If your window winder breaks, the first thing to do is to call your windows installation company and see if you can get a warranty replacement. If you can’t, then there are simple steps you can take to repair it!
How Window Winders Break
Most times when winders break, they break because one or more of the components are stripped. Either the threads on the handle, or the splines on the winding mechanism will have worn off. You can figure out which component has failed by looking at where the handle joins the mechanism.
How to Replace Winder Components
First, purchase the correct component. Search for a replacement crank from your window’s manufacturer. It should be available online for cheap.
Using a screwdriver, remove the screws that connect the winder to the window frame. If no screws are present, carefully pry off the cover. Then, remove the screws that secure the covering of the crank.
Remove the crank mechanism. The gearbox will likely be full of grease and dirt, which you can clean with a wire brush and a degreaser.
You may as well take the opportunity to grease the new mechanism with white grease, which should help it move slowly.
Other Mechanical Repairs
Other repairs will likely be minor. If nothing appears to be wrong with the threading or the splines, try adding some oil to the mechanism, tightening all the screws, and trying it again. If not, take the winder apart, use a degreaser to clean the components, add more grease, and put it back together.
Ideally, this will remove any grit that might me stopping up the works.
Cosmetic Repairs
Repairs of visible cracks may actually be the hardest repairs to perform. Although internal components are easy to purchase, plastic casings are not. If your window winder is cracked and ugly, it’s probably easiest just to buy a new one.
Replacing the whole winder is much easier than replacing a part. Winders come fully assembled and greased, so all you need to do is unscrew the winder from both the window and the frame, and then screw in the new one.
In general, actually, fixing winders is more of a fun DIY project for enthusiasts than a way to save money. Odds are, the time you would save by replacing the components is more valuable than the money you would spend buying a whole new winder.
