Multipoint Lock Repair Sheffield Gearbox and Strip Replacement

Hooks, rollers, deadbolt, shootbolts and the gearbox that drives them: we diagnose the failed part, measure backset and centres, and replace the gearbox or the full strip.

Call 0114 463 0063 See prices

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Gearbox or full strip

We replace only the gearbox when the design allows it

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Measured, not guessed

Backset, PZ centres, faceplate width and locking point positions

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Split spindle and auto locks

Lever lever, lever pad, key wind and automatic designs

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Multi-point locks from £40

Starting price confirmed before parts are ordered or fitted

Our multipoint lock repair service in Sheffield replaces failed gearboxes and worn locking strips on uPVC, composite and timber doors, with multi-point locks starting from £40 and a locksmith usually with you in 25 to 45 minutes. The key to a lasting repair is identifying exactly which mechanism you have, because hundreds of variants are fitted across the city and a part that is a few millimetres out will not work.

This page goes inside the lock: what each locking point does, how a gearbox fails, and the measurements we take to match a replacement.

By the Sheffield Locksmith 24H team, 45 Broughton Lane, Sheffield S9. Updated 13 October 2026.

How a multipoint lock works

A multipoint lock is a single steel strip running most of the height of the door, with a gearbox in the middle where the handle and cylinder sit. Lifting the handle drives a pair of rods up and down the strip, throwing several locking points into keeps on the frame. Turning the key then deadlocks them so they cannot be wound back.

Locking point	What it does	Common wear sign
Hooks	Swing out and grip the keep, pulling the door against its seals	Hooks scrape or only partly engage
Rollers or mushroom cams	Slide behind the keep to compress the door; often adjustable	Draughts, rattling door
Deadbolt	Central bolt thrown by the key	Key turns but bolt sticks part way
Shootbolts	Fire up into the head and down into the threshold on some designs	Bolt binding on the frame
Latch	Sprung bolt that holds the door shut when the handle is down	Door will not stay closed

uPVC gearbox failure: what goes wrong inside

The gearbox (sometimes called the centre case) does the heavy lifting. It turns about 45 degrees of handle movement into the long stroke that drives every locking point, and it holds the latch, the deadbolt and the follower that the spindle sits in. Inside are springs, a cam and a gear rack, mostly in die cast metal.

Gearboxes fail in recognisable ways:

Handle goes floppy and will not return to horizontal: the return spring has broken.
Handle lifts but nothing moves at the edge of the door: a gear or cam has snapped, so the rods are no longer connected.
Key turns, latch stays out: the cylinder cam is not engaging the latch drive.
Handle jams halfway: something has broken and is wedging the mechanism.

Most gearboxes die because they were forced for months on a door that had dropped. If yours fails, we check alignment before fitting the new one, otherwise the replacement goes the same way. If the door itself will not latch or lock and you are not sure the gearbox is to blame, our uPVC door not locking page covers the other causes.

Multipoint lock replacement: gearbox only or the full strip?

Gearbox only

Possible when the gearbox is a separate unit held into the strip, and a matching or compatible replacement exists. The hooks, rollers and rods stay in the door.

Quicker and usually cheaper, if the rest of the strip is sound.

Full strip

Needed when the gearbox is riveted into the strip, the rods or hooks are worn or bent, or the original design is discontinued and only a full retrofit will fit.

Resets the whole lock and is the more lasting fix on old doors.

We confirm which applies on site before taking anything apart. Multi-point locks start from £40 on our locksmith price list, and we give you the full figure for parts and fitting before we start.

The measurements that decide which lock fits

Most of a multipoint lock is hidden inside the door, so we take these from the faceplate and the handle area:

Backset. From the edge of the faceplate to the centre of the spindle hole. On uPVC doors 35mm and 45mm are the most common, but other sizes are fitted.
Centres, often written PZ. From the centre of the spindle to the centre of the cylinder hole. 92mm is the most common on UK uPVC doors; 62mm, 68mm, 70mm, 72mm and 85mm also turn up.
Faceplate. Width (often 16mm or 20mm), whether it is flat or U shaped, and its overall length.
Locking point positions. Distances from the gearbox to each hook or roller, so the new points meet the existing keeps.
Spindle type. Single spindle or split spindle, and whether the handles are lever lever or lever pad.

Get any one of these wrong and the new lock will not line up with the handles, the cylinder or the keeps. It is the main reason DIY replacement parts bought online end up in a drawer.

Split spindles, key wind and automatic multipoints

Split spindle locks have separate spindle halves for the inside and outside handles. The outside lever can engage the locking points but does not draw back the latch, so the door cannot be opened from outside without a key. It gives the look of lever handles on both sides with the behaviour of a pull pad outside. If you replace a split spindle lock with a single spindle one by mistake, anyone can open your door from the street by pressing the handle.

Key wind locks throw the hooks or bolts with the key rather than the handle and are common on timber and some composite doors.

Automatic multipoints fire their locking points as the door closes. They are convenient, but like a slam shut nightlatch they can lock you out. If that happens, our emergency lockout service can help.

Multipoint locks on uPVC, composite and timber doors

On uPVC doors the lock sits in a reinforced profile and the strip is screwed through the faceplate. Composite doors use the same family of locks but usually with a deeper backset option, and they are heavier, so hinge adjustment matters even more. Timber doors can take a multipoint lock too, typically a key wind or lever operated design routed into the door edge.

For general fault finding on double glazed doors see our uPVC door lock repair page; for composite specific issues there is our composite door repair service. Patio and French doors often carry a variant with shootbolts top and bottom, covered on patio door repairs.

When the strip is out of the door, it is worth fitting a better cylinder at the same time; our anti snap lock page explains the ratings. Everything else we cover is on our services page.

Multipoint lock starting prices

Starting prices from our published list; part and fitting costs confirmed before work.

Service	Starting price	Notes
Multi-point locks	from £40	Gearbox or complete multipoint strip replacement
uPVC door lock repair	from £20	Adjustment of hooks, rollers, keeps and hinges
uPVC door or window locks	from £30	Smaller uPVC lock components
Euro cylinder	from £20	New cylinder fitted with the lock
High security lock installation	from £120	Upgraded cylinder and security hardware

Starting prices, confirmed on the phone before any work begins. See the full Sheffield locksmith price list.

Questions and Answers

Can a multipoint lock gearbox be replaced on its own?

Often, yes. On many designs the gearbox is a separate unit and can be swapped without replacing the hooks and rods. If it is riveted into the strip or no match exists, the whole strip is replaced instead. We tell you which on site.

How do I know if my multipoint lock gearbox is broken?

Typical signs are a floppy handle that will not spring back, a handle that lifts without moving any locking points, or a key that turns without drawing the latch back. Test with the door open: if the fault remains, the gearbox is the likely cause.

How do you measure a multipoint lock?

We measure the backset from the faceplate edge to the spindle centre, the centres from spindle to cylinder (often 92mm), the faceplate width and length, and where each locking point sits. All must match for a replacement to fit.

How much does multipoint lock repair cost in Sheffield?

Multi-point locks start from £40 and simple adjustments from £20. The final price depends on whether a gearbox or full strip is needed and which part matches your door. We confirm it before fitting anything.

What is a split spindle multipoint lock?

It has separate spindles for each handle so the outside lever cannot open the latch. You need the key to open the door from outside. It must be replaced with another split spindle lock, or the door can be opened from the street.

Why does my multipoint lock keep breaking?

Usually because the door is out of line and the lock is being forced each time. Replacing the gearbox without adjusting the hinges and keeps leads to another failure. We check alignment as part of every multipoint repair.