Trouble removing bath taps

[Guest123]

Try to tighten the tap nut slightly first before trying to slacken it off but watch you don't damage the bath. You can loosen stubborn screws this way too. If it's a basin wrench, put a longer bar or a long strong screwdriver on the end you are holding to use as a lever. If it's the other type sometimes called a crowsfoot, then put a hollow box wrench spanner on the handle that sticks out to use as a lever.
A plumber will most likely take it on as work is getting quiet in most areas, but it might be costly for you on an hourly rate as it might take him a while. Best to get a quote first.

 

[royston]

I always take em on, i like a challenge !

 

[WaterTight]

yeah stubborn bath taps are the type of job that is my bread and butter. i've taken 3/4 hour to get taps off in the past but i will always win in the end. sweat, tears, sprained wrists and every swear word imaginable - i will have my way!

 

[WHPES]

Saw the tap off below the spout and shove a taper reamer down the hole. If you havent got a taper reamer, use a large twist drill down to the level of the bath and each time use the next size up until your tap breaks loose. Done it lots of times with basins and its easy enough but you need a powerful drill.

 

[fuzzy]

Hi,

I'm having real difficulty in removing the mixer tap from my bath. I've managed to change both sink taps in the bathroom without any problem, but the nuts on both pipes under the bath are stuck solid.

There was a lot of limescale (I assume its limescale) around both pipes, the tap threads and both nuts (the one that holds the tap to the bath and the one attached to the water pipe - sorry but I don't know their names), and I've removed a lot of this with limescale remover. However the threads still seem to be coated in something.

I've read elsewhere that this might be some sort of "paste", used on the taps to keep them water tight when they were originally installed. There was certainly a whole load of something on the sink taps when I removed them. Is this likely to be the reason the nuts wont move, and is there anything for it?

Its a very constricted space and its hard enough to get to the pipes as it is. I've got the required tools (basin wrench) but its just not budging.

I'm tempted to ring a plumber and just get a professional to do it, but will anyone even take it on? If there is no way of getting these nuts to turn is there any point employing someone just to tell me that they can't do anything?

just hacksaw them off, easy

 

[billybob150811]

if there brass back nuts a sharp metal chisel will split them easier done on a cast iron bath as you,ve got something to push against if its a steel bath i maybe wouldnt try it another possability is to take the tap head off and use a starritt type cutter and go right down through the seating similar to the reamer idea both idea,s are perhaps more suited to someone with a bit of experience as theres no going back my third suggestion is get a plumber its not a job for the faint hearted

 

[SafeGasInstall]

or repair the ones you have and give them a goooooood clean

 

[WaterTight]

now where's the money in that? next you'll be having us repair ballvalves.

has anyone tried any of these thingamies.......

 

[kay-jay]

WT i'm not sure i would buy one of those pipe clamps. i'd be worried about weakening the wall of the pipe! having said that tho it is what they are designed for so perhaps they are ok.

the bearhug whatsit is probably good i been thinking of getting one myself since i've now broke a foot off of 2 crows foot basin/bath wrench's.

stiffnuts kit looks like it could be a lot of messing around. try adding heat to loosen, and if that don't work hacksaw the nut a bit and split it with a chisel, or if you like tinkering i'd sooner use a nut splitter set which is a posh way of doing the same!


KJ

 

[chopper4001]

Again, thanks for the responses. I think I'm just going to take a hacksaw to it. Try and break the nut that holds it to the bath, then take the pipe off at the bottom. Then insert a flexible pipe to the new tap.

[DLMURL="http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=510092&c_3=3|cat_14113450|Pipe+fitting+and+connectors|24510581&c_2=2|cat_16849207|Plumbing|14113450&c_1=1|category_root|Building+and+Hardware|16849207"]Compression Braided Tap Connector - 22mm-0.75in-500mm from Homebase.co.uk[/DLMURL]

Bit of work, and my girlfriend is fretting that she's going to be without a bath forever, but it shouldn't prove too difficult (should it??).

Is there anything I should be concerned about? The pipe obviously needs to retain the earth wire attached to it, but is there anything else? Do those flexible pipes work?