I have a leaky shower head and I can't remove the old shower stem with the conventional six sided stem socket because the stem is round with two flat sides. I can't use a normal wrench because it is too far inside the wall. What can I do?

Hi Fatmuffin:

Open up the hole a little larger if needed and then take a 1/2" drive DEEP SOCKET of the correct size and slide it over the rounded stem assembly. The neck of the stem will stick through the opening in the back of the socket.

Once you have a good grip on the stem take a wrench and bite onto the socket and loosen that stem. That should loosen this up for you.

Let us know how you make out...

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ;

take a 1/2" drive DEEP SOCKET of the correct size and slide it over the rounded stem assembly.

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To add a bit to Marks post a set of deep socket wrenches designed for faucet removal,(see image) can be purchased at any plumbing supply house. Good luck, Tom

Hey Tom... :)

Fatmuffin said he tried the six-sided wrenches already... why I suggested the deep socket.

Chat soon...

Mark

Thanks Mark,
I missed that. Put it off to od age and mad cow disease. Cheers, tom

Could be more help if you posted a pic or told us the brand name

Hi CHayn:

I'm willing to bet that Fatmuffin is talking about an older style two or three handle valve like in my picture below.

Hopefully, Fatmuffin will pop back in and let us know more here... ;)

Welcome to AMHD...

Mark

Sorry guys, having trouble uploading the picture. Still new to the site. You are right, it is a very old shower with many knobs. Here is what it looks like.http://C:\Documents and Settings\Jul... Pics\DSC00009

Sorry guys, I'm still having trouble with uploading the picture.

I hope it works this time. http://lh6.ggpht.com/_INBq-jXNtwM/S6...8/DSC00009.JPG

One more thing, I do not know the make or model of these parts. I was able to remove the hexagon nut but that was just a chrome cover that went over the brass stem. Here is another picture of the whole assembly.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_INBq-jXNtwM/S6...6/DSC00012.JPG

Hi Fatmuffin...

Although nice to have the pictures they really weren't needed... ;) Use the 1/2" drive extra deep socket I suggested, put a wrench on it and you should be able to remove the stem assembly easily. Extra deep sockets are sold individually at all home improvement stores... buy a few different sizes and return the unused ones.

Once you get the stem out take it to a plumbing supply house... they should be able to identify the brand and get you a new one.

Good luck...

Mark

Mark
I don't think a socket is going to work. Any socket that is large enough to fit over the rounded shoulders will not engage the flats.

What I would do is buy a set of tub faucets wrenches. Find one that fits over the rounded shoulders. If it fits snugly use it. If it fits loosely choose the next size down.

Put the end of it in a vise and squeeze two sides down to fit the flats. As you squeeze two sides down the other sides will open up. Don't over compress, if you get it too small, you will never get it open again.

Hi Harold...

I see your point. I should have mentioned that he may need to "gently" hammer the socket onto the stem assembly. This exact tactic has worked for me many times with these rounded/square headed stems... ;)

I also think your idea has merit, but am thinking that the this metal of the squeezed sides will just bend away as Fatmuffin turns the wrench. Certainly worth a try, however, for sure!

Good day all...

Mark

Hey guys,

I had tried the deep socket before and one problem was that the socket was not deep enough, the brass stem was about 4-5" long and the tip of the stem was bigger than the square hole at the back of the socket. The other issue with the socket would be that it will not bite down on the turn.

Harold,

Oddly enough, I had tried a similar technique with the flattening of a round pipe. It literally came to me in a dream because I was so obsessed with the problem. I had attained a 1" pipe(inner diameter) and had flattened it to fit the flat sides(3/4" width) and when I tried to turn the nut, it rounded the pipe back. Maybe the one inch pipe was too big because when I flattened the sides, the height of the pipe became a lot longer and didn't hug the nut. Another possibility might be the pipe was too thin. I will probably try a smaller and stronger pipe next. This is what I made:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_INBq-jXNtwM/S7...ng%20Tools.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_INBq-jXNtwM/S6...0/DSC00009.JPG

I want to thank you guys and I really appreciate your thought and time.

Fatmuffin