Replacing Old Shower Handles

[DerbyDad03]

A neighbor asked me to look at her shower handles to see about replacing them. They are very basic chrome cross handles, hot, cold and center. Hard to say how old, I'm guess well over 20 years.

I unscrewed the center caps (yes, they were threaded) and found that none of the handles had a screw holding the handle to the stem. Of course, the handles didn't just pop off either.

So what am I looking at? Handles that have simply become one with the stem, hopefully removable with a handle puller, or is there some other way these handle might be attached?

If they are just stuck on, is there anything I can spray the handle with to loosen up the connection before trying the puller?

Thanks!

[Joe]

The handles may have been assembled using an internal snap ring which would have been a cheap and fast way of doing it. Lacking any literature on the product, you may have to experiment with a small puller, after a good soak in Kroil or similar aggressive penetrant. Proceed with caution and good luck.

Joe

[mm]

If you get them off, how do you plan to attach the next set? Glue?

How do you plan to push the next set on? Will the fluting be the same?

How bad are the ones that are there now? Can they be refurbished in place?

[SteveBell]

They may be stuck with water deposits. Warm vinegar is a good first step for that. Rig a plastic bag to keep the stem submerged in the vinegar for a while. It may not work, but it's a cheap and easy thing to try.

[DerbyDad03]

Don't know yet. Need to plan this out, thus the reason I started the with a keyboard, not a tool.

Don't know yet. Need to plan this out, thus the reason I started the with a keyboard, not a tool.

Very bad, even broken. No.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well if she's good looking, the first step is for you to observe her to take a shower to see if she's using the handles correctly. If she's really good looking, I'd get in there with her to demonstrate the correct method.