I have a Rubinet faucet where the hot side cartridge has gone bad.

I have the new replacement cartridge (left side of picture) ready and it requires a 16mm deep socket (right side of picture). I think George here advised that an impact driver would loosen it.



However, the existing cartridge is a bigger hex but, probably 17mm or 18mm, not sure which. So I tried to use a 12in long adjustable wrench on the nut and holding the stem on the underside by hand, can't get it to loosen up.

I am going to go get a 17mm and a 18mm deep socket and try it with an impact driver to see if I can get it loosen up.

IF it doesn't. I assume I need to then loosen the larger nut in the picture, then I can slip off the entire stem from the bottom, remove the hose connection, then try to loosen it again with the stem on a vice?

? did you open the valve slightly before wrenching ?

a closed valve will 'lock' the stem in place similar to having a 'jam' nut

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

Bern, this is a quarter turn ceramic disc valve and it does not matter if the valve is closed or not.

I am reasonably certain that an impact driver will loosen it. Rubinet makes good quality faucets and there has not been a single Rubinet stem that my impact driver has not been able to loosen.

george, I will try a 17mm and 18mm with an impact driver and see if that works. I don't know why the one I have is bigger than 16mm. The new cartridge is 16mm though.

I also do not know if my impact can point straight down because a ceramic wall mounted soap dish is directly over that handle.

george,

i live ....... i learn



sum,

if the driver does not fit, you may need a combination wrench + oomph + (if you are paranoid) a helper to hold back while you tap tap tap on the wrench

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

An"impact wrench" to remove a stem?????? Do you also use a cannon to kill flies? Talk about overcompensating!! I have NEVER needed more than a 3/8" ratchet and deep socket, or a box wrench to remove stems, depending on which works better with the limited access.

You should try it. The point is not oomph but you can hold the valve body in widespread faucets and prevent it from turning with your bare hand by reaching under the sink while your other hand operates the impact driver.

You are probably thinking of an impact wrench used for taking wheels off cars, I am referring to a lightweight impact driver.

HJ, it's the hammering action of the impact driver that makes it more effective than the steady force you apply with a ratchet. As noted, you can hold the bottom end with your hand, you don't need as much resistive force as you do with a standard ratchet.

- - - - - - -

Not a plumber by trade but a fierce DIYer

how would you hold a fly steady so you can shoot it with a cannon?

It is not a FLY! Sometimes valve bodies can be hard to hold, especially when they are tight up against the sink bowl, or when the stem is somewhat seized on to the valve body. An impact driver will spin the stem out in these situations.

oh, for pete's sake

there is a PROPER replacement at hand

get a good bite with a 14 and unscrew the thing

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

how many wide spread faucets have you worked on?
some valves have a brass nut on the bottom and the top is fastened down by the chrome escutcheon.
but then again the old union saying. if you can't loosen it get a bigger wrench.
\

and if you bust the faucet, simply tell the little 84 year old lady that you went beyond code requirements and for 400 dollars she can have a new code compliant faucet

And what do you do when the valve body starts turning and it is difficult to get a tool on it and there is not a helper around who can lie under the sink. reach the valve body obstructed by the sink and steady it with a tool?

Quote
packy
and if you bust the faucet, simply tell the little 84 year old lady that you went beyond code requirements and for 400 dollars she can have a new code compliant faucet

This is what separates the pros from the hackers like me God luv ya Packy!

- - - - - - -

Not a plumber by trade but a fierce DIYer



Edited 1 times.

Quote

how many wide spread faucets have you worked on?
some valves have a brass nut on the bottom and the top is fastened down by the chrome escutcheon.
but then again the old union saying. if you can't loosen it get a bigger wrench.
\

and if you bust the faucet, simply tell the little 84 year old lady that you went beyond code requirements and for 400 dollars she can have a new code compliant faucet

maybe 5-600 hundred or so

the ONLY time i had 'issues' was with the 'cheapos' with the flexible connections underneath

the quality ones are RIGID bodied designed for the SPECIFIC spread (in the olden days the fixture came with TWO sets of rigid connectors OR connectors which needed cutting) giving a 'built in' holdback

the Rubinet is designed with hoses connecting underneath for EITHER 8 or 12" C-C (imo: cheapo modern junk)

there are FLATS on the 'underbodies' DESIGNED for holdback

I would simply 'jam' an adjustable wrench using a wedge as necessary OR (maybe) one may NEED a helper with a basin wrench, and then use whatever force is necessary to unscrew the stem/cartridge.

OR

[since the faucet is already installed (duh)] hold back with CURVED JAW pliers on the exposed body threads


oooops ...... ther's my training showing ...... again

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 2 times.

bernabeu, this Rubinet faucet is a $500 faucet, it has a solid brass body and parts are from Germany. I won't call them cheapo junk.

? so why are you having a problem servicing it ?

regardless of PRICE it is 'shortcutting' by having PLASTIC connectors UNDERNEATH making it very difficult to service




as you are discovering






It may very be that ALL 'consumer grade' faucets made today are, IMO, comparative junk.

Perhaps the big box store has a point: NEVER stop 'improving'.

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 2 times.

just one example of the top of the valve is secured by the chrome escution.
where do you grab onto with a 14 inch wrench?
which threads do you bugger up?

The designers of faucets should be forced to attend plumbing
fixture installation school (sounds good eh?) so they understand the problems we
have installing their crap...mandated by state law!

@ packy,



==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

@ lorensr,

no state law requires the use of plastic tubes to make a faucet 'more universal'

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

I am going to try Monday.

There is a metal body to hold onto, but my skill and experience is questionable. This is a pedestal sink, so it's not easy to hold the valve below and unscrew from the top at the same time.

I cannot put a wrench in the threads in the picture, they are used to thread in the chrome decorative handle.

your picture and my picture are completly different.

as sum says, the threads are used to hold the chrome trim. you can not bugger those.

it was the OP's pic

i would, of course, 'sleeve' the threads with an old leather belt and some 'plaster' for grip

sorta like a strap wrench concept






SHEEEEEZ



over and out

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

didn't you ever watch capt midnight?
it is either "over" or it is "out".

george, I tried it again today and the impact driver worked once I got the deep socket on with an extra extension piece to get the driver body above the soap dish. Didn't think of doing that the last time.







Also, it seems they have changed the design a bit, the old nut was 17mm and a taller nut, the new one is 16mm.





Edited 1 times.

Glad to hear you got the job done.

I have run into the 17mm hex before but it was on old Rubinet compression faucets. The new quarter turn ceramic stems are an exact replacement for the compression stems and customers end up happy with easy-to-operate ceramic stems instead of the harder-to-operate compression stems.



Edited 1 times.