Can't remove shower faceplate and don't know what make it is

[sudders]

Hi all,

My shower temperature is playing up so I decided to try and clean the cartridge but for the life of me I can't work out how to remove the top handle.

It is a 3 way diverter handle with a small grub screw that I have removed but the handle still doesn't want to budge. I have managed to get the bottom handle off which is the temperature control but can't get any further until I remove the top handle. There is no name on the plate so I can't even look up instructions online but I'm think it came from the bath store or bathroom heaven about 5 years ago.

Any help would be much appreciated as the missus is starting to get annoying complaining of cold Showers!

Suds

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• sudders
• 15 Mar 2014
• 1

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• sudders
• 15 Mar 2014
• 1

 

[ree]

Squirt WD 40 or similar, into the grub screw tapping, and anywhere else you can spray. Lightly vibrate and wait some, and then do it again - dont try to force the knob off. Give it time, and it should slide off.

Its located on a spindle and the screw should contact a flat, or a further tapping but if the knob was forced on, the screw may have burred the round of the spindle.

Sometimes, gently knocking it forward and back might help.

 

[sudders]

Thanks very much ree,

Have made the first squirt and will continue throughout the day...

 

[ree]

And? What happened next?

 

[sudders]

Hey ree,

Sorry for the late reply... I had a couple of illnesses in the family so was actually unable to try again until today.

I'm sad to say no luck. I've sprayed shed loads of lubricant into any gap I see and have been hitting it with a rubber mallet but the damn thing still won't budge. It doesn't even feel like it's gonna!

I've taken a couple more pics that kind of show the inside of the grub screw hole and i'm pretty certain that there's nothing else to remove but like the handle, im stuck.


Suds

 

[sudders]

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• sudders
• 21 Mar 2014
• 1

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• sudders
• 21 Mar 2014
• 1

 

[ree]

Wrap the knob in elec tape and using an adjustable wrench attempt to turn the knob to the right and then to the left - only very tiny attempted movements.

Every now and then lightly tap the knob forward and then lightly attempt to prise it away from the cover plate.

If you dont have an adjustable with wide jaws then use a pipe wrench with the jaws wrapped in elec tape.

Have you carefully examined the removed bottom handle for any makers name?

 

[ree]

Sending a pic to the shower doctor, somewhere on the web, and he's supposed to be good at identifying parts and problems. Worth a try?

 

[sudders]

Have sent a picture to the shower doc and am awaiting a reply.... good idea!

Update,

With electrical tape and the method suggested above I have managed to finally get the handle off, the problem now is that it looks like the spindle has broken off of the cartridge and is still stuck within the handle - see pictures.

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• sudders
• 24 Mar 2014
• 1

Anyway, I'm going to continue with taking the thing apart and try to clean / descale the temperature cartridge and see if I need to replace the top cartridge.

Does it look like a case of just buying a new handle to put on a new cartridge/spindle?


Thanks for your help....

Suds

 

[3DGuy]

That to me looks like a new cartridge (spindles built in) and also a new handle as the parts sheered off inside. My parents had that happen recently when removing. Sorry to say their old shower was removed and a new one fitted instead because removing the spindle on theirs was not going to happen.

Problem with those is you turn to undo them. You have to Pry away from the wall. If you used a wrench on that to rotate the barrel it would just sheer off. Again as above exactly what happened why my father was removing theirs. you have to generally pry away rather than unscrew.

 

[sudders]

OK ta.

1 more question,

This is a photo of the cartridge in question, the top one that's broken, can someone confirm exactly which bit is supposed to come out because I having difficulty getting any of it out. If I turn the main big threaded part (either way) it just seems to tighten up, is that what was meant by trouble getting the spindle out because it's suppose to be the small central part (broken part) that I now supposed to remove ?

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• sudders
• 24 Mar 2014
• 1

 

[3DGuy]

What's confusing me here Is.

Usually the Thermostatic I've been led to believe would be on the lower control, I would have thought. This ones for the temperature, and setting the min/max temps and such?

I would have expected the top to just be a mixing Valve, On/Off, controlling flow rate etc.

 

[sudders]

Yes you are correct, but now I need to replace the top cartridge too because I broke it in order to get the handle off in order to get the whole faceplate off lol. Very annoying stuff!

Anyway, I have managed to remove the thermostat cartridge and that is now soaking in descale. I have also found and removed a grub screw on what looks like a collar holding the top cartridge in. If only the planks that installed it didn't Tile over it and let enough space to get a spanner on it!

 

[sudders]

Quick update for anyone interested...

I finally managed to get the diverter cartridge out! After chipping away at the surrounding tiles I uncovered another grub screw and after removing that the cartridge unscrewed.

Now my only issue is finding a replacement for it as none of the plumber merchants i've been to recognise the make or have the part... here's to hoping one of the stores i've contacted recognise it as their own!


Thanks for everyone's help...

Suds