Fix a Sagging Emtek Door Handle

Every brand of solid bronze door hardware has the potential to have problems. If your Emtek lever appears to droop, or your Emtek knobs turn action isn't as stiff as it once was, then you can probably fix it by following the steps on this page. Ninety percent of the time, it's either a torsion spring or keyed washer causing the problem. These two parts press against each other to give the lever or knob tension. This guide will help you determine what's causing your Emtek lever to sag and show you how to replace it while reinstalling the hardware.

Steps

Determine What is Broken


  1. Remove the hardware from the door. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the Emtek door hardware from the door. You don't need to remove the internal latch (that thing that keeps the door shut). Only remove the two screws holding the lever to the sides of the doors.
  2. Loosen the knob or lever with an Allen Wrench. Use an Allen Wrench to loosen the Emtek knob or lever's turn post. You need to do this until you can pull the turn post (that brass post with a spring wrapped around it) out of the lever. If you don't have an Allen Wrench that fits your Emtek hardware, you can order one online.
  3. Remove the turn post. Now that you've loosened the Emtek lever or knob with the Allen Wrench, you can remove the turn post and the spring from the lever.
  4. Observe the inner mechanical parts. You should now be able to see the inner mechanical parts that keep your Emtek lever stiff. If your entry set is sagging, you should still see these parts for the inside lever. If your hardware doesn't look like this, stop now. You might be using a type of Emtek product that this fix-it guide will not show you how to correct.
  5. Use a screwdriver to remove the top clip. Once you loosen it up, you should be able to pull it out with your finger. This part keeps the torsion spring and keyed washer pressed together.
  6. Remove the top washer. After removing the clip, remove the washer underneath it. (This is not the keyed washer that might be broken.)
  7. Look for breaks in the torsion spring. Shown here is one of the top offenders for a saggy Emtek lever or loose knob. The green arrows point out the two places in the spring that usually break. If you're still not sure if your torsion spring is broken, it will not be sitting tightly in place. Take it out and examine it. The picture below shows an Emtek lever with a new spring. If yours is broken, you need to buy one, but it's important that you keep reading and make sure that your keyed washer is not also broken.
  8. Remove the torsion spring. We still need to check the keyed washer. Pry out the torsion spring with a screwdriver. If it's stiff and hard to pry out, that's a good thing. That means that the spring is still strong and does not need replacement.
  9. Look for breaks in the keyed washer. This is the piece that the torsion spring pushes against. Look at the picture to see where this washer may be broken. Many Emtek keyed washers break in the middle. The two keyed pieces become weak over time. If any part of this is broken, you'll have to buy a new one.
  10. Remove the keyed washer if broken. If the keyed washer looks broken or cracked, remove it with a screwdriver.
  11. Contact the manufacturer if the handle still sags. Follow the steps below to reassemble the Emtek lever or knob, then see if it continues to sag. It's possible that the torsion spring just slipped off and needs to be placed on securely. However, if these steps don't reveal the true cause of your saggy lever, you might want to try contacting Emtek and find out if they can help.

Put it Back Together


  1. Replace the keyed washer.
  2. Replace the torsion spring. This step is going to make your fingers hurt. (Sorry!) Basically, once you get the torsion spring in place, you use one or two fingers to push the top part of the spring all the way around to the spring's catch. It hurts like hell, but that strong tension is what keeps your Emtek lever or knob from sagging. Look at the pictures to see someone else's fingers suffer through the process. If the torsion spring or keyed washer didn't look broken, it's possible that the Emtek spring just slipped off its mount. If that's the case, make sure that you put the spring on correctly in this step.
  3. Replace the top washer. After placing the Emtek torsion spring back into place, you need to set the washer that goes on top of it. This washer keeps the spring in place and gives the top clip something to press down on.
  4. Slide the top clip into place. This is the piece that holds the washer, torsion spring, and keyed washer together. You can start sliding this in with your fingers, but eventually you will probably need a screwdriver to get it tightly in place.
  5. Push in the turn post. Put the spring on the turn post and hold it in place with one finger. You will need to hold it in place until you use the Allen Wrench to tighten the lever.
  6. Tighten the bolt with an Allen wrench. To put the Emtek lever or knob back together, tighten the bolt with an Allen wrench. At this point you should be able to tell if the new parts fixed the lever. If it feels stiffer than before, you've fixed it. No need to buy a new Emtek lever!
  7. Place your fixed lever or knob back on the door. If your lever is stiff, place it back on the door the same way you took it off. If this guide didn't fix your Emtek door hardware, be sure to call Emtek!

Things You'll Need

  • Allen wrench (Hex key)
  • Screwdriver

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