How on earth does this tap come apart?

[joefuller]

Hi all,

Been trying for days to find a way of getting this apart to fix a drip but can't see how to get it apart. The domed cover does unscrew but only as far as the ball on the shaft. The white handle does unscrew but there's nothing behind it. There's also nothing under the blue dot on the top apart from the cavity for the handle thread. Totally foxed. Any ideas gratefully received! Pics attached.

 

[just pumps]

There MIGHT be a screw (Allen or Torx) hidden in the body where the handle unscrewed from.

 

[joefuller]

Thanks for the reply but I've been over every mm of the thing and there's no grub screws, allen nuts, torx heads or anything anywhere!

 

[just pumps]

Thanks for the reply but I've been over every mm of the thing and there's no grub screws, allen nuts, torx heads or anything anywhere!

Is the handle threaded right to the end? If not could it locate into a recess or could the section stopping the shroud unscrew or be pushed on?

 

[Mottie]

Thanks for the reply but I've been over every mm of the thing and there's no grub screws, allen nuts, torx heads or anything anywhere!

Does that domed cap on top come off? There may be a hole under there that will allow you to get a screwdriver in, past the threaded handle section to a screw holding the chrome shaft onto the tap spindle?

 

[joefuller]

Thanks for the replies. The domed cap is cast as one peice with the shaft and there's nothing in the cavity where the handle thread is. The only other way I can imagine is that it all comes out from below. Could that be an option?

 

[just pumps]

Nope
If it was cast as one piece then how did they get the shroud on? What was under the blue indice?

 

[joefuller]

Nothing under the blue dot, just the cast ball. The only possible thing I can think of apart from it coming apart from below is that you need an extremely thin spanner to get at the nut when you hold up the shroud, as shown in the 3rd pic. That spanner would have to be made of unobtanium though to be strong enough though at the thickness available...

 

[just pumps]

If you are certain there are no screws then I'd look at the ball unscrewing

 

[joefuller]

I'm beginning to think that can be the only way. I'll try and find a shutoff valve first just in case...

 

[just pumps]

Pour a kettle of boiling water over it and use rubber gloves with dimples on the fingers for extra grip.

 

[picasso]

There you go mate, 9.40 mins in and all will be revealed...

 

[Mottie]

So, it’s the screw down caps that stop the handle coming off. Of course!

 

[joefuller]

Brilliant, it works. Many thanks indeed.