The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors just bought new door handles and they still fall off any ....

hints on how to keep the inset screws tight? Has anyone ever super glued the inset screws in? Would longer ones work? Any tips from the experts?

Thanks,

Mike Doak

Are you using the second screw which goes on top of the internal screw? It acts like a lock nut would.
Carl

The problem is the ill fitting female spline on the aftermarket handle, not so much the set screw. The new handle should fit very snug on the male spline on the latching mechanism, but it doesn't.

I was told to tightly form aluminum foil around the spline on the door handle mechanism stud before putting the handle on. This is supposed to tighten the fit, prevent the handle from wobbling, thus allowing the set screw to just hold the handle in place and not be subject to the torque of the handle, and thus preventing it from falling off.... FWIW, might give that a try.

Part of the problem may be people using the handle as a closing pull. That seems to be the deal in my truck.

No I am not, I ordered the handles and they only came with one set screw. Where can I get the second screw that acts like a lock washer?
Been keeping a screw driver in truck to re tighten but that is annoying!


Thank you for the reply.

Mike Doak

Thanks I will try that!

Yes, I even find myself doing that!!!!!

I used plumbers tape once on a door handle set screw that kept coming loose. The fastener that actually holds the handle to the spline should be a small allen screw, that you can torque really tight. I would not use glue.
RdsLessTaken/Don

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/RdLessTaken/media/IMG_8593sm_zpsabe00cfa.jpg.html

Tony, I remember seeing those "back up screws" on a vendor site but probably a year ago. Probably JimCarter, Classic Parts of maybe the Truck Shop in Ca.

John, I understand how the foil will take up the slop of the longitudinal grooves, but it is the horizontal annular groove on the shaft which is engaged by the set screw that keeps the handle on. The second screw, which the OP is missing, keeps the set screw tight. Now if the longitudinal grooves in the after market handles are extremely sloppy, I could see the handle falling off, but that would also prevent the handle from doing anything for him.

Carl

skip the set screw, drill it right thru and use a roll pin

Bill

On my TF truck I had the same problem. So I did like Don said. Got rid of the set screw you tighten with a screw driver, and got an allen set screw. Which you can tighten down more using an allen wrench. Also the screws on my repop handles were metric.

Brian

Thanks!

Hey that is a great idea. I tried the aluminum foil today and will see how that works. I will think about drilling too. I can see doing that with the correct size screw. I will try the allen wrench first.

Nice 57 Chevy!!!!!

...be sure you have a good drill bit. I did the same to one of mine on the panel. Didn't use a roll pin though.

I ordered some allenhead set screws from Classic Parts awhile back and so far so good. Been holding tight for a couples months now.
Will try the aluminum foil trick next (if needed) then advance to the drill through phase (to stick a fork in it, so to speak) if it gets that far
Amazing how something thats seemingly so minor can become a major irratent ain't it. Nothing like the sound of a door or window handle falling to the floor board after a bump

Dave

EXACTLY!!!!!!

Over night delivery:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#set-screws/=t6aswl

DG

Our local Home Depot has set screws, maybe just dumb luck ?

What about simply using blue locktite on the set screw?

I wouldn't use loctite here, as it would be difficult to remove the handle at a later date. It is challenging enough to work these screws when they are clean. There is no reason why the original extra screw wouldn't lock the set screw in place on a good handle on a good shaft.
Carl

I wrapped sevral layers of teflon tape around the splines of the shaft then used a set screw on my aftermarket handles. I believe the set screw is a 5mm. Seems to work fine for me.