When a cam lock won’t turn or tighten

Checked against manufacturer sources on November 13, 2026.

Before you turn harder, check three things.

If all three are right, turn a hand screwdriver clockwise about half a turn, and stop when it stops.

A cam lock works as a pair with a cam bolt (also called a cam screw). The cam bolt goes into one part. The round cam lock sits in the large hole of the other part. When you turn the cam lock, it grips the head of the bolt and pulls the two parts together.

Does the arrow on the cam lock point toward the bolt?

**Arrow pointing toward the bolt**The dotted line is the bolt coming in through the part

**Arrow pointing another way**The bolt head can’t get into the cam lock

The arrow on top of the cam lock, or the open slot in its side, has to face the bolt hole in the edge of the part. That is what lets the bolt head slide into the cam lock. Some products have you put the cam lock in first, and others have you join the parts first. Follow your manual for the order. Either way, the arrow points toward the bolt.

Manuals and help pages from five sources, including Häfele, Sauder, South Shore and Walker Edison, all give this same instruction.

To fix it: Turn the cam lock back the other way to release it. According to IKEA Japan, a released cam lock has its open slot facing the bolt. Once the arrow points toward the bolt hole, start again from there.

Is the cam bolt in straight and all the way?

**A cam bolt standing straight**3D view of HEMNES bench step 1. On this product, you screw the bolts in with a screwdriver

If the cam bolt is not in far enough, the cam lock only loosely catches (grips) the bolt head. Cam lock instructions in imported furniture manuals say a bolt set too deep also keeps the cam lock from catching. Walker Edison lists two more causes: a bolt that went in crooked, or the wrong bolt for this step.

The right depth differs from product to product, so there is no number to give. Follow the picture in your manual.

Confirmed in the cam lock instructions printed identically in four imported furniture manuals and in Walker Edison’s help article.

To fix it: Release the cam lock first and pull the parts apart. Put the bolt back in the way your manual shows. Do not overtighten it.

Do the two parts meet with no gap?

**Two parts joined with no gap**3D view of HEMNES bench step 4. On this product, you join the parts first and then put in the cam lock

Bring the two parts together with no gap, and then turn the cam lock.

Walker Edison says to push the cam lock all the way into its hole before tightening. They also warn that tightening while you force misaligned parts together can strip the cam lock.

The South Shore manual and Walker Edison’s help article agree that you turn the cam lock only after the parts meet with no gap.

Now turn it

A cam lock placed in the large hole and turned with a screwdriver — **Put in the cam lock and turn it clockwise**3D view of HEMNES bench step 5

Turn a hand screwdriver clockwise. At around half a turn, the cam lock catches firmly and stops. The exact angle differs from one fitting to another (manufacturers’ documents give 165 to 230 degrees). Go by the feel in your hand rather than by a number.

Do turn it until it stops. Sauder warns that a cam lock that is not tightened all the way can loosen and let the parts separate. If your manual says not to tighten yet at that step, though, do as the manual says.

According to Häfele, it is normal for the cam lock to turn freely at first. Walker Edison says to check, once everything is tight, that the joint is firm and that there is no gap between the two parts.

Three sources agree on the direction, and two agree on about half a turn. Häfele, Sauder and Titus each give a different angle.

What not to do

Do not tighten a cam lock with a power screwdriver. Too much force can bend or break the cam lock.
Do not keep turning after it stops. That can damage the cam lock or the part.
Do not drill new holes or widen the ones that are there. Several manufacturers, including IKEA Korea, exclude modified products from their warranty.

If it still doesn’t work

If all three are right and the cam lock still does not catch, the part itself may be the problem. Find that part’s number in the manual and tell the seller first. For IKEA, it is the six-digit number printed next to the part’s drawing in the manual.

It is safer to tell them before you finish assembling. One Hanssem manual states that exchanges and refunds are not available once assembly is complete.