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Stubborn valve stems

Here's a couple of photos of the two valve stems I'm trying replace. Both are starting to leak. I'm having a heck of time getting a wrench on these suckers.

I haven't tried soaking them with anything yet, but some kind of penetrating fluid or Lime-Away come to mind. I tried putting pressure on them and tapping with a hammer but can't budge either one. I also thought about hitting them with a torch but I'm a little worried about catching wood on fire and not being able to get a wet rag being the tile

-- or having to spray water inside the wall and creating another problem.

Anyway, I hate to call a plumber for something that should be a Joe homeowner job but may end up doing that. Any ideas on what else to try first?

They were put in about 17 years ago when I had the galvanized piping replaced with copper. Never leaked until just now.

You all know what these things look like, but just for fun, here they are...

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Guv Bob

Reply to
Guv Bob
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Can't you get a long socket over them? Last time I had something like that I had to chip out the surrounding tile/grout/plaster to give me enough room to get a socket over the "nut" on the valve so I could unscrew it.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Is this what you need?

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I'd hit it with WD4 if it's stuck

Reply to
gonjah

Liquid Wrench sounds good to me. Lime away is for hard water deposits, and I really don't know if that has anything to do with these nuts being tight. Seems to me the water wouldn't get in there, like it does on the bottom of the sink when the faucet drips. .

Tap after the Liquid Wrench too, as the instructions say.

And try tightening a bit too. If it moves a micron, an angstrom, that helps free things up.

The percentage risk is small but the possible loss is too high! You don't want to be the last story on the evening news.

They have special plumbing sockets, for just this purpose. You can buy a set or some places have individual ones, since the whole house probably just uses the two sizes (the one at each end.) Not expensive either. Home depot has a set of them, which also take up a lot of space for all but one I will never use. Not sure where I bought the single one.

I had automobile deep sockets and they weren't deep enough.

Yes. At first I thought his second picture was the same valve with a bigger hole chipped out, but it's a different valve.

Reply to
micky

On auto work, I've had good results with Castle Thrust penetrating oil. Also, Deep Lube worked for me on a similar plumbing job. Spray on the threads, and do the job the next day after the lube soaks in. Looks like a deep socket would be useful, but they don't make em that deep. Might have to remove some drywall, and use an offset box wrench.

You have my compassion.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

gonjah posted a picture of the socket wrench invented by some feller who probably came across the same problem. I've had one of the darn sets in my ton of tools someplace but haven't laid my hands on it in a very long time. The set of wrenches is inexpensive enough for me to purchase another instead of spending $500 of my time looking for them. That's the criteria I use for buying replacements but I always remember where the frigging thing is right after I destroy the packaging for the new tool. o_O

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TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Both are starting to leak. I'm having a heck of time getting a wrench on these suckers.

I don't know how you could check, but I think I remember that one is right hand thread and the other left hand.

Reply to
DanG

Are you sure you're not thinking of sinks (maybe tubs and showers) with one piece fixtures and one handle that turns one way and the other handle turns the other?

I have that in my bathroom sinks, and after 28 years, I finally have to change the washers. When I'm done, I'll know if the inside is like that too.

Reply to
micky

Before you do anything else...are you positive you can get replacements?

I've found that in such cases the original parts are not always available.

Reply to
philo 

In my experience, the hot and cold valves themselves, one turns clockwise and other counterclockwise, but the stem housing themselves are both normal CCW to loosen, CW to tighten.

When buying just 1 replacement, you need to know if it is for hot or cold to get the correct turn.

Reply to
Retired

Crows foot wrench is no good it would round of nut then you deffinatly would have big problem he needs good socket wrench there plumbing supply shoud have one to your need

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Reply to
Tony944

Gonjah posted a link to the correct tool a while back.

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The old style wooden floor hardware store in my neighborhood used to lend out a set of these if you bought your stems from them. Maybe they still do, but I don't have those types of shower valves anymore.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

If not, it shouldn't be hard to make one from one of the spark plug type w/ the formed back for a wrench. A 1/2" drive should let the faucet handle stud go thru altho a 3/8" might as well...

