heat the handle. The handle does NOT have to be put on upside down REGARDLESS of how the body is installed.
So I was out in Seattle again, this time I really really heated the handle (I burned myself too). Anyway, it appeared the handle got looser - a little. The hex wrench also came out with some soap on it.
What I finally did to remove it was to drill it out using hex type drill bits in an extension, starting small and increasing the size until I had drilled the set screw out. I used wire nuts as stops to avoid drilling the interior post. I used 3 drill sizes as I recall. Finally, the handle came off.
FYI: the set screw is 1/4" and 32 tpi
One lesson - I **believe** that if I had just tightened the set screw when the handle was red hot, that might have worked to just secure it (but forever!). Also, if I had been able to tighten it, I could have used a thread chaser to get rid of most of the gunk in the slot threads, and then MAYBE I could have backed the set screw out while hot.
Items I would have liked to use but could never find:
- hex-headed left handed metal drill bits (and boy did I search for these!)
- screw extractor with hex head, so I could use it on an extension. Found many with shallow tip but they wouldn't have gotten deep enough in the slot to help
I'm posting a photo of the new and old handle. The old one has a full-depth threaded slot, and the new one has an air gap and small threaded slot. When I installed the new one, I smeared silicone grease into the slot and worked it into the threads, ditto on the set screw, and after installing the handle, I plugged the hole with a screw cover or something I got at the local hardware store.
Also, the post has an indention on one side to accept the set screw head, so I had no way to install this handle in a flipped rotation (putting the screw hole down, not up). Perhaps the cartridge can be flipped, but I couldn't find a water shutoff for the shower so didn't even try.