Tap lever stuck to spline? - best way of getting it off

[Lusi83]

Kitchen lever handled mixer tap (IKea Loviken) - hot tap started dripping and got worse rapidly to steady stream ...so bad had to isolate it ...
It is a ceramic disc tap and less than 4 years old....phoned Ikea and they have (free of charge) sent me out a new cartridge ...which arrived today...
I have original instructions and someone on Ikea fans has also posted instructions...
Basically it seems like you unscrew the top cover, unscrew the screw into the spline and then the lever bit should just lift off (then there is another cover thing and then you remove the cartridge)....

Only I can't get the lever bit off - have even given it a gentle belt with the hammer and it is not moving ...had a look at the cold tap too and that seems the same...can't see any little fixing screws or anything....think it has seized to the spline
So is this common/likely?
And what is the best way of getting it off? WD40? Heat (might wreck chrome finish!) ? Crowbar?

(patience has gone - feel like taking a sledge hammer to the whole thing - but probably not the best way to go... )

 

[duffin]

could try a bit of descaler, if the heads are on the sides then try packing with descaler soaked cloth. give it half an hour and try again.

 

[Lusi83]

Did put some vinegar on it -but didn't leave it very long - so will try again and leave it longer ...
Looking at it I think I need to buy a deep socket too - but can't tell yet until i get this bl**dy lever off!

 

[joe-90]

I usually manage by banging the handle with a plastic screwdriver fast and wobbling at the same time. Wobbling the handle that is - not the family jewels.

 

[Lusi83]

Just (yes just!) managed to get it off - soaked in vinegar, then WD40 and in the end had a small adjustable wrench covered in a cloth and used it a lever to force it up ...(so much force now worried about how the pipe joints underneath will be holding up...)
Found it all covered in serious gunk (think water must get in there - off hands from tap? while cleaning?)
Managed to get the cartridge out with a double headed spanner (the circle bit that is on a bit of an angle -if you know what I mean) Only to find they have send me the wrong cartridge - replacement is way too small....
About to get back onto Ikea ...

 

[Lusi83]

Should have asked ...can I put something (vaseline/wd40 or???) on the new spline to reduce the risk of it seizing again?

(Ikea apparently did two versions of my tap - so hopefully will now get the right cartridge at the beginning of next week...)

 

[duffin]

by all means use vaseline.