Using this site and many other resources, I researched the task of replacing the stems in mt late 60's rambler. I purchased a handle puller, stem wrenches, a seat puller and went in optimistically.
I got the handles off, but then came across the first issue. The holes in the tile were only large enough for the skinny part of the stems and not the packing nut. This made it so I could not get a stem wrench in there. I looked from the back through an access hole in the closet and there was no way to get a vice grips or Channel lock in there.
At that point I reluctantly decided to go in from the front. Using a hack saw I cut the stem down so I could use a hole saw to widen the hole in the tile to get the stem wrench on. I only did this because of a video I saw online: http://www.expertvillage.com/player.swf?flv=leaky-faucet-stem-off
Here comes the second problem. I got the stem wrench on and it would not budge. With all my strength I managed to completely strip the stem and now it is round.
At this point I was so frustrated that I had to quit for the night and come back the next day. With a clear mind I think I am at the point now where I have a lot of questions.
A) Should I keep trying to remove the stem using some kind of deep socket bolt extractor?
B) Should I start thinking about attacking it from the back, either cutting the whole assembly in the wall out to work on it or cutting my access hole bigger to try and get a wrench in there?
C) Am I missing anything. Was there something I had to do before trying to loosen the stem? Is there a trick to getting off the stem? I usually have pretty good luck, but 40 year old plumbing may need to be hacked out and started over.
I would like to retain as much of the hardware as I can. For now I just need to replace the stems If I can get them out.
PS it is a ELJER stem set with three knobs. HOT - reverse thread, DIVERTER, and COLD
I got the handles off, but then came across the first issue. The holes in the tile were only large enough for the skinny part of the stems and not the packing nut. This made it so I could not get a stem wrench in there. I looked from the back through an access hole in the closet and there was no way to get a vice grips or Channel lock in there.
At that point I reluctantly decided to go in from the front. Using a hack saw I cut the stem down so I could use a hole saw to widen the hole in the tile to get the stem wrench on. I only did this because of a video I saw online: http://www.expertvillage.com/player.swf?flv=leaky-faucet-stem-off
Here comes the second problem. I got the stem wrench on and it would not budge. With all my strength I managed to completely strip the stem and now it is round.
At this point I was so frustrated that I had to quit for the night and come back the next day. With a clear mind I think I am at the point now where I have a lot of questions.
A) Should I keep trying to remove the stem using some kind of deep socket bolt extractor?
B) Should I start thinking about attacking it from the back, either cutting the whole assembly in the wall out to work on it or cutting my access hole bigger to try and get a wrench in there?
C) Am I missing anything. Was there something I had to do before trying to loosen the stem? Is there a trick to getting off the stem? I usually have pretty good luck, but 40 year old plumbing may need to be hacked out and started over.
I would like to retain as much of the hardware as I can. For now I just need to replace the stems If I can get them out.
PS it is a ELJER stem set with three knobs. HOT - reverse thread, DIVERTER, and COLD