Handle coming loose

A handy person from stoneham says:
Hi,
I have an inside sliding door handle that is similar to, if not the same as, model 82-081. The handle piece is coming loose from the piece that sits against the door, the part with the screw. I have tried pushing the handle tight against the piece that sits against the door and tightening the screw but it is working its way loose again. How can I secure it so that it doesn't loosen up again? Thanks.
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

It honestly sounds like the screw holes may be stripped. That should be the first thing you check. I suggest removing the handle set from the door in its entirety and checking the holes for any obvious signs of damage or wear. Ultimately, you will likely need to replace the set. If you're lucky then the damage isn't in the door itself.

A handy person from stoneham says:

Hi,

Thank you for your response. I am afraid I wasn't clear enough on my issue, I think. Or, perhaps I am misunderstanding your answer.

The problem is that the D handle is pulling away from the mounting plate, 82-108.

The mounting plate itself is tight against the door. Are you saying that the holes for the smaller screws (the ones that apparently secure the D handle to the mounting plate) might be stripped ?

How do those little screws secure the D handle to the mounting plate, are they supposed to go into a recess of some sort on the D handle or do they just tighten on to a lug of some sort on the D handle.

Thanks again for your help!

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Tom from SWISCO responded:

Thanks for clarifying, that's a huge help. I definitely misunderstood, though coincidentally my answer is more or less the same: it sounds like something is stripped out of either the "D" handle or the 82-108 mounting plate itself. If the handle is pulling right off it then it's possible that those metal screw bosses are broken and coming loose.

Either way, I still think your best bet is to remove the hardware in its entirety and try to see exactly what's broken. Check those screw bosses first.

The source of the issue may honestly be the rollers. What happens is when rollers stop working properly due to age, damage, or basic obstruction like dirt or debris from outside, then it takes more force to push open and pull close the door. This extra force applied to the handle adds up over time and usually leads to things like this: usually the base of the handle cracks, the screws rip out, etc. For a moderately more complicated handle like the 82-080, it would make sense that the "D" pull would start ripping off its base.

A handy person from stoneham says:
Thank you !!!
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

You're welcome! Please feel free to reach out if you had any other questions.

A handy person from stoneham says:
Thanks again and just to close the loop, you were correct, the upper screw boss was broken. New set ordered.
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

Great! I thought that might be it. Thanks for the business and please feel free to reach out if we can be of any further assistance.

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