Reattaching window handle with stripped fixings

[optilude]

Hi,

On one of our uPVC windows, the handle has been pulled out by years of kids opening and closing the window and the handle being loose. Unfortunately it’s not just a matter of tightening the bolts, because the bolt holes in the metal bracket inside the window are stripped. The screws won’t stay in place.

The metal bracket looks fairly thin and there is clear space on the back of it so my original plan of filling it with epoxy and drilling a new hole won’t work.

Are there any good solutions that don’t involve replacing the whole window?

 

[Notch7]

Is it an old style with a crock spur handle rather than a handle with a square spindle that turns an espagnolette lock

 

[foxhole]

You could replace the lock or put a thin piece of wire in the holes the help screws grip .Have used a staple, paper clip, electrical wire depending on hole sizes to repair in the past.

 

[optilude]

Is it an old style with a crock spur handle rather than a handle with a square spindle that turns an espagnolette lock

It has one bolt either side of a handle that turns in 90 degree increments. The actual mechanism is operated with a square spindle. So I guess “new style”?

The two nothing bolts go through a hole in the uPVC and into a metal bracket which is inside the window itself. I suspect the bracket is maybe 5mm thick. This is where the bolts are failing to screw in.

 

[JohnD]

Photos please.

These windows are assembled with proprietary parts, and the mechanism is replaceable.

An alternative would be to tap out the hole to the next thread size up and use a larger screw.

 

[optilude]

You could replace the lock or put a thin piece of wire in the holes the help screws grip .Have used a staple, paper clip, electrical wire depending on hole sizes to repair in the past.

there is clearance either side of the metal bracket that the bolts need to attach to. And this is encased in the uPVC itself. So it’s not obvious how to add something here

 

[JohnD]

Photos please.

 

[Notch7]

It has one bolt either side of a handle that turns in 90 degree increments. The actual mechanism is operated with a square spindle. So I guess “new style”?

The two nothing bolts go through a hole in the uPVC and into a metal bracket which is inside the window itself. I suspect the bracket is maybe 5mm thick. This is where the bolts are failing to screw in.

So the handle doesn’t screw into an espagnolette lock?

This is a typical example

 

[optilude]

So the handle doesn’t screw into an espagnolette lock?

This is a typical example

Correct. The threaded holes for the handle bolts are stripped.

 

[foxhole]

Correct. The threaded holes for the handle bolts are stripped.

And the reason you can’t poke some wire in the stripped holes?

 

[optilude]

And the reason you can’t poke some wire in the stripped holes?

As far as I can tell there is a gap both in front of and behind the metal frame. So if I poke something into it, it falls out the other side. Maybe I can manage to bed some wire around the back so it doesn’t. Worth trying.

 

[foxhole]

As far as I can tell there is a gap both in front of and behind the metal frame. So if I poke something into it, it falls out the other side. Maybe I can manage to bed some wire around the back so it doesn’t. Worth trying.

You bend one end to a hook so it can’t fall thru .

 

[Notch7]

Correct. The threaded holes for the handle bolts are stripped.

So if you want to repair the threaded part, you need a new espagnolette lock

They are quite cheap, but you need the correct replacement, there’s a lot of subtle differences in the specs for these.

Or bend some wire in there, sometimes that works well

I expect the handle is knackered too….