Spindle Sleeves – What They Are and When to Use Them

Spindle sleeves are used to adjust the size of a door spindle so it fits correctly into a handle or lock case.

They are a simple and cost-effective solution when the spindle size and lock follower size do not match.

When You Need a Spindle Sleeve

Use a spindle sleeve when:

• The door handle spindle and the lock follower (hole) are different sizes

Example

• Door handle spindle: 8 mm
• Lock follower: 9 mm

In this case, an 8–9 mm spindle sleeve can be used to make the spindle fit securely.

This avoids the need to replace either the lock or the handles.

Choosing the Correct Sleeve Length

The sleeve should cover most of the spindle length inside the door.

Example

If your door thickness is 70 mm, you need robust, ideally metal sleeving to cover the majority of that central 70mm of the total spindle length

Available Options

Metal Sleeve (Recommended)

• Size: 8–10 mm (30 mm wide)
• Typically, two sleeves will be needed

Plastic Sleeve

• Size: 8–10 mm (25 mm wide)
• Typically, three sleeves are needed (one may need trimming)