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#1
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
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 |
#2
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
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"? |
#3
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
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"? -- 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 |
#4
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
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"? -- Ain't no stinkin' set-screw....... this is what mine looks like: http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/5270/dscn1136t.jpg Smarty |
#5
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
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"? -- 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... |
#7
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
On Apr 13, 4:51�pm, " 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"? -- 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...- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - If some sort of sealant has been applied under the faucet, you can sometimes relieve the "stiction " by sawing it out with a hacksaw blade with one end wrapped in insulating tape so you can grasp it. You need to be carful not to damage adjacent polished surfaces. |
#8
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
Loosen the nut from UNDER the sink. This will relieve the tension, and then
you should be able to do it by hand. If that does'nt work due to corrosion, overtightening, or whatever, then you'll need PB Blaster and a nice RIDGID brand strapwrench. HTH, Lefty wrote in message ... 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 |
#9
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
On Apr 13, 12:03*am, "
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/...ler/photo3.jpg To make things easier, why not shut off all water valves, disassemble the drain system and simply remove the whole sink from the counter top? This has been a pro trick for years, and eliminates the need to struggle with a basin wrench. This procedure takes a only a matter of minutes and the resulting work is much tidier than the typical DIY struggle. Good luck. Joe |
#10
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
On Apr 13, 12:00*pm, Joe wrote:
On Apr 13, 12:03*am, " 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/...media.com/sopg... To make things easier, why not shut off all water valves, disassemble the drain system and simply remove the whole sink from the counter top? This has been a pro trick for years, and eliminates the need to struggle with a basin wrench. This procedure takes a only a matter of minutes and the resulting work is much tidier than the typical DIY struggle. Good luck. Joe I bought a strap wrench yesterday from HD for $30 and tried to unscrew the faucet handle, but it is not moving at all. The chrome is really slippery. I put a rubber sheet on the chrome to try to get more traction, but it is still not moving. Any idea how I can unscrew it? |
#11
Posted to alt.home.repair
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
wrote:
On Apr 13, 12:00*pm, Joe wrote: On Apr 13, 12:03*am, " 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/...sopmedia.com/s opg... To make things easier, why not shut off all water valves, disassemble the drain system and simply remove the whole sink from the counter top? This has been a pro trick for years, and eliminates the need to struggle with a basin wrench. This procedure takes a only a matter of minutes and the resulting work is much tidier than the typical DIY struggle. Good luck. Joe I bought a strap wrench yesterday from HD for $30 and tried to unscrew the faucet handle, but it is not moving at all. The chrome is really slippery. I put a rubber sheet on the chrome to try to get more traction, but it is still not moving. Any idea how I can unscrew it? As was previously suggested, a basin wrench can be used to loosen the hex nut which lies immediately beneath the threaded valve body as it passes through the countertop. You will need to get underneath the vanity / cabinet, and apply whatever torque is neccesary to loosen this hex nut, thereby relieving the pressure / force currently preventing the upper escutcheon from rotating. As I also mentioned earlier, the Kohler faucet uses an oversized hex nut, and the standard basin wrench claw (at least on the two basin wrenches I own) is NOT large enough to grasp it. I therefore needed to purchase a Rigid extra large basin wrench, which has a considerably larger claw, and can grasp this hex nut. The same wrench is indespensible when you eventually get to the point where you need to tighten this same nut. I suggest you might want to go back and read the prior replies where I and others have made these suggestions since they offer a bit more clarification. Also, the approach to removing the entire counter top including the Kohler faucets was recommended as another approach. It sounds pretty radical, and may not work in some cases, but it may be a great solution for you also. It makes getting to the lower hex nuts far, far easier, without buying another $50 tool (the Rigid extra large basin wrench) as I did. In my case, the countertop has two sinks, two drains, four faucets, requires two men to lift, and has a molded backsplash which runs up the wall to expensive wallpaper. Removing it would have cost a fortune, and the $50 wrench and some grunting and muscle were all I ultimately needed. In my case, the escutcheon came off without loosening the bottom hex nut, but I did need it to tighten the nut when re-installing the valve to prevent the entire vale from turning whenever the handles were operated on the valves. Smarty |
#12
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
Smarty wrote:
