-4 ET_  Passage Function: Outside lever always active. Two-way free access. Vestibule doors, connecting spaces, and any aluminum door requiring unrestricted bidirectional traffic.

Sargent 706-4 ET_  06 Function: Key from outside unlocks trim; trim relocks when key is removed. The outside lever is non-functional without a key. Correct for aluminum doors requiring controlled entry with automatic re-locking after each entry.

 

Why the Sargent 8400 Is the Institutional Standard for Aluminum Storefront Exit Hardware

 

Architects don't specify the Sargent AD8400 because it's the only narrow stile CVR device on the market. They specify it because it's the one that doesn't fail at the intersection of code compliance, installation practicality, and aesthetic requirements. The UL10C fire listing covers fire-rated aluminum door applications. The UL305 panic listing covers life safety egress. The concealed rod design preserves the visual openness of full-glass aluminum doors without the distraction of exposed hardware. The ET trim modularity means hardware schedules can be managed across a building with different function requirements without replacing device bodies. The cylinder dogging option gives facilities managers passage-mode control through a key rather than a hex key. And the NB- no-bottom-rod option solves the floor strike tripping problem that comes up in retail and healthcare every time a CVR is specified on a high-traffic floor.

For offices where the lobby door is full-glass aluminum and the building requires compliant fire-rated egress hardware, the AD8410 with a 715-4 ET trim is a one-line specification. For schools where every exterior aluminum door needs classroom lockdown capability, the AD8413 with the 713-4 ET trim is the answer. For retail where floor strikes are a liability concern, the NB- option eliminates the problem before installation. That's not a product selling itself  that's two decades of specifying this hardware across thousands of projects, knowing which configuration matches which application before the first drawing is printed.

 

Frequently Asked Questions: Sargent 8400 Series

 

Q: What's the difference between the Sargent 8400 and Adams Rite 8400?

 

 The Sargent AD8400 is a CVR (two-point locking) exit device. The Adams Rite 8400 is a mortise exit device (single-point locking). Both are for aluminum narrow stile doors but use different locking architectures.

 

Q: What minimum stile width does the 8400 Series require?

 

 1-3/4-inch (44mm) minimum stile width. The stile must be hollow with at least 1-3/8-inch (35mm) square inside dimensions.

 

Q: What rail size do I need for a 36-inch door?

 

 F Rail  sized for door openings 33 to 36 inches. The AD8410-F is the 36-inch standard model.

 

Q: Can the 8400 Series be fire rated? 

 

Yes. The AD8400 is UL10C (positive pressure fire exit hardware) listed. Confirm the specific fire label requirement with the authority having jurisdiction.

 

Q: What does the NB- option mean? 

 

NB- means no bottom rod  removes the floor strike and bottom rod. Used where a floor strike would create a tripping hazard or block wheelchair and cart access.

 

Q: What ET trims work with the 8400 Series? 

 

The "-4" suffix ET series: 706-4, 710-4, 713-4, 715-4. Do not use standard ET trims (706, 710, 713, 715)  that are for different device families.