Need help opening a tap to replace washer/gland

[hamant]

Hi everyone,

I hope this is the correct place to post this. I'm having trouble taking apart the bath taps in my mothers house in order to replace the tap glands as they are starting to act up.
I've tried everything I can think of (including using a Boa Strap Wrench). And short of calling an actual plumber, I'm all out of ideas.

Here's what the tap looks like. I need to get the handles off and the 'bell shaped part' to access the internals.
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Has anyone got any ideas how I can take them apart? It's driving me crazy.
Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers. H.

 

[Newboy]

1) Turn off water supply
2) Put plug in plughole - stops you losing the screws down the drain
3) Unscrew to small indices (H/C symbol)
4) Remove screw hold head to headgear (behind the indices)
5) Unscrew the shroud
6) Unscrew the headgear assembly

 

[hamant]

Cheers for the reply newboy.
I've tried what you've suggested. However the shroud's (is that what they are called?) are stuck and I'm not able to undo them. I've tried clearing off as much limescale as I can and using WD40, but still no joy.
How would a professional plumber approach this?

 

[Newboy]

Assuming that you've done 1,2,3 &4 from earlier post then soft faced grips or wrap cloth around then a decent pair of grips, hot water poured onto just the shrouds - and, sorry to point out the obvious, but ensure that you are unscrewing them!

 

[dilalio]

Graunch them!

 

[JohnD]

If you grip the shrouds too hard, they may be dented. I find elastoplast strapping better than cloth, as it sticks to the polished metal as well as providing cushioning, but I would now start with a Boa or other strap wrench, where the strap is a reinforced rubbery material, and grips well.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=boa+wrench&LH_PrefLoc=1&_sop=15
there are various sizes, you need quite a small one. Places like Halfords may have them, but in a size to fit oil filters, which is too big.

Edit:
My mistake, I see you've tried one.

 

[Newboy]

When you use grips, apply the force at the top of the shroud - nearest the tap body, that way you won't dent them as the headgear assembly will be directly under the pressure points.

 

[dilalio]

Killrock limescale gel.
Then when cleaned up and dried, try applying some heat... Do you have a heat gun?