Hello. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

My tub, which has a three-faucet system (hot, cold, shower diverter) leaks. Badly. I read up on how to change the faucet (compression type), and I have managed to get handles and etruscheons (sp?) off. However, I cannot get the retaining nuts/packing nuts off, which needs to be done to get the compression valves out.

The retaining nuts are set behind my bathroom tilework. I have removed the tile to provide access and leverage; I have purchased socket wrenches. (no luck). I cannot see any identifying marks for manufacturer of these valves.

Could these retaining nuts be welded on? How can I get these locknuts off?

Thanks again...
Kathleen

Teacher, I don't have any quick fixes for you. I will tell you that often on older tub faucets getting those stems loose is an ordeal. In the past, I've tried spraying WD-40 around the nut and tapping on it with pliers. Occasionally, that will loosen it just enough to be able to start unscrewing it.

The other thing I've tried, but can't necessarily recommend to you without knowing how much area you have cleared around the facuet, is applying some form of heat to the bad stem. Sometimes a small torch flame for a few seconds will help break the nuts loose.

Maybe Tom, letmetellu, or some of the others will have a quick fix for you. It sounds like to me you've done everything right to this point.

Not knowing what brand of faucet you have is a problem so all I can give you is a general answer. First a couple of questions. With the handles off and the chrome rings off (these are called escutcheons) can you see two nuts on each stem, one smaller than the other? If so the little one is called the packing nut, do not unscrew. There should be a bigger one just behind that one, in fact the little one screws into the little one. The big one is the one that you need to unscrew. So you need a socket that will fit the large nut, to loosen it you will turn the socket counter clockwise. If the socket turns a bit and then gets hard again turn it clockwise just a little and then unscrew the stem with the handle this will free up the nut so it will unscrew all the way out. After you have this all out you will see a black neoprene washer on the end of the stem, this is what you want to replace, also use a flashlight and look back into where the stem came out and see if the thing at the back looks smooth, if so you can then reverse the actions and put things back together.

Wow -- thanks for the quick replies!

So... here are my follow up questions and responses.

Letmetellu -- Based on your response, I'm pretty sure what I need to remove is the large nut you described. And I'm hoping that if I can get that nut off I can figure out what brand of faucet I'm dealing with.

Malex27 and Letmetellu -- I've tried using the socket wrench turning counterclockwise with no luck. Is there any chance that I should be turing CLOCKWISE? (Judging from other fixit jobs done to my house -- done by the previous owner, not by me! -- the last owner was prone to jury-rigged and even backwards work... ) Also, you mentioned using heat from a blowtorch -- are there any soldering guns that might generate enough heat to loosen the nuts? (I'm nervous about using propone torches -- that's new territory for me).

Thanks for everything!
K

Quote:

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Originally Posted by teachermom

Hello. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

My tub, which has a three-faucet system (hot, cold, shower diverter) leaks. Badly. I read up on how to change the faucet (compression type), and I have managed to get handles and etruscheons (sp?) off. However, I cannot get the retaining nuts/packing nuts off, which needs to be done to get the compression valves out.

The retaining nuts are set behind my bathroom tilework. I have removed the tile to provide access and leverage; I have purchased socket wrenches. (no luck). I cannot see any identifying marks for manufacturer of these valves.

Could these retaining nuts be welded on? How can I get these locknuts off?

Thanks again...
Kathleen

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Hi Kathleen,

If you can can't find a sccket wrenck deep enough to get a bite on the large retaining nut,(see image) do what we do. Purchase a basin wrench,(see image), spray the threads with WD-40 and turn the stem assembly out counterclockwise. Good luck, Tom

Ok - I have more questions, if you have the patience.

I already had a basin wrench and dug it out -- can't get it to grip the packing nut. Do they make these things in smaller sizes?

I bought a butane soldering torch that can burn at 2450 degrees F for an hour. Do you have any tips for how to use this to loosen the packing nut just enough to loosen and not enough to melt?

Regarding socket wrenches that you use to access pipes behind tiles. Do they make a 30/32 or a 29/32 size? That seems to be the size I need, and neither Lowe's nor Home Depot carries them...

One last idea. I looked at the flex wrenches Lowe's carries -- they contort to a 90 degree angle and look like they might help do the job. Problem is, I need the ratchet to fit my packing nuts, one of which is definitely bigger than a 3/4 wrench. Any ideas as to whether anyone makes flex wrenches in a bigger size?

Thanks thanks thanks!
Kathleen

Using heat, which if you are not comfortable with it I would not try it, should only take maybe a couple of minutes to get it hot enough to loosen the threads if it is going to loosen them.