Bathtub faucet handle is stuck
 

I can turn the water on and off (well, not completely off), but I
can't remove the handle to try and fix the leak. My father in law (an
HVAC contractor) banged on it and presumes 20 years of calcium
deposits are freezing the handle in place. He suggests liberally and
repeatedly spraying WD-40 in the screwhole and behind the handle over
several days. But I'm thinking I should be using something more likely
to dissolve the deposits. Any guidance??? Thanks.

Higgins wrote:
I can turn the water on and off (well, not completely off), but I
can't remove the handle to try and fix the leak. My father in law (an
HVAC contractor) banged on it and presumes 20 years of calcium
deposits are freezing the handle in place. He suggests liberally and
repeatedly spraying WD-40 in the screwhole and behind the handle over
several days. But I'm thinking I should be using something more likely
to dissolve the deposits. Any guidance??? Thanks.

Get the proper tool. It's called a "handle puller" (like a gear
puller) and works almost every time.
It's tough to get anything in there to dissolve corrosion.
Carefully applying heat from a small torch may work too.

Jim

WD-40 won't hurt so if you have a can handy give it a squirt or two and wait
a while but I think real penetrating oil ( ask at the hardware store ) will
be a better bet. Then slowly try to work the handle loose, any motion at all
and you have it whipped, it just takes patience from that point to finesse
it off.

--

Mikey S.
http://www.mike721.com


"Higgins" wrote in message
om...
I can turn the water on and off (well, not completely off), but I
can't remove the handle to try and fix the leak. My father in law (an
HVAC contractor) banged on it and presumes 20 years of calcium
deposits are freezing the handle in place. He suggests liberally and
repeatedly spraying WD-40 in the screwhole and behind the handle over
several days. But I'm thinking I should be using something more likely
to dissolve the deposits. Any guidance??? Thanks.

"Higgins" wrote in message
om...
I can turn the water on and off (well, not completely off), but I
can't remove the handle to try and fix the leak. My father in law (an
HVAC contractor) banged on it and presumes 20 years of calcium
deposits are freezing the handle in place. He suggests liberally and
repeatedly spraying WD-40 in the screwhole and behind the handle over
several days. But I'm thinking I should be using something more likely
to dissolve the deposits. Any guidance??? Thanks.

If it is really calcium, I would try vinegar to dissolve it.

Charlie

"Higgins" wrote in message
. com...
I can turn the water on and off (well, not completely off), but I
can't remove the handle to try and fix the leak. My father in law (an
HVAC contractor) banged on it and presumes 20 years of calcium
deposits are freezing the handle in place. He suggests liberally and
repeatedly spraying WD-40 in the screwhole and behind the handle over
several days. But I'm thinking I should be using something more likely
to dissolve the deposits. Any guidance??? Thanks.

I've invested in a gear puller, the 3-armed type. A little unwieldy to set
onto the handle, leaving the attaching screw in place, but turned out a couple
of revolutions(this provides a place to push against so as not to damage the
stem, and leaves room for the handle to move). I come upon this problem _all_
the time, and the puller works for me. Tom
Work at your leisure!

Ah, this handle puller is sorta like a dent puller? You keep tapping
back on the sliding thing in the middle??? Have to see what the
neighborhood hardware store has....

Higgins wrote:
Ah, this handle puller is sorta like a dent puller? You keep tapping
back on the sliding thing in the middle??? Have to see what the
neighborhood hardware store has....

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/tools.html

Scroll down to "Big Yank"

Jim

Higgins wrote:

Ah, this handle puller is sorta like a dent puller? You keep tapping
back on the sliding thing in the middle??? Have to see what the
neighborhood hardware store has....


No, it's like a mechanics gear or bearing puller.
Here is a faucet puller (second tool)
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/tools.html

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 16 Nov 2004 09:45:39 -0500 Speedy Jim
posted:

Higgins wrote:
I can turn the water on and off (well, not completely off), but I
can't remove the handle to try and fix the leak. My father in law (an
HVAC contractor) banged on it and presumes 20 years of calcium
deposits are freezing the handle in place. He suggests liberally and
repeatedly spraying WD-40 in the screwhole and behind the handle over
several days. But I'm thinking I should be using something more likely
to dissolve the deposits. Any guidance??? Thanks.

P&M only because this didn't post the first time I tried, and the
thread may be buried by now.


One problem is that you don't say what kind of handle it is. Metal?
Plastic? Textured Vegetable Protein? You don't say if it is a
one-handle faucet or a two-handle faucet, but I deduced that it was 2
since you mention the screwhole.

The problem with spraying WD-40 is the same as in other related
situations. It will, I'm certain, fill up the empty space and keep
much/most/all of the Liquid Wrench from getting in. Who knows, it
might even neutralize Liquid Wrench or some similar product.

Get the proper tool. It's called a "handle puller" (like a gear
puller) and works almost every time.

But of course this is the right solution. I don't think I've ever
seen one on display, but I'm sure you can find one.

It's tough to get anything in there to dissolve corrosion.
Carefully applying heat from a small torch may work too.

Jim


Meirman

If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Well, I got a Big Yank and it's not enough. I'll keep working at it.
I'd hate to start cutting the handle off with a Dremel. THAT looks
like a tough job...