Seized Grub Screw

Jan 01, 1970 12 Replies
T

Hi Guys



I have a bathroom fitting made by Miller.



It is like a hoop that takes a glass soap dispenser. Anyhow the hoop fitting slides onto a wall mounted spigot and is secured by a grub screw. Trouble is the mounting spigot has snapped and I am struggling to remove the grub screw that fixes the hoop to that spigot. Guessing that the hoop body into which the grub screw is fitted is chromed mild steel. Not sure what the grub screw itself is made of. The grub screw seems to be seized in the thread as the spigot that it retains is loose.



I have put enough welly onto the Allen key to permanently twist the key with no movement of the grub screw.



How do I free the grub screw?



Thanks



Phil


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T

Any chance WD40 would help as a penetrating oil?

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T

Of course that is an option, but I don't like to replace an expensive fitting on account of a stubborn grub screw.

Phil

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N

The usual approach is heat, drill or easy-out. I suspect it's far too small for the last one so you're left with the first two, although the grub screw is probably hardened so drilling may not be easy, and you are unlikely to want to use a torch on it. I think I'd try leaving it in boiling water for a while and then using a left-handed drill.

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D

Squirt of plus gas or a drop of diesel on the grub screw and left for a day?

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T

Soldering iron to heat the screw first.

Thomas Prufer

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B

Can one not just remove the whole fitting and put up another one complete? Its often less annoying. Brian

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H

The application of heat and wd40. (Blowlamp.)

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T

in a bathroom try some strong de scaler too.

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�

It might help, but Plus Gas would be better. TBH I suspect that once you start with a left-handed drill the screw will spin-out easily.

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N

Maybe, but that's going to expand the screw and it's the fitting that needs to expand. I guess it might be looser once everything has cooled.

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