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View Full Version : What is this behind my tub spout? And How do I remove it?


GeeQMagnisi
Aug 26, 2010, 04:56 PM
My shower/house/everything is OLD. This past week the corrosion and junk on the shower finally killed it, with pieces of the cold water handle and tub spout breaking away. I have gotten the two handles replaced, and taken care of, but needed to do the tub spout too because of the sharp metal edges on it.

After struggling with it for two days, I finally got it to pop off...

It didn't slip forward, and didn't turn, it just popped, and THIS is what's there now.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs378.snc4/46073_424511555587_517135587_5373986_4952029_n.jpg

What the heck is that?? And how do I remove it to get to the pipes so I can replace this dang thing?

speedball1
Aug 26, 2010, 05:00 PM
Were there threads on the spout? How about a threaded nipple? When you shine a light in the hole what do you see? Back to you, Tom

ballengerb1
Aug 26, 2010, 05:03 PM
Behind the shower mixer, in the next room, can you open the wall to take a look? If not I doubt you will ever get a new mix installed without making a sizeable hole in the shower.

GeeQMagnisi
Aug 26, 2010, 05:10 PM
No threading anywhere, and I can't make out much of anything behind there.

The other sid of the wall is the toilet area... no panel to look inside.

ballengerb1
Aug 26, 2010, 05:12 PM
You are going to need to remove the mixing valve so decide which side you want to knock out. I'd knock out the shower side and retile since you never know how they did you first tile job years ago.

GeeQMagnisi
Aug 26, 2010, 05:14 PM
BTW, this is a 2 handle shower/tub system in a standup shower.

Handle plumbing were Price Pfister products, so I'm guessing this might be as well.im wondering if it has to be pried off, or if it should spin. I can mickey-mouse something to stick in those two holes as a lever maybe if it should rotate

ballengerb1
Aug 26, 2010, 05:15 PM
What shows in your pic could be part of a mixing ball type valve but it could be soldered in place but maybe threaded, hate to find out the hard way its soldered.

GeeQMagnisi
Aug 26, 2010, 05:17 PM
You are going to need to remove the mixing valve so decide which side you want to knock out. I'd knock out the shower side and retile since you never know how they did you first tile job years ago.

Yikes... way beyond my current laid off budget can handle lol.

The other thought, do they still sell this kind of faucet? It looks like it just pops on right over that thing, maybe I don't have to remove that part? The faucet spout itself was the part that needed replacing

ballengerb1
Aug 26, 2010, 05:25 PM
Never seen a mixng valve made to pop off. If you know for sure its Price Pfister you might try their website.

mygirlsdad77
Aug 26, 2010, 05:29 PM
Kind of looks like an alien. Ive never seen this before. Hope someone here can give you some help, although, I think your going to have to open up the wall to see what you got. Im almost 100 percent sure there's not going to be a tub spout that will snap on to that thing. But wait, your idea about trying to stick something into the two holes and unthread it may be your best option as of now. Best case, it untreads and you can install a new threaded spout, worst case, you have to open the wall and rework the plumbing for the spout. Good luck, and PLEASE, do let us know how things work out.

GeeQMagnisi
Aug 27, 2010, 01:23 AM
Decided to go take a look at the spouts at Home Depot to see if ANYTHING looked right... took my busted one with me, and the three people working the plumbing department said... what the heck is that?

One of them referred my to a plumbing supply store down the road, so I stopped by. Two "younger" guys laughed at me... great. One older worker in his 60's or 70's basically said exactly what y'all did. He had the other worker go get a spout off the shelf that was pretty much exactly what I destroyed. The piece on my wall doesn't pop out, instead its threaded into the back of the spout. Only problem is my threading is completely gone, so I can't just replace the spout.

They said it SHOULD just twist off, but based on what happened to the spout, those threads might be next to go, if not already being gone. Older guy said to drill away at the edges to get it as small as possible and hopefully loosen the threads in the process... so that's what I've been doing. Got about 5 holes in it now... and near the end, the pig nose section of the thing just fell apart... and I don't see a pipe threaded in there. It looks like the whole thing might BE the pipe all the way back to the joint. Which as someone said, and the older guy mentioned, MIGHT be soldered... for whatever reason.

I pretty much gave up... going to cut a hole in the back wall tomorrow I guess... even then I'm fearing what I'll find.

Milo Dolezal
Aug 27, 2010, 07:44 AM
It is not a mixing valve. It is a spout outlet...

What does the spout connection looks like ? Can you post a pic of it as well ?

Try to unscrew it the large round piece with large channel locks...