wrote: On Apr 13, 12:00*pm, Joe wrote: On Apr 13, 12:03*am, " 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/...//sopmedia.com /s opg... To make things easier, why not shut off all water valves, disassemble the drain system and simply remove the whole sink from the counter top? This has been a pro trick for years, and eliminates the need to struggle with a basin wrench. This procedure takes a only a matter of minutes and the resulting work is much tidier than the typical DIY struggle. Good luck. Joe I bought a strap wrench yesterday from HD for $30 and tried to unscrew the faucet handle, but it is not moving at all. The chrome is really slippery. I put a rubber sheet on the chrome to try to get more traction, but it is still not moving. Any idea how I can unscrew it? As was previously suggested, a basin wrench can be used to loosen the hex nut which lies immediately beneath the threaded valve body as it passes through the countertop. You will need to get underneath the vanity / cabinet, and apply whatever torque is neccesary to loosen this hex nut, thereby relieving the pressure / force currently preventing the upper escutcheon from rotating. As I also mentioned earlier, the Kohler faucet uses an oversized hex nut, and the standard basin wrench claw (at least on the two basin wrenches I own) is NOT large enough to grasp it. I therefore needed to purchase a Rigid extra large basin wrench, which has a considerably larger claw, and can grasp this hex nut. The same wrench is indespensible when you eventually get to the point where you need to tighten this same nut. I suggest you might want to go back and read the prior replies where I and others have made these suggestions since they offer a bit more clarification. Also, the approach to removing the entire counter top including the Kohler faucets was recommended as another approach. It sounds pretty radical, and may not work in some cases, but it may be a great solution for you also. It makes getting to the lower hex nuts far, far easier, without buying another $50 tool (the Rigid extra large basin wrench) as I did. In my case, the countertop has two sinks, two drains, four faucets, requires two men to lift, and has a molded backsplash which runs up the wall to expensive wallpaper. Removing it would have cost a fortune, and the $50 wrench and some grunting and muscle were all I ultimately needed. In my case, the escutcheon came off without loosening the bottom hex nut, but I did need it to tighten the nut when re-installing the valve to prevent the entire vale from turning whenever the handles were operated on the valves. Smarty This is the specific basin wrench which works with the Kohler faucets. Notice that the smallest size it handles is 1-1/4 inch and that it goes up to 2 and 1/2" capacity. None of the others I found can go to this large size, which the Kohler faucet requires (at least my Kohler Revival widespread faucets need this extra large size). Amazon sells it for $42. I paid $50 at a local plumbing supply store. http://www.amazon.com/Ridgid-31180-C...oping/dp/B0009 W77E6 Smarty -- |
#13
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Unscrew Kohler faucet handle - help...
Smarty wrote:
Smarty wrote: wrote: On Apr 13, 12:00*pm, Joe wrote: On Apr 13, 12:03*am, " 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/...p://sopmedia.c om /s opg... To make things easier, why not shut off all water valves, disassemble the drain system and simply remove the whole sink from the counter top? This has been a pro trick for years, and eliminates the need to struggle with a basin wrench. This procedure takes a only a matter of minutes and the resulting work is much tidier than the typical DIY struggle. Good luck. Joe I bought a strap wrench yesterday from HD for $30 and tried to unscrew the faucet handle, but it is not moving at all. The chrome is really slippery. I put a rubber sheet on the chrome to try to get more traction, but it is still not moving. Any idea how I can unscrew it? As was previously suggested, a basin wrench can be used to loosen the hex nut which lies immediately beneath the threaded valve body as it passes through the countertop. You will need to get underneath the vanity / cabinet, and apply whatever torque is neccesary to loosen this hex nut, thereby relieving the pressure / force currently preventing the upper escutcheon from rotating. As I also mentioned earlier, the Kohler faucet uses an oversized hex nut, and the standard basin wrench claw (at least on the two basin wrenches I own) is NOT large enough to grasp it. I therefore needed to purchase a Rigid extra large basin wrench, which has a considerably larger claw, and can grasp this hex nut. The same wrench is indespensible when you eventually get to the point where you need to tighten this same nut. I suggest you might want to go back and read the prior replies where I and others have made these suggestions since they offer a bit more clarification. Also, the approach to removing the entire counter top including the Kohler faucets was recommended as another approach. It sounds pretty radical, and may not work in some cases, but it may be a great solution for you also. It makes getting to the lower hex nuts far, far easier, without buying another $50 tool (the Rigid extra large basin wrench) as I did. In my case, the countertop has two sinks, two drains, four faucets, requires two men to lift, and has a molded backsplash which runs up the wall to expensive wallpaper. Removing it would have cost a fortune, and the $50 wrench and some grunting and muscle were all I ultimately needed. In my case, the escutcheon came off without loosening the bottom hex nut, but I did need it to tighten the nut when re-installing the valve to prevent the entire vale from turning whenever the handles were operated on the valves. Smarty This is the specific basin wrench which works with the Kohler faucets. Notice that the smallest size it handles is 1-1/4 inch and that it goes up to 2 and 1/2" capacity. None of the others I found can go to this large size, which the Kohler faucet requires (at least my Kohler Revival widespread faucets need this extra large size). Amazon sells it for $42. I paid $50 at a local plumbing supply store. http://www.amazon.com/Ridgid-31180-C...scoping/dp/B00 09 W77E6 Smarty Same web link, but shortened to make it work right on some newsreaders: http://tinyurl.com/y22tzrw Good luck with your Kohler faucet! Next time mine fails I am putting in Deltas.....! Smarty -- |
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