Reply to
dpb

Maybe our posts aren't coming through to your server, or maybe not in time.

Gonjah and I both posted this link. Isn't this the tool made specifically for this task?

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Here's one in use...

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

If the valve stem is still too long and sticks out the end of the socket, preventing you from putting in the cross bar, you have two choices: take a hacksaw to the valve stem and shorten it so you can put the cross bar through the socket. Then replace the valve stem assembly with new; or attempt to turn the socket using a crescent wrench gripping its outside.

Reply to
Marilyn & Bob

Both are starting to leak. I'm having a heck of time getting a wrench on these suckers.

penetrating fluid or Lime-Away come to mind. I tried putting pressure on them and tapping with a hammer but can't budge either one. I also thought about hitting them with a torch but I'm a little worried about catching wood on fire and not being able to get a wet rag being the tile

-- or having to spray water inside the wall and creating another problem.

homeowner job but may end up doing that. Any ideas on what else to try first?

replaced with copper. Never leaked until just now.

Thanks. I'm probably being way to careful, but if I break something the lovely wife will either kill me or move out. Hmmmmm.... where did I put that sledge hammer? LOL!!

Butt seriously.... I've got one of those wrenches. Wish I could see inside a little better. It looks like there are 3 pieces and I'm not sure which one to try and remove. I marked them on this photo. The outermost one looks like it has reverse thread marks. Not sure if I should just remove this or what looks like another bushing behind it. Or is that part of the fixture?

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I'm sure it is obvious to someone who has done it before, but that ain't me.

Reply to
Guv Bob

For this one, they're both the same - right to shut off the water.

Reply to
Guv Bob

Both are starting to leak. I'm having a heck of time getting a wrench on these suckers.

penetrating fluid or Lime-Away come to mind. I tried putting pressure on them and tapping with a hammer but can't budge either one. I also thought about hitting them with a torch but I'm a little worried about catching wood on fire and not being able to get a wet rag being the tile

-- or having to spray water inside the wall and creating another problem.

homeowner job but may end up doing that. Any ideas on what else to try first?

replaced with copper. Never leaked until just now.

replacements?

You ain't just a whistling Dixie, Philo! Bin there dun that. I'll take the photos done to the "real" plumbing supply tomorrow. From the end of the stem to the lip of that bushing is 2-3/4 inches. All the houses around here were built about the same time, so I'm hoping they'll recognize it.

Reply to
Guv Bob

Both are starting to leak. I'm having a heck of time getting a wrench on these suckers.

penetrating fluid or Lime-Away come to mind. I tried putting pressure on them and tapping with a hammer but can't budge either one. I also thought about hitting them with a torch but I'm a little worried about catching wood on fire and not being able to get a wet rag being the tile

-- or having to spray water inside the wall and creating another problem.

homeowner job but may end up doing that. Any ideas on what else to try first?

replaced with copper. Never leaked until just now.

Thanks, Oren. That's pretty slick!

Reply to
Guv Bob

I should thank everyone but don't want to clog up the thread. Really appreciate all the good info. I'll upload whatever happens. Should be fixed in a day or two.

I haven't tried soaking them with anything yet, but some kind of penetrating fluid or Lime-Away come to mind. I tried putting pressure on them and tapping with a hammer but can't budge either one. I also thought about hitting them with a torch but I'm a little worried about catching wood on fire and not being able to get a wet rag being the tile

-- or having to spray water inside the wall and creating another problem.

Anyway, I hate to call a plumber for something that should be a Joe homeowner job but may end up doing that. Any ideas on what else to try first?

They were put in about 17 years ago when I had the galvanized piping replaced with copper. Never leaked until just now.

You all know what these things look like, but just for fun, here they are...

formatting link
formatting link

Guv Bob

Reply to
Guv Bob

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