Our house was built 20 plus years ago. This weekend, I noticed one of our
bathroom faucets were loose. I took off the handle and trim piece, and
saw a pile of rust chunks and dust. The faucets are Price Pfister
Widespread. It appears the plumber used pot metal (?) nuts on the faucets
instead of brass.

Now, the problem is that for the most part, the nuts just crumble in your
hand, but the rust is stuck to the threads, or, the nut is just frozen on
the faucet body. No amount of WD40, tapping, trying to unscrew will get
the rust off without messing up the threads. I also tried using a thin
flat blade screw driver to clean the threads. I doubt that heating the
thread will do much good either, although I have not tried that (I don't
have a tourch at present). I also thought of a die, but since the rusted
pot metal is harder than the brass body, I thought that this method would
mess up the threads.

I hate the idea of buying new faucet bodies since they go for $40 a pop.
I bought 4 to replace the ones in the master bathroom, but I still have 6
others with the same problem, and I havent even looked at the bath tubs
or showers yet.

Going back to the plumber (I do know who the company is) after 20 years
in not going to accomplish anything, I'm sure.

So, does anyone have any great ideas on how to get the rust out of the
threads?

Thanks.

Dave

"Dave Solly" wrote in message
...
Our house was built 20 plus years ago. This weekend, I noticed one of our
bathroom faucets were loose. I took off the handle and trim piece, and
saw a pile of rust chunks and dust. The faucets are Price Pfister
Widespread. It appears the plumber used pot metal (?) nuts on the faucets
instead of brass.

I've never seen pot metal nuts. I'm rather sure he used the nuts provided
by the manufacturer of the sink. Installed proeprly, they should not get
wet and corrode. The fauce to sink seal stopped working so water crept
under it over the years. .


I also thought of a die, but since the rusted
pot metal is harder than the brass body, I thought that this method would
mess up the threads.

Wire wheel on a grinder may tak eit off.



Going back to the plumber (I do know who the company is) after 20 years
in not going to accomplish anything, I'm sure.

It may not be their fault.

Dave Solly wrote:
Our house was built 20 plus years ago. This weekend, I noticed one of
our bathroom faucets were loose. I took off the handle and trim
piece, and saw a pile of rust chunks and dust. The faucets are Price
Pfister Widespread. It appears the plumber used pot metal (?) nuts on
the faucets instead of brass.

Now, the problem is that for the most part, the nuts just crumble in
your hand, but the rust is stuck to the threads, or, the nut is just
frozen on the faucet body. No amount of WD40, tapping, trying to
unscrew will get the rust off without messing up the threads. I also
tried using a thin flat blade screw driver to clean the threads.

They make tools designed to clean threads. They are much the same as
the tools made to make threads.

I
doubt that heating the thread will do much good either, although I
have not tried that (I don't have a tourch at present). I also
thought of a die, but since the rusted pot metal is harder than the
brass body, I thought that this method would mess up the threads.

I hate the idea of buying new faucet bodies since they go for $40 a
pop. I bought 4 to replace the ones in the master bathroom, but I
still have 6 others with the same problem, and I havent even looked
at the bath tubs or showers yet.

Going back to the plumber (I do know who the company is) after 20
years in not going to accomplish anything, I'm sure.

So, does anyone have any great ideas on how to get the rust out of the
threads?

Thanks.

Dave

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:REy4e.3219$7b.1812@trndny04...

"Dave Solly" wrote in message
...
Our house was built 20 plus years ago. This weekend, I noticed one of our
bathroom faucets were loose. I took off the handle and trim piece, and
saw a pile of rust chunks and dust. The faucets are Price Pfister
Widespread. It appears the plumber used pot metal (?) nuts on the faucets
instead of brass.

I've never seen pot metal nuts.

Neither have I. And pot metal (I presume you mean zinc?) does not rust; or
even corrode much.

"toller" wrote in
:


"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:REy4e.3219$7b.1812@trndny04...

"Dave Solly" wrote in message
...
Our house was built 20 plus years ago. This weekend, I noticed one
of our bathroom faucets were loose. I took off the handle and trim
piece, and saw a pile of rust chunks and dust. The faucets are Price
Pfister Widespread. It appears the plumber used pot metal (?) nuts
on the faucets instead of brass.

I've never seen pot metal nuts.

Neither have I. And pot metal (I presume you mean zinc?) does not
rust; or even corrode much.




Well, I may be wrong about pot metal (that's why I put the question mark
next to it), but it definately did rust. A magnet will also pick up the
rust. Brass is not magnetic. To the best of my knowledge, brass does not
rust either. When I bought the replacements, they included brass nuts.
Therefore I AssUme they should have been brass when they were first
installed.

Dave

Dave Solly wrote:
....
Well, I may be wrong about pot metal (that's why I put the question mark
next to it), but it definately did rust. A magnet will also pick up the
rust. Brass is not magnetic. To the best of my knowledge, brass does not
rust either. When I bought the replacements, they included brass nuts.
Therefore I AssUme they should have been brass when they were first
installed.

They probably were simply plated steel rather than solid and the plating
failed over time...or, it is possible the guy did just use something
other than OEM-supplied, but would seem unlikely for all of them if the
faucets were new at the time...

If the studs are still sound enough to re-use, cleaning them up w/ wire
brush, or wheel will probably work. If destroy threads in region where
existing nut was, may be able to use a shim to add enough thickness to
get to clean threads...