Sillcock repair

[kost78]

Hi,

Apparently Ferguson is a rather widespread and used distributor for plumbing supplies. And also apparently they have a "house brand" named ProFlo that includes faucets. And among such faucets appears to be PF73 line that includes frost-free sillcocks.

With that, I had a plumber install one of the above units a few years ago because I am not particularly confident in plumbing soldering skills. And in hindsight it seems like he had the unit in his truck for 10 years first, doing a little leaking almost from the get-go that I just tolerated for a while.

Finally having enough, I recently purchased a repair kit that includes parts for the vacuum assembly (an easy one) and also for replacing the seal on the internal stem. But I am unable to disassemble the unit enough to access the stem.

I mean good grief. I went to my local Fergusons and a gentleman kindly pulled a new unit right off the shelf (so they still sell the same model and he said they sell a ton of them as well as the repair kit for it). Yet three terrific people there worked on trying to disassemble the unit for about 40 minutes with no success.

Similar to me and other than an exploded parts view of poor quality, they found no instructions for doing so in their database and nothing online that addresses it either. The unit has two nuts on it, with the first one closest to the handle coming off easily (and already removed). But the one closest to the faucet body (image included) has been immovable to this point and so I am unable to remove the stem.

Opinions have varied from that nut being welded onto the body (though no evidence of that) to being a reverse thread (but I cannot budge it that way either). For anyone that might have experience with this design, any input about how I might finish getting the unit apart and stem out would be greatly appreciated (if the design even allows that, but replacement parts are included in the repair kit). Thank you very much in advance for any responses.

 

[BuckeyeFF88]

I’m having the same issue. Did you have any luck with a fix?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[kost78]

It was not until after I joined and posted my question(s) that I learned of Terry's unfortunate passing recently. So first and foremost I wish to please offer my heartfelt condolences to all family and friends.

After understandably not receiving any responses to my inquiry, I did post on another forum and received a few comments that helped guide me to an eventual solution. No matter what and how hard I tried, I made zero progress by hand. So I chose to purchase an inexpensive impact wrench from Harbor Freight (wrench and socket for just under $30).

With my wife on an opposing wrench just in case (because I have had little experience with such a tool), the nut in question actually came off more easily than I anticipated and with seemingly no relevant damage to any faucet parts. I ultimately learned that it is a threaded nut with standard thread directions.

It was worth the effort and search, as the inner components were in bad shape as well. I put things back together with just hand tightening, and thus far operation of the spigot looks quite good. So in the end it was about $50 for the faucet repair kit and additional tools needed, and I got some invaluable experience along the way that I am sure will be helpful into the future. Good luck.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I've never used their hose bibs, but they pretty much just re-brand other manufactures stuff.

That being said, it just takes a large enough socket or end wrench to turn it. Pliers Wrenches might be the ticket for not messing up the nut. Or if that isn't too much a concern, then a large pliers would take that nut off.

 

[knarans]

It was not until after I joined and posted my question(s) that I learned of Terry's unfortunate passing recently. So first and foremost I wish to please offer my heartfelt condolences to all family and friends.

After understandably not receiving any responses to my inquiry, I did post on another forum and received a few comments that helped guide me to an eventual solution. No matter what and how hard I tried, I made zero progress by hand. So I chose to purchase an inexpensive impact wrench from Harbor Freight (wrench and socket for just under $30).

With my wife on an opposing wrench just in case (because I have had little experience with such a tool), the nut in question actually came off more easily than I anticipated and with seemingly no relevant damage to any faucet parts. I ultimately learned that it is a threaded nut with standard thread directions.

It was worth the effort and search, as the inner components were in bad shape as well. I put things back together with just hand tightening, and thus far operation of the spigot looks quite good. So in the end it was about $50 for the faucet repair kit and additional tools needed, and I got some invaluable experience along the way that I am sure will be helpful into the future. Good luck.

Thank you so much for the info. Do you happen to know what size of socket you used to get that nut off?

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

It was not until after I joined and posted my question(s) that I learned of Terry's unfortunate passing recently. So first and foremost I wish to please offer my heartfelt condolences to all family and friends.

After understandably not receiving any responses to my inquiry, I did post on another forum and received a few comments that helped guide me to an eventual solution. No matter what and how hard I tried, I made zero progress by hand. So I chose to purchase an inexpensive impact wrench from Harbor Freight (wrench and socket for just under $30).

I think that because this forum was being inundated with spam bot accounts, they implemented a waiting period or some form of identity check for new posts. So a lot of new posts are delayed by days and when they do post, they post with their original date about 2 or 3 pages back from the most recent posts. I have always had a habit of looking back at all unanswered posts in the threads to try and get answers for them, but now its become more prevelant.

 

[kost78]

1" was a bit too small at least on my unit. 1-1/16" and 27mm seemed to be the closest fits and I went with the 27mm. The black socket type made for impact wrenches was not much more than the regular type, and it was worth the peace of mind to go with that even though the nut seemed to come loose fairly quickly with the wrench. Good luck and let me know how it goes for you.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Those nuts are often tough to get apart Ive used proflo ( Ferg) store brand stuff its pretty decent havent used a frost proof bib but the standard ones I like because vthey have real packing washers Arrowhead brass no longer have packing nuts just an o ring . so on the regular cheapie hose bibs I like the proflow Ill use their ball valves for water heater or service mains too

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

1" was a bit too small at least on my unit. 1-1/16" and 27mm seemed to be the closest fits and I went with the 27mm. The black socket type made for impact wrenches was not much more than the regular type, and it was worth the peace of mind to go with that even though the nut seemed to come loose fairly quickly with the wrench. Good luck and let me know how it goes for you.

I think that many manufacturers use a form of epoxy on their threads when they build certain parts. So breaking that bond is the hard part that the impact gun is good for.

 

[Jeff H Young]

I think that many manufacturers use a form of epoxy on their threads when they build certain parts. So breaking that bond is the hard part that the impact gun is good for.

they might use a form of locktite