Stuborn Bathroom Sink Tap

[Vikingdon1]

I have a dripping hot tap on the bathroom sink and I need to change the washer.

This is a traditional brass tap which has been in situe since the 60's. Having taken off handle and the decorative top, removed the circlip I cannot unscrew the valve from the tap body.

I have tried extending the length of my adjustable spanner to increase torque and applied both WD40 and a blow torch hoping that the heat might help but to no avail.

Any suggestions please.

Regards

Vikingdon1

[supremetwo]

I have a dripping hot tap on the bathroom sink and I need to change the washer.

This is a traditional brass tap which has been in situe since the 60's. Having taken off handle and the decorative top, removed the circlip I cannot unscrew the valve from the tap body.

I have tried extending the length of my adjustable spanner to increase torque and applied both WD40 and a blow torch hoping that the heat might help but to no avail.

Any suggestions please.

Regards

Vikingdon1

Threads are probably fused with calcium and magnesium carbonates.

Might be possible to free it if removed and clamped in a vice.

Otherwise, a new tap.

[bungeejumper]

Just to be clear. So you're looking at the top part of something like this: http://www.plumbers-mate-sales.co.uk/ek ... 2265-p.jpg, and you can't unscrew it from the brass body of the tap?

There won't be much holding it in place apart from stiction and accumulated gunk, which will give way if you exert enough force (after due lubrication, prayers and magic incantations). Your challenge will be to turn the nut without turning the whole tap along with it. You're looking for a way of bracing the spout of the tap body against the anti-clockwise turning force. Maybe a length of steel tube or a box spanner to hold the spout steady while you turn? Or just get a good strong mate to hold it while you administer a gentle anti-clockwise hammer tap in support of your spanner?

If it's really an authentic sixties tap, you may find that it's too far gone to be worth a lot of trouble. I've had brass taps whose internal screw threads - the bits that make the piston rise and fall - have stretched and then sheared right off from the strain of being turned on and off for fifty years. Good luck.

BJ

[stewamax]

Bungeejumper's sound advice

Your challenge will be to turn the nut without turning the whole tap along with it. You're looking for a way of bracing the spout of the tap body against the anti-clockwise turning force.

is the probably the only way to shift it without shearing or twisting the pipework underneath. Unless the valve has a nut for which you have the exact spanner, use two Stillson wrenches (one on the valve and the other on the tap body) at an angle such that when you clench your hand there is no strain on the tap body but with all the clenching force on the valve. If necessary use a piece of rag on the tap body to avoid scratching it. If the wrenches are long enough you can clench with both hands. This way you can exert a surprisingly large force on the valve without collateral damage.

[richlist]

The other two options which my brothers would adopt respectively are:
1. Let the tap continue to drip.
2. Fit a new tap(s).


Then there's always the easy way out.....get a plumber to do it for you.

Good luck.

[bungeejumper]

Maybe a length of steel tube or a box spanner to hold the spout steady while you turn? Or just get a good strong mate to hold it while you administer a gentle anti-clockwise hammer tap in support of your spanner?

Alternative suggestion, if you don't fancy risking cosmetic damage to your tap spout. Let's imagine that the spout is a clock hand at six o'clock. (Bear with me. ) Arrange your spanner so that it's at seven or eight o'clock, and think about how you could bring the two clock hands closer together? Maybe by stringing a loop of strong cord around them both and then tightening it (eg by twisting the cord)? Or (last resort) by using the closing jaws of a mole wrench to bl00dy well force the two hands toward each other. It's surprising how much leverage you can get with one of those things.

If you bend the tap, well, it was probably a goner anyway.

BJ

[Vikingdon1]

Thanks to all !

It now appears that after leaving it alone the WD40 has actually freed the spindle somewhat so that it is now easier to turn the tap on and off even to the extent of stopping the drip.

So rather than cause any damage I have decided to leave well alone now and come back to it if the tap starts dripping again.

Many thanks to all for the helpful comments.

Regards

Vikingdon1

[anniesdad]

I never ever change washers. I just automatically change the tap. Reasons ... Find it often takes a lot more time to get the tap apart than getting the tap off. And I used to find that after changing washer the brass seating had also failed so it needed a new tap anyway. You can feel the seat condition by running your little finger nail round the seat. We have Hard water down here.

[jfgw]

And I used to find that after changing washer the brass seating had also failed so it needed a new tap anyway.

Easily fixed with a good quality reseater. Mine is like this but there are cheaper good ones, https://www.tradecounterdirect.com/plum ... t_kit.html .

Julian F. G. W.

[bungeejumper]

Easily fixed with a good quality reseater. Mine is like this but there are cheaper good ones, https://www.tradecounterdirect.com/plum ... t_kit.html .

Yeah, but you've still got to get into the tap in the first place. Which I think is where we came in?

BJ (proud possessor of a brand new tap reseater which has never seen active service because, come on, how much more difficult is it to simply chuck the old tap and replace?)

BJ

[JMN2]

I wrestled with mine for two days then bought the new ones, the old ones had no antique value and because I had recently moved in, no sentimental value either.

[madhatter]

Given similar problem last year, I used a short length of scaffolding tube found in the garden some years ago to go over the tap spout, and an old BSA fork leg to extend the bar on a suitable socket.

It was too difficult to try to do it by myself but given another person it was suddenly easy.

I had unsuccessfully already tried WD40 and heating it, and it is not unlikely that eased it a bit. The valve did need reseating, however, as they almost always seem to.

[Vikingdon1]

Thanks to all !

If it starts to drip again I will consider all suggestions.

Vikingdon1