I need to crush a shower faucet handle to get it off and replace the unit. It’s hollow, as far as I can tell, and I don’t want to take a sawszall into the fiberglass shower unit.
I have drilled out the screw that is holding it on, and used a flat bar to try to pry it off. No luck.
There is/are hydraulic tools that can do this type of stuff. Either crushing or expanding (like the jaws of life). I’m looking for a small hand operated hydraulic pump/system that can do this.
Basically, supper pliers. I’m going to need a couple of thousand pounds of force.
What the heck is it called?
You should be able to do this with a large pair of ViceGrips - just progressively tighten the screw as you close the jaws several times. You can put may thousands of pounds of force on something this way.
The simplest and cheapest way is to use a bench vice. You can buy a cheap and nasty vice for about 20 bucks if you only want to use it once.
ETA: in case you don’t understand, don;t connec6t the vice to a bench. Take the vice into the shower. Place the jaws around the fitting and tighten them. You will get massive pressure and will be able to crush almost anything.
Of course this technique should allow you to unscrew the damn thing before you need to crush it. You did try unscrewing the fitting itself right? Not just the holding screw?
Both good ideas. I don’t think I have ever seen a vise grip that would be big enough though. The jaws would need to be able to open to about 2 3/4 inches. I may be looking for one tomorrow. The nut splitter is also a good idea.
I may end up taking my vice off my work bench and use that… though I would really prefer not to.
Are you sure that crushing the handle is the right approach? I’ve been trying to visualize it, but I can’t see crushing making anything better. I’d maybe think of taking a Dremel tool and grinding or cutting the handle off carefully.
Another good idea. And I do have a Dremel. But I really think it would take a long long time and many many bits. If I can crack the thing enough to be able to remove the eustation, I should be able to remove and replace the cartidge.
I am also looking at just cutting the eustation. But that in itself would be a pain, and I may still need to get the handle off. If I can get the handle off I can remove the eustation.
This all started because I want to paint the bathroom. And well heck, might as well replace the shower door. And that faucet is getting a bit dated… :smack:
This should come off really easily. Can you post a pic of the faucet? I’ve swapped out hundreds of faucets and dozens of tub faucets and never needed to crush one to get it off.
14 years of hard rusty water has done it’s trick. It ain’t budging. It’s a single lever design. I drilled the screw out it still will not move. If I can crack it, I think I can get it off. A nut cracker as mentioned above may do it. If I can find one big enough.
umm… It’s a fiberglass shower. Thanks for the thought though.
I did finally get a picture to post… Thisis the culprit. Seems simple enough doesn’t it? So I thought.
It. Won’t. Budge. I got the backing plate or eustation (is that the right word?) detached from the wall, but it won’t slip over the handle. I’m a big guy and over the years have come to understand how much pressure I can put on something before totally ripping it out by it’s guts. I built this room by the way, and at least thought I knew my way around plumbing. I don’t want to go in from the backside if I can help it.
If I could crush the handle, I think I could get it off. Oh… What I was originaly thinking about was a porta power. It does not seem to have the type of tool I would need for this though.
I assume you’ve removed some sort of set screw that’s probably in the bottom since I it appears there isn’t one coming straight out like there would normally be. At this point, I think you are saying that it’s just corroded on. If it were me, I would spray a shit ton of liquid wrench on it. Trying to get it on to the mating surface (where the handle meets the stem spline). Spray it on. Wait an hour, spray more on, wait an hour lather rinse repeat. If there’s any play at all, jiggle it around to let it really get in there. you might even want to let it sit overnight, spray some more in the morning and give it one last try after work.
If that didn’t work, I would get a cheap angle grinder (I got a really nice Hitachi one from Home Depot for $50) and cut it off as close to the backing plate as I could.
I agree with not going at with a sawzall. If it came down to that, I’d pick up a piece of sheet steel from Home Depot, cut a notch out of it (as wide as the stem is where it comes past the fiberglass) and slide it between the backing plate and the tub wall to protect the tub from the blade.
I have already drilled the scew out. It was to far gone for the allen wrench.
I have lots of Dremel cut off wheels (just bought a big set about a year ago), but am a little reluctant to use it on this (never used it for this type of stuff) I may have to just give that a try though.
It’s possible you fused the two parts together when you drilled the set screw out. Either by melting them or mechanically, when you cleared the handle, the the burrs from the edge pushed up into the top hole or you just didn’t get all of the screw out. You could try going at it with the drill again. Get the bit in there, spinning at the highest speed and then wiggle the drill around like you would when you’re trying to make a hole a bit bigger. It might not be the problem, but it could be part of it.
Also, now that I think of it, while I do think that getting some Liquid Wrench on there is a good idea, power tools are going to make sparks. So maybe, one or the other. If there’s not play whatsoever, I’d probably go with power tools first.
What’s behind the shower? If it’s an interior wall, you might want to go at it from the backside- Drywall patching is a bit easier than tub replacement, and you are going to have to replumb a new valve in anyway, right?
I’m hoping that’s what I have. Don’t know but will remember the tip. It’s a big set. I bought the Dremel to carve out a bit of material from a door strike plate (it was beyond being able to move).
I have a VERY large pair of channel locks. Perhaps if I cut/score it with the Dremel, I will be able to crack it and get it off. In fact, I will probably run to town and get the biggest Vice Grips and Channel locks I can find. If I can find something bigger than I already have.
And there is the vice idea… that would crack it, if anything would. Just have to detach it from my work bench and bring it in… hmm… I think that is the plan.
