Lever handle on exterior door keeps falling off

[rhallen]

Hi all,

My front exterior door has a lever handle that started to pop out a few months ago. I've been slowly poking around trying to figure out how to fix it and I now suspect there was a set screw on the shaft of the handle that fell off and is probably now sitting somewhere inside my door. However, I am not sure (a) that this is correct and (b) what to do about it. I imagine it's pretty simple, but I just don't have any experience in this area.

I've attached some photos below showing the handle inserted into the door as well as the shaft on the handle itself. As you can see, the shaft has a square cross-section with a thin metal shim along one side. Two sides of the shaft have a groove in them, including the side with the metal shim. The shim itself also has a groove cut all the way through it.

The groove on the side without the shim has what appears to be a hole or gouge near the end of the shaft. Could this be where the set screw was inserted?

Thanks for your help!

rh

Untitled

• rhallen
• 27 Jul 2014
• 1

Untitled

• rhallen
• 27 Jul 2014
• 1

Untitled

• rhallen
• 27 Jul 2014
• 1

 

[crank39]

There should be a tiny grub screw put in with an allen key, it splays the split shaft/spindle which grips the other handle, my guess is its fell out

 

[rhallen]

There should be a tiny grub screw put in with an allen key, it splays the split shaft/spindle which grips the other handle, my guess is its fell out

Thanks for the suggestion, but there's no hole for a grub screw anywhere on the handle or the shaft.

 

[JohnD]

is there anything on the other side of the door?

 

[rhallen]

is there anything on the other side of the door?

Yes. Here's a side view the inside handle partly inserted. For what it's worth, you can see that the manufacturer of the lockset it Vachette.

Untitled

• rhallen
• 27 Jul 2014
• 1

 

[Burnerman]

Maybe a circlip has come adrift on the door side of the furniture?
John

 

[JohnD]

no sign of a grubscrew on the other side?

 

[foxhole]

Agree with John , door handle has failed retaining ring snapped or fallen off, should be a one piece handle, you will need to replace the handle unless you can replace the clip.

 

[Burnerman]

Chances are, the circlip is trapped within the door furniture, poised for revenge
John

 

[rhallen]

So long delay in coming back on this, but JohnD got it -- the grubscrew was on the other side of the door. Super-simple repair after that. Thanks all!

 

[crank39]

Lol.....Didn't it occur to maybe check the other handle for that grub screw ,I didn't know which half of the handle you'd taken a picture of after all

 

[rhallen]

Lol.....Didn't it occur to maybe check the other handle for that grub screw ,I didn't know which half of the handle you'd taken a picture of after all

Yeah, that light bulb took awhile to switch on. I'll have to get on the electrical forum about that....