How do you fix a stiff tap?

[ringo]

The hot tap on the bath/shower mixer unit is so stiff I can't turn it on without almost dislocating a shoulder.

It's an ancient mixer tap. This morning I unscrewed the screw in the middle of the hot tap handle and pulled the handle off. I then used a large spanner to undo the twisty part of the handle, which allowed water through OK. I oiled the thread and inner bits I could get to and did it up again, but its just as stiff as it was.

Anyone know which bit is broken/needs lubricating and how to sort it out?

 

[TitanSound]

The hot tap on the bath/shower mixer unit is so stiff I can't turn it on without almost dislocating a shoulder.

It's an ancient mixer tap. This morning I unscrewed the screw in the middle of the hot tap handle and pulled the handle off. I then used a large spanner to undo the twisty part of the handle, which allowed water through OK. I oiled the thread and inner bits I could get to and did it up again, but its just as stiff as it was.

Anyone know which bit is broken/needs lubricating and how to sort it out?

It's probably easier to buy and fit a new tap tbh. The time spent taking it all off and apart and cleaning it will be far longer than just swapping it.

 

[Citizen66]

Either try and loosen it a bit with some WD40 or replace it. Basically.

 

[ringo]

Nope, it's an old bath and mixer tap. The spaces between the two holes in the bath for the pipes are a different width apart from new taps so replacing it is not an option. WD40 is pretty useless, it's a bodgers tool.

They can be fixed, I'll do some more Googling.

 

[Citizen66]

A bodgers tool. we use it in engineering ffs.

The tap is obviously snagging so you could try rubbing the shaft down with emery cloth.

 

[rivertree]

.

 

[TitanSound]

WD40 is pretty useless, it's a bodgers tool.

Not really. It's great for seized up metal parts I have found. I normally find spraying and leaving for 10-20 minutes does the trick.

 

[stupid dogbot]

WD40 is pretty useless, it's a bodgers tool.

Not true at all.

 

[TitanSound]

you could try rubbing the shaft down with emery cloth.

He wants to fix his tap you dirty bastard

 

[ringo]

A typical set of Urban responses - 'don't bother you're wasting your time', then an irrelevant argument and finally a hilarious knob gag.

 

[TitanSound]

We're only trying to help

 

[ringo]

Yeah but the correct fix would be to take it apart, locate and replace the broken/worn part and reassemble it. Like a plumber would do.

 

[quimcunx]

get a plumber in.

 

[revlon]

old tap + hot water usually = limescale build up. Dismantle the hot tap give eveything a good soak in a descaler.

While you doing that check to see if any washers are missing.

 

[TitanSound]

Yeah but the correct fix would be to take it apart, locate and replace the broken/worn part and reassemble it. Like a plumber would do.

Well why are you bloody asking us then

 

[Citizen66]

Yeah but the correct fix would be to take it apart, locate and replace the broken/worn part and reassemble it. Like a plumber would do.

A plumber would also consider replacing the tap. It's a tap, not a bloody water turbine.

 

[Weller]

If its the type of tap innards with a rubber washer and not some new fangled ceramic type then these replacement innards and heads are pretty good they come with lots of adapters to fit most.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/replacement-tap-head-Primaflow-ezee-tap-/280558698460?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Bathroom_Taps_PP&hash=item415299ffdc

or if it looks like the gland drawing on the back of the packet you could always take the old one appart there should be a circlip by the top spline take that off , then bash it upside down on something hard and the middle should eventually come out , seperate the bits clean it all up or leave it soaking in wd40 overnight , vaseline it all up and it may be ok again .

Once youve removed circlip and bashed the centre shaft as in picture above you should have the centre part out which is 2 parts screwed together one part with the washer on , its those 2 bits which should move freely and unless you remove the circlip and seperate them , its unlikely that you will get wd40 or anything else in there to clean the scale etc.

Just unscrew the 2 parts and clean etc , making sure when you put it back together you screw the cleaned / greased threaded parts fully back together before pushing back in and the replace the circlip (important so do not lose the circlip otherwise centre bit will just spin)

 

[ringo]

Thanks Weller, I'll have a look tomorrow.

 

[Weller]

Ah ,found a couple of more pictures that might help , Im feeling in a helpful mood seeing as its p*ssing down outside .

What happens sometimes is the centre bit drops down too far as in pic above sometimes if washer is very worn or if people have been overtightening it due to stiffness the middle bit some times drops too far making things worse

Once you take it appart.... , whacked it upside down on floor etc : ) you will see this middle come out

The part on the right is also in 2 parts that should move easily ,its threaded together so what you are trying to do is split that too clean and grease then thread it all back together inside the outer bit again making sure it looks like this screwed together inner bit fully up before you put back in tap.

to split take part 2 circlip off , turn it upside down and bash part 1 on floor to separate the middle

Then obce fixed go charge £150.00 call out to do other peoples and maybe get yourself on rouge trader or something

 

[ringo]

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

[ringo]

Great, just needed a new rubber washer, nice one Weller.

 

[geminisnake]

LOL @ Citizen and Titan

For future reference ringo you can get different mixer tap lengths/widths/thicknesses.