Adjusting the door handle lock nut is the fix for most handle complaints on an Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub: the chrome handle is held by a lock nut behind the front apron, under a small protective cap, and loosening that nut reduces handle tension while tightening it increases tension. A handle that has drifted out of position, or a door that has become hard to operate, is usually a quick adjustment. A door that sits low after someone leaned on it is corrected at the hinge, typically by about 1/8 inch, once the leveling legs have been confirmed.

Where the Lock Nut Is and What It Does

The video shows the adjustment on a tub with the custom chrome handle:

1. Remove the front apron to expose the back of the door handle mechanism.
2. Locate the protective cap over the lock nut and remove it.
3. Loosen the lock nut for less handle tension, or tighten it for more.
4. Adjust in small steps, test the handle, and replace the cap and apron when the handle sits flush and moves smoothly.

This support clip shows how to reach the lock nut and the washer behind the handle. It is the video the team sends for two different symptoms. If the handle no longer sits flush to the inside of the tub, the nut has worked loose and needs to be snugged up. If the door has become hard to open or close, the nut is too tight and should be backed off slightly. In the too-tight case the washer is fine, so you can disregard the washer replacement portion and only adjust the nut.

Symptom Map

• Handle no longer flush to the inside of the tub. The lock nut has loosened. Tighten it until the handle seats flush and locks with a positive feel. On outward doors, also confirm the handle faces away from the hinges when unlocked and toward the hinges when locked.
• Door hard to open or close. The lock nut is too tight. Loosen it a little at a time until the handle moves easily but still holds the door firmly against the seal. If the door also rubs the frame, check leveling first; our article on a door that rubs the frame explains the center-leg adjustment.
• Handle has worked loose from the door itself. The mounting nut on the inside of the door may have loosened and dropped. It is usually still inside the door cavity. The team can send a replacement mounting assembly with a door handle so you have parts on hand in case anything was damaged, along with a video of how the assembly mounts.
• Door sits low, rubs the jamb, or leaks along one edge after someone leaned on it. The hinge has been pushed out of alignment. Check the leveling legs first, then adjust the hinge as below.
• Door closes but the seal is not compressed enough on the latch side. The team may send a small shim for the door latch. The latch has two screws, a short one on top and a long one on the bottom; after adding the shim, use the original bottom screw in the top hole and the longer screw supplied with the shim in the bottom hole.
• Outward-swing door has shifted on its hinge. The outward door is held to its hinge by six bolts driven by a 3/16 inch Allen wrench. Confirm all six are snug without overtightening; the removal and refitting steps are in our sagging door and replacement article.

Hinge Adjustment After the Door Was Leaned on

The door is designed to carry its own weight and nothing more. The warranty on the door and seal is valid only when the alignment has not been changed by a bather's weight on the door, so it is worth explaining to family and caregivers that the open door is not a grab bar. If someone has leaned on it, the hinge can bend enough that the door no longer presses evenly against the seal. The deck and wall grab bars are the handholds; our grab bar article covers what is included and what can be added.

This short shows the hinge adjustment on the stainless steel inward-swing door. Before touching the hinge, confirm every leveling leg is firmly on the floor, because a lifted leg produces the same low-door symptom. Then make a small adjustment at the hinge as shown, on the order of 1/8 inch, close the door and check that the gasket compresses evenly along the full loop. Recheck the handle position afterward, since a door that now closes deeper may need the lock nut backed off slightly.

Finish with a Fill Test

After any handle or hinge adjustment, close and lock the door, fill above the door threshold, and let the water stand for 20 minutes while you watch the seal line. That is the benchmark used at warranty activation. If water still appears, work through what to check when there is water at the door before adjusting anything further.

Common Questions

For anything specific to your model or serial number, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850, and please attach photos so the team can help you quickly.