Dripping Outdoor Faucet / Handle Stuck

[Hugh Hunkeler]

I've got an outdoor faucet that's dripping very slightly. It's a Mansfield, came with the house which was built in 1975. I thought to remove the handle and see if tightening the packing nut a little would get me through the winter until I can replace the washers, etc., when it warms up. However, I can not remove the handle.

The center screw came out easily enough, and the plastic handle is loose on the metal part...that is, it's not rusted on or stuck due to minerals. I tried tapping it off with the back of a screwdriver, and prying it with a pair of small flat crowbars, but it won't come off.

I called Mansfield's help line, but the guy said the handle should come straight off. But, it just won't. Any more force, and I think I'll crack the handle.

The handle looks like this one (but is blue):
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?attachments/mansfield-old-white1-png.34855/

Is there a trick to getting it off?

I have access to the back of the wall. The backside of the faucet has a threaded fitting, but the copper pipe from the house is soldered to the inside of the faucet pipe. Was that common? At least if the faucet were threaded to a fitting, I could fairly easily replace the whole thing.

Many Thanks.

 

[WorthFlorida]

The stem has corroded some and it probably expanded a little wedging in the handle. Do a lot of light tapping and wiggling. Start with the screw in tap the stem fairly hard to brake any corrosion. Remove the screw and lightly tap the sides of the handle and wiggle it. If it breaks it's no so bad since replacement handles should be avaialble.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/faucet-and-faucet-repair/faucet-parts/4590170

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Cracking the handle may not be so bad, but there are pullers that could help with this job. You might get a longer screw with the same thread for the puller to push against.

 

[Hugh Hunkeler]

Thanks for the help, guys. I got a kit repair at Lowes which includes a new handle, plus a pair of packing nuts (guessing one is left-handed, the other right-handed) and washers.

I'll try tapping the handle's front side with a wooden block to see if that'll loosen it. It's one degree out this morning, and I don't want to break anything in this weather. The dripping has stopped, so fingers crossed that's not because it's frozen inside.

Once the handle is off, I hope to be able to see why it wiggles in/out and left/right if it's stuck on.