Remove old plastic tap heads

[Clive]

Hi,

I need to replace a few tap heads that have become a bit "tired". One for a sink and one for a bath. The tap operation (to date) has been fine. I have had the tap heads off before and they have (what I guess is) a standard brass (?) rod with vertical grooves (splines?) on to which the tap head slides and is held by a small screw.

I have taken the screw out of the tap head, but because (I guess) I live in a hard water area, the tap head has "stuck" on to the brass pillar. Will WD40 do any good to free the tap head or do I need to hit the head underneath (it does not matter if the plastic head gets damaged) with a hammer, or even "split" the tap using a wood chisel?

Thanks

Clive

[Dave Baker]

I wouldn't go hitting anything too hard or levering underneath the head. Those taps have a circlip holding the shaft into the outer body which can get bent or pop out if you apply too much force. Try rocking the head from side to side to break the seal. A hairdrier might also expand the head enough to let it slide off.

A last ditch approach might be to undo the retaining screw just half a turn to give a few thou slack, you pull up on the head while someone else taps the screw down gently with a small hammer on the appropriate screwdriver. That should shock the shaft and the head apart much as you'd pull a bearing out of a machine with a slide hammer. Once the head starts to move it should be free when the screw is taken right out.

-- Dave Baker

"Why," said Ford squatting down beside him and shivering, "are you lying face down in the dust?" "It's a very effective way of being wretched," said Marvin.

[tiscali]

where do you get replacement tap heads? just the plastic bit, not the tap barrel.

[Clive]

sanitary ware (sinks, baths, showers etc.). We have about 4 within a 3 mile radius of where I live.

I'm having no luck gettting the oldhead off. I have tried the tapping with a hammer.

Next I will try the hair dryer. I that fails I will carefully saw it vertically with a small hacksaw and split it with a wood chisel.

Clive

[Christian McArdle]

Just replace the whole tap. Anything old enough to have a compression valve and plastic head is not worth keeping. Modern quarter turn ceramic cartridge taps are so much less hassle, both to use and maintain.

Christian.

[Clive]

I would do that, except the way the water supply has been connected to the tap i.e. not using isolting ball-o-fix valye and easily detachable pipes, would make removing and replacing the tap a major job.

Thanks

Clive

[Christian McArdle]

It is still connected with a tap connector, yes?

I don't think any tap I've ever replaced has ever had an isolation valve on. At least not before the replacement.

Christian.