upvc front door locking mechanism easy to replace ?

[brugnospamsia]

Dear group,

18 months ago I had a multipoint locking upvc front door fitted (I know ... I wish I'd had a wooden door but that's for later).

It's one with a handle outside that you lift upwards to push the multipoint lockingthingies into place.

This morning I locked the door and checked it as is my wont by pulling on the handle and it went past where it was supposed to stop. After a bit of fiddling I deduced that I was still able to lock and unlock the door.

Clearly though I need to fit a new handle / cam.

Will this be an over-the-counter purchase I can easily fit myself ? (I don't want to find myself with an unlockable front door )

my window fitter appears to have gone out of business ...

thanks ...

(anyone know where I can obtain spares in Bristol ?)

[brugnospamsia]

Update.

It seems fairly clear now that the door has dropped.

Is there any mileage in using shims in the hinges ?

thanks ..

[Andrew Gabriel]

I suspect the door has suffered a tapezoid deformation. This is often due to not having put the spacers in the right places around the sealed units and plastic panels, which will prevent this if correctly packed into the frame.

I can't see how this is related to your original post though.

[brugnospamsia]

sorry, in my panic I realised I got the question backwards.

I realise now that what I meant was that in order to lock the door I'm having to push the lever upwards until I was applying force (presumably lifting the door) whereas before it simply clicked into the "engaged" position.

For some time the "roller" catches at the bottom of the door had been catching on the channels, thus requiring me to nudge the bottom of the door to open it.

So the implication is I should be able to tweak the packing to square it up ?

thanks ...

[Andrew Gabriel]

Check this is the problem first -- measure the two diagonals and if the door has a tapezoid deformation, they will be different.

You might get enough access to repack just by removing the beading. If you have to remove the panels/units, you will probably need new window tape too when you refit them.

[Ziggur]

Have you tried adjusting the rollers? They work on a cam. Usually a hex or star screw to adjust.

[brugnospamsia]

thanks - I'll check - rings true since things are catching at the bottom of the door and not the top.

[brugnospamsia]

[brugnospamsia]

I checked the door and it's "true".

Turns out I was right first time.

The problem was that for some perverse reason I was lifting the handle UP to check it when I should have been trying to push it down (don't ask .... ) until it went past vertical.

I have an identical locking mechanism in my back door and I see now is that the problem with the front door is that instead of the bolts snapping into place with the handle less than vertical, I now risk banging my knuckles when I lock the front door and have to put pressure on the handle before I can turn the key.

I wish I'd watched them fit the locking mechs ... my first instinct is to swap them over between front and back doors ... I suppose at least it's less of a problem if I mess up with the back door ...

I am still bothered about the bolts rubbing as the door is opened and closed, but I now see that although it's slightly worse at the bottom it is all of them ....

Has anyone here any experience of fitting a new "cam unit" themselves ?