How to take head gear off compression mixer tap

rossj81 · 29 Sep 2021

One side of my mixer tap suddenly stopped working - fine yesterday, nothing today. I'm guessing that either a washer has perished or I've overtightened and damaged the olive. I can't see what the actual problem is because I can't get the head gear off. I've removed the cover, but the head gear won't budge. It looks like there's an outer and inner gear, connected with a ferrule. If I turn the screw, the whole head turns. Do I just need to apply more force, or do I need to remove the ferrule first?

I've tried to Google but can't find this model.

CBW · 30 Sep 2021

Have you tried undoing the headgear? The screw looks like it’s cartridge/insert type.

oldbuffer · 30 Sep 2021

1. I would suspect there is an Allen grub screw in the circular hole towards the top of your first picture.
2. Its a fairly common way of stopping one item unscrewing from, or rotating on, another.
3. If there is a grub screw, remove it and you will probably find the outer "squarish" part of the tap handle will unscrew to reveal the headgear.

rossj81 · 1 Oct 2021

oldbuffer said:
I would suspect there is an Allen grub screw in the circular hole towards the top of your first picture.

Thank you. What you describe looks just like what I've got. Does the "Allen" part mean that it takes an Allen key? I've tried my key set and the hole is in between sizes. Do you think that's a metric vs. imperial thing?

Alec_t · 1 Oct 2021

rossj81 said:
Does the "Allen" part mean that it takes an Allen key? I've tried my key set and the hole is in between sizes.

It's sometimes difficult with tiny grub screws to see if the hole is for an Allen key or a Torx bit. Have you tried Torx?

oldbuffer · 2 Oct 2021

1. They are mostly metric, usually 2.0, 2.5 or 3.0 mm across the flats of the Allen key.
2. However it might be imperial. Likely sizes are 5/64", 3/32" or 1/8"
3. As Alec-t has said it could be a Torx screw (likely to be a 10 or 15).
4. It could even be a Phillips, Pozi or slotted head screw.
5. I'd try:
5a. Poking a 2.0 mm Allen key down the hole and trying to turn it, feeling for any flats as it turns.
5b. Poking a jeweller flat bladed screwdriver down the hole, and trying to feel for any pattern in the head of the grub screw - always assuming there is one.

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How to take head gear off compression mixer tap

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