roto folding handles falling out

Question

Hi, I have several casement windows with folding Roto handles (part HG04 2004U). They are the same as the male handle you are selling (39-266). Whatever holds the handle in place is not longer functioning on any of the windows. I'm wondering if I need to replace the entire operator, or if not, what else I might do.

I'm curious if they are supposed to disengage like this. Several of them have a black plastic(?) ring inset in the hole. I'm looking for a handle that my toddler can't just pop out by pulling on it. Thanks.

Tom · Accepted Answer

These older operators always had this problem. The black collar would wear out and the handles would become loose, eventually just falling out on their own. As a result, the manufacturer actually ended up changing the design of how these work.

Now, the 39-226 can still work for you, but it will only be a temporary measure. It will fall out eventually. Some ways around this are using glue to hold it in, or even just packing it out with scotch tape so it's a little tighter. Again, these are all temporary measures, but they'll do in a pinch.

If you''re not in a pinch and you want a more long-standing solution then you will want a new operator. We have more modern styles that will work much better. Before I recommend anything, though, I need you to remove one of the operators you have now and show me a photo of the complete mechanism without obstruction. There are many different styles and I'll need that to narrow down which one in particular you have. Let me know if you can do that for me.