If the door handle on your Ella walk-in tub feels loose or wobbly, the fix is usually one bolt hidden under the round cap on the face of the handle. Unthread the cap by hand and tighten the bolt underneath. If the entire handle assembly shifts rather than just the lever, remove the handle and snug the 5mm bolt in the center of the mounting assembly. And if the handle has become very hard to rotate into the locked position, the lock nut behind the front apron is likely too tight and can be backed off a little. All of these adjustments take basic hand tools.

Why a Door Handle Works Loose

The handle turns a gear and shaft mechanism that pulls the door tight against its seal every time you bathe, so the bolt that holds the lever can back out with normal use. A handle can also feel loose when the door seal on the handle side is not compressing properly. If tightening does not hold, the support team may ask for a photo showing how close the handle sits to the interior wall of the tub so they can check the door alignment before sending any parts.

Tightening a Loose Lever

1. Unthread the circular cap on the face of the door handle. It comes off by hand without tools.
2. Check whether the bolt underneath is loose and tighten it until the handle sits snug on the shaft. Do not force it.
3. Thread the cap back on and check that the lever moves through its full travel and locks the door firmly.

When the Whole Assembly Is Loose

If the complete handle assembly rocks on the door rather than just the lever, remove the bolt and lift the handle off. In the middle of the mounting assembly you will find a 5mm bolt that can be tightened as well. On some models you will need to reach the mechanism from behind. Pop off the magnetic access panel, and if the apron is in the way, remove the three screws holding it and slide it out from under the lip of the tub door and deck. The handle assembly is the same across models, so the pictures support shares apply to your tub even if they were taken on a different one. Reinstall the handle, tighten the bolt under the cap, and replace the cap and apron.

Handle That Is Too Hard to Turn

A handle that suddenly takes a lot of force to open or close usually has a lock nut that is too tight. Behind the front apron there is a large square nut. Remove it and you will see the nut and bolt that set the handle tension. Loosen that nut just slightly so the lever swings more easily. Be careful not to loosen it too much, because the handle then will not have enough pressure to pull the door tight and prevent leaks. If the only problem is a handle that is too tight, the washer under the nut is fine and does not need to be replaced. The Ella door video library includes the videos support shares for reaching and adjusting this nut.

L-Shape Transfer Doors

On the L-shape door used by the Transfer family, the handle turns a gear that is held on by ball bearing washers and a nut. If that nut has loosened and fallen off, reattaching the gear, the washers and the nut in order restores the door. If the door pins will not line up afterward, see why the pins on an L-shape Transfer door do not line up.

If Something Actually Broke

If a metal tab or the lever itself has snapped, tightening will not help and the handle needs to be replaced. The steps are in what to do if your walk-in tub door handle broke off. Have your model and serial number ready when you contact support so the correct handle assembly can be matched to your door.

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.