Internal door handle makes a click sound/catches when returning to its position

dhokes

I've got pretty standard door handles in my house and I've noticed that after pressing the handle down when it comes back to the top/its default position, it seems to make a click sound like its catching on something.

What could be causing this and how can I make it stop as its annoying especially when opening/closing doors in the morning/night.

molerat

Possibly the return spring catching as it uncurls, take the handle off and give the spring a squirt of oil.  Or just general wear in the mechanism.

Murmansk

Might not be anything to do with the problem here but beware those tubular latches - especially the ones from Screwfix etc that cost £1.08 each. Their mechanisms wear out eventually and you end up with the latch not moving in when you operate the handle.

It can result in the door being effectively locked and I've had to break into five people's rooms for this reason in the last couple of years. Another thing you find is that when you remove the old latch it releases a nasty load of very fine black metal dust that can make a hell of a mess on a nice white carpet!!

dhokes

Thanks for the reply. The doors are relatively new - 5 year old new build home. I've taken off one side of the handle and its pretty clean. I guess I'll give it a spray of WD40 and see if that fixes it. There's mention of a spring - what/where is that?

What's the small hole for an allen key on the side of the handle which you should hopefully see in the first photo for btw?

victor2

If you really want to try to get rid of the click, remove both handles (the allen screw on the handle probably just grips the square shaft and is not really necessary), and undo the two screws by the latch, the use a large screwdriver, or the square shaft to push the mechanism out of the door in the direction the latch operates. Once out, you can drip some oil into the mechanism. It may improve it, or the mechanism may just be worn out and in need of replacement.

casper_gutman

Having taken off one handle, does the latch still click when operated with the other handle? And does the handle you've removed click when you operate it? 

casper_gutman

dhokes said:

Thanks for the reply. The doors are relatively new - 5 year old new build home. I've taken off one side of the handle and its pretty clean. I guess I'll give it a spray of WD40 and see if that fixes it. There's mention of a spring - what/where is that?

What's the small hole for an allen key on the side of the handle which you should hopefully see in the first photo for btw?

I think the other poster who mentioned a spring was referring to a spring on the handle, which would be on the part you took off, behind the backplate. Occasionally only one of the handles is sprung, so it could be the other one. It's also possible that neither handle is sprung if the latch is provided with a strong spring, but I think the usual practice in modern latches is for the handles to be sprung.

The small Allen key hole will be for turning a grub screw that holds the handle on.

Murmansk

I'd recommend tightening the grub screw in the side of the handle with an allen key - it holds the central square shaft in place so lessens the strain on the screws that hold the handle onto the door. If your door is hollow you may be glad of the extra strength these grub screws add to the thing as it'll lessen the chance of the handle coming loose because you can't get enough "purchase" with the screws holding the handle onto the door.