Shower fixture, 3 valve, frozen seats

[OldHouseEllen]

I'm replacing and older set of Gerber shower fixtures. I've removed the stems from all three valves but having difficulty with the seats. The seats have a hex hole and I have tried two types of the 90 degree angle tool. One with three sizes of hexes and another with a sloped design. The stepped, three size tool just slips. The sloped design tool bottoms out on the back of the pipe before seating in the seat.

I also tried a large allen wrench. Carefully banged it in place with a rubber mallet and then tried turning it with a visegrip. I can't get the seats to budge. One looks like it's already stripped (that's the one that started this project with a drip). I don't want to strip the rest.

Anyone have ideas of how to unfreeze the seat?

Thanks for your help!!!!

Ellen

[stan'pipe joe]

ellen, you may want to try your luck with a seat grinding kit that will put a nice new surface on the existing seats. if that doesnt work, smash it out and put in a pressure balancing valve.

[NHMaster3015]

Smash it out? Having a bad day Joe? :cool:

[stan'pipe joe]

O.k. neatly grind the tile and carefully remove the old valve and install a symmons valve not a moen!!! with a goof plate.:nanner:. Us plumbers hate moen right NHmaster.

[MPMGinAL]

Ellen - don't get in over your head. Go by a plumbing supplier and purchase a set of seat wrenches. Those 90 degree things are crap. when you determine which wrench to use insert it into seat and tap end with a hammer lightly to seat the wrench into the seat. then slide the ratched tool over the wrench and set it appropriatly for removing seat. At this point you will want to give the ratchet a good hit with your fine adjustment tool (hammer). This will give it a sudden impact and should break it loose (same concept as using an impact tool). You will want to avoid the slow gradual turning as this will possibly strip the seat.

Good luck. That seat wrench set shouldn't cost more than twenty bucks. And you may can find them at depot or lowes jsut not sure.:have-fun:

[DUNBAR PLUMBING]

IF they bottom out, grind the seat tool down enough to where it doesn't bottom out.

I always tried turning just a hair clockwise, which would be tightening, then tried reversing out.


I've only had a couple that I didn't win getting out.


I did see where a guy knocked a hole in his faucet which I found hilarious! :happy-birthday:


Job security fo me! :thumbup2:

[plumberscrack]

I'm not familiar with a Gerber faucet that uses a Allen wrench style seat.

Every one that I've seen has a square hole

Someone may have jammed the wrong seat in there

good luck

[SlimTim]

I'm not familiar with a Gerber faucet that uses a Allen wrench style seat.

Every one that I've seen has a square hole

Someone may have jammed the wrong seat in there

good luck


Gerber did make the hex seats for awhile. I didn't like them.

Dunbar is right about grinding or cutting the seat tool so it doesn't bottom out against the back of the faucet (I knew a helper that knocked a hole in back of the faucet once:rolleyes: :speechless:)
DON'T TRY THIS! But a torch on the seat will often get it loose. You risk melting a solder joint or BURNING YOUR HOUSE DOWN if you don't know what you're doing.

If you do get it to turn there is an even chance the threads will strip on the way out anyway. In which case you'll either need a tap to match the Gerber threads (I have two!) or replace the faucet.

[rookie plumber]

Everyone here has given you some good advice it's nice to know that others have ground down their seat wrenches, I've showed this to so many guys. But if you have a partially stripped seat and you still want to salvage this valve, call your plumber or get the name of a good plumber from a friend of yours. Let us know the outcome.

[OldHouseEllen]

Thanks for all the help!
I have still been unable to remove the valve seats but I reassembled everything with the old and let it sit for 24 hours and it looks like my leak is gone. I will keep my eye on it and also see if I can find the seat grinding tool to clean it up a bit.

Thanks to all!!!

[NYCTplumber]

Use penetrating oil on the seats and real faucet seat wrenches to get the old seats out. If you can't and the seats don't look too bad you can grind down the seats flat, but you have to be good at it to make them last and not cut up the new washers. If it doesn't work you'll have to change the shower body.So don't waste too much time on the seats.

[nectros]

Ok I've read about 14 bazillion posts about stripped out valve seats, and everyone I've read has been about the wrenching area being stripped, for example the hex or square,,,,that IS NOT what is stripped on mine. I was tightening the new valve seat and I over tightened and stripped the threads. I haven't been able to find any info on a puller, or any other method of removal. maybe its because I'm so angry at myself for screwing it up. I heard someone at work mention trying a large easy-out. Just curious if anyone has tried that before.

Hopefully someone here can help me out. Thanks

[Jay Mpls]

Seat grinder for you too.
Then drop in your new washers,grab a cold frosty one and enjoy your not-leaking faucet.

[SlimTim]

Ok I've read about 14 bazillion posts about stripped out valve seats, and everyone I've read has been about the wrenching area being stripped, for example the hex or square,,,,that IS NOT what is stripped on mine. I was tightening the new valve seat and I over tightened and stripped the threads. I haven't been able to find any info on a puller, or any other method of removal. maybe its because I'm so angry at myself for screwing it up. I heard someone at work mention trying a large easy-out. Just curious if anyone has tried that before.

Hopefully someone here can help me out. Thanks


Mmmm, not good Kimosabe. I would try the ease out-it will have to be a short one so you may have to saw off the end. I guess you don't know if it's the seat or the valve that is stripped. I'm guessing the valve in which case you can tap it but you'll have to do some investigation as to what size threads and how many threads per in.
What brand faucet is it?