I'm about to replace my kitchen faucet but the last leg of removing the old faucet has got me perplexed. My single-handle faucet is held on underneath with a horseshoe plate/washer that includes a long stem about three inches. The stem is not treaded and there is no nut holding it. It looks like the bottom of the stem has a slot for a screwdriver but that doesn't seam to budge or do anything when I try. Help! How do I get this thing off? The hardware store insists there must be a nut but that is NOT the case. I'm ready to rock'n'roll with the new faucet but I need some constructive help getting this one off. Any ideas?

If you have a thick granite counter top, for example, then the "stem" may not appear to have threads, but I have to agree with the hardware store people that the stem should be threaded... ;)

Is there a thin nut that you can see up there..? Any thing that touches the horseshoe washer?

Some faucets actually connect below from above the faucet... this is usually only with a pull out spray... ;)

Let me know the brand name of the faucet, the design (high neck, pull out spray, etc.) and then we can see what we can come up with.

MARK

If you have a thick granite counter top, for example, then the "stem" may not appear to have threads, but I have to agree with the hardware store people that the stem should be threaded...;)

Is there a thin nut that you can see up there...?? Any thing that touches the horseshoe washer??

Some faucets actually connect below from above the faucet...this is usually only with a pull out spray...;)

Let me know the brand name of the faucet, the design (high neck, pull out spray, etc.) and then we can see what we can come up with.

MARK

I can't find a name on the faucet at all. Pretty generic, not high neck, not pull-out spray. No thick counter. It may be as old as the house which I think is early '60s. I'm attaching a photo of it.

So, the horseshoe has NO WASHER, promise. The stem is a six-sided cylinder and it does look like a screw is on the bottom of it. The screw ain't budging with a screw driver. I tried to move the whole cylinder with a socket screwdriver with no luck as well. I'm going to try to attack some pictures here to visually give you an idea as to what I'm dealing with.

I am REALLY grateful for any help you can give me.

Thanks so much for this post. I was going nuts wondering why the horseshoe washer would not budge. Same situation, the guy at Lowe's was so certain I would have to have some exposed nut holding it in place when after all it was the stem itself that was enclosed in the nut casing for lack of a better term!! I appreciate how we help one another!

-Michael

Thanks, this post helped me a lot.

I too had a rusty horseshoe washer under my kitchen faucet. There was a hex-shaped, very rusty post with a flathead screw cut into the center, which wouldn't budge. That hex-shaped post is actually threaded (and threads into the faucet body itself) and the metal horseshoe is just a washer.

I used a 5/8" 6-point socket on the rusty hex post, with a 12" extension, and with a bit of leverage, it started to turn, and I was able to easily remove it.

I'd post photos or links to them, but I haven't found an easy way to do so here.

How do I add pictures and other file types to my post?
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Enter the URL of the image in the field then click the OK button.

How do I add pictures and other file types to my post?
A. "Attach" files (including pictures) from your computer. This method puts the attached file below the text of the post.
Click on an Ask or Answer button to ask or answer a question
Compose your question or answer in the window.
Under the window where you composed your question or answer is a section called Additional Options.
Click on the Manage Attachments button: a pop-up dialog will open. NOTE: The Manage Attachments dialog lists the maximum sizes of the various types of files that may be attached.
Click the Browse button to navigate to the image on your computer and double click the file on your computer: this will return you to the dialog window.
Click the Upload button.
Click the link to close the dialog window OR repeat numbers 5 & 6 to attach another image.
B. "Embed" image(s) from the internet. This method inserts an image wherever you wish within the text of your post.
Click the Insert Image icon above the posting window: A pop-up asking for the URL will open.
Enter the URL of the image in the field then click the OK button.

THANK YOU!! Couldn't figure out what the heck that thing was!. my wife said I should try a socket wrench but I dismissed it because I couldn't budget it with my pliers (doh!)... she found this post and said there you go... now get a socket wrench and stop yarning on my sink! :-)

I estimate that you saved a counter, sink, and my evening!

Thanks again!
Jon