Replace internal door handle - advice

Hippodrome Song Owl

I have a broken door handle - the handle on one side is snapped off near its fulcrum. It's like that since before I bought the house - hard to imagine how it could possibly have happened tbh. I bought a replacement handle (which looks identical to the original) a few months ago, but am sick if waiting on someone to do it for me. So I watched a YouTube video, and decided to give it a go myself today. Understand that this is literally my first time to use a screwdriver - that's how clueless I am!!

Problem is that the metal bar (spindle bar?) is too long - around 2cm longer than the old one. I thought I would try using the old bar with the new handles, but couldn't get it to fit properly - one side of the handle was left sticking out too far from the door. It's as if the old bar doesn't let the two new handles slide on fully.

However, it seems I can get it to fit with the old bar, one side of the old handle (unbroken part) and one side of the new handle.

Is this solution going to hold up, or will it be a disaster? If I eventually get hold of someone who knows what they're doing, what is the proper fix for this? Can you buy a shorter spindle bar to fit the new handles?

Thanks for reading, any advice appreciated.

phelixoflaherty

Somebody with a hacksaw or grinder could cut the 2cm off for you.

blackbox

Most handles have a little grub screw that connect them to the spindle. If the spindle is long enough that both grub screw connect to it you should be fine.

If you have a hacksaw the longer spindle can be cut to the correct length, but you can also buy them in different lengths.

mikewest

There might be a grub screw on the new handles (tiny screw usually with an Allen key head). This is designed to tighten the new handles to the bar. It may be that the grub screw is tightened in slightly on one of the new handles and not letting the bar slide fully into the handle. The Allen key for this screw may well be in the packet with the new handles if not a very small screwdriver may twist it out enough to let the bar go all the way in(old bar or new bar). Do the bars go the same distance into both new handles?

Like this

Hippodrome Song Owl

Yes! There is a grub screw! And there is an allen key in the packet - I was wondering what that was for. There was no mention of grub screws in the YouTube video!

I will have another go tomorrow by loosening the grub screws. But the new bar does seem too long tbh. Perhaps loosening the grub screws will allow me use the old bar and both sides of the new handle though.

Unfortunately I don't have a hacksaw, nor do I know how to use one - I only purchased my first screwdriver yesterday!

Thank you.