wrote:

On Apr 12, 10:58*pm, "Smarty" wrote:
Oren wrote:
On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:03:47 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

I am trying to unscrew my Kohler faucet but it just not giving
in. Do I need to use a strap wrench or something? I don't want
to scratch the chrome surface. I took 3 photos. It's the one in
photo2.jpg.

Thanks

http://sopmedia.com/sopguest/kohler/photo.jpg
http://sopmedia.com/sopguest/kohler/photo2.jpg
http://sopmedia.com/sopguest/kohler/photo3.jpg

Key words: "set screw"?

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My Kohler faucets look almost identical, and are from the Kohler
"Revival" series. There is no set-screw!

The faucet is disassembled by turning the tapered, polished brass,
escutcheon / bezel counter-clockwise as viewed looking down from
atop the fixture handle.

In my case, the plumber had used a bit of silicone caulk to
water-proof the contact ring where the brass escutcheon meets the
(marble) counter-top, so it took a lot of force to turn / break the
caulk. I was able to do it without use of any tool or gripping
device, but I did use a sheet of rubber (a kitchen silicone pot
holder actually) to add friction and prevent my slightly oily hand
from slipping.

It takes some muscle and grunting. At least it did in my case.

Good luck, and please report back on your progress. If yours is like
mine, the next issue will be the challenge of getting the ceramic
valve out to repair the leak...... I will have a suggestion there
if you need it.

Smarty

I am going to get a strap wrench today and see if I can unscrew it. I
already got the replacement cartridge from Kohler. Do I just pop off
the old cartridge using a screwdriver or something? Let me know if you
have a suggestion. Thanks again...

Glad to help you. I had a bear of a time with mine.

The top escutcheon and faucet handle are removed as one assembly by
unscrewing them, as I stated earlier. It would help, if, as someone
else suggested, you could loosen the hex nut holding the faucet in,
from below the cabinet. It takes an oversized basin wrench since the
standard basin wrench (at least in my case) did not have a large enough
jaw to grab the oversized hex nut. I was able to remove mine without
loosening the nut, but you may still need a large basin wrench to
tighten it after you put it back together.

Once the escutcheon is screwed off, the valve stem and a surrounding
smaller hex nut are exposed. This smaller hex nut needs to be removed.

I first attempted to loosen it with a crescent wrench, and then a hex
socket and ratchet. In both cases, the valve body started to twist /
turn, putting the plumbing lines into a stresses condition. I was
absolutely unable to loosen the hex nut holding the cartridge in place
without removing the entire faucet valve from the countertop.

I took the vale I removed to my Kolher parts department expert, and
showed him the valve, asking him how to extract the cartridge. He told
me that he has had many people come in over the years with the same
issue, and that the factory installed cartridges are tightened in extra
tight. He put the valve body in a vise (holding it by the bosses built
into the body itself) and spun the hex nut off with a ratchet / socket
and long lever arm. He warned me to pack the valve stem with plumbers
grease to avoid the same freezing situation when the valve needs to be
replaced again a few years from now.

Yours may be looser and easier to remove. I hope so.

I swore I would never buy another Kohler faucet / fixture after this
experience. Very expensive, short life on the cartridge (6 years), a
pain to service.

The basin wrench I ultimately bought to tighten the large hex nut
underneath the counter was made by Rigid. It was the only way I could
successfully grasp and hold the hex nut to tighten it from beneath the
counter. The standard size wrench just is not big enough.

Good luck,

Smarty


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