Posted by Joe I. on January 30, 1998 at 16:44:55:
In Reply to: Striped Faucet Seat posted by Steve on January 30, 1998 at 11:07:48:
: I have a very old faucet seat in my shower/bath wall which I need to remove but I can't since it is striped and I can't get the seat tool to grab it without slipping. I have gotten an EZOUT (screw extractor) which fits about 1/2 way into the seat. It is not grabbing too well. I hit the extractor with a ball-peen hammer to get it to grab the seat but as soon as I turn the extractor with my ratchet wrench, the extractor loses its grip immediately and just spins around inside the seat. Do I need to drive the extractor deeper into the seat before I turn it? I am afraid of hitting the hammer to hard since I don't want to hurt my pipes behind the wall. I have taken other seats out from this shower/bath fixture and I know that the seat should come out. Any suggestions and advice much appreciated !! Should I use some Liquid Wrench or WD-40 and let it sit overnight to maybe loosen up the seat and then try my luck again the next day? Help !!! Thanks. I have been using a seat dresser tool to smooth the seat so that it does not drip but this is only a temporary fix. After a few weeks, it starts to drip again and the drip just gets worse and worse. The Screw Extractor I am using is a size 13/32 inch and #5. I can't use a 3/8 inch since this is too small for this seat. Do Screw Extractors come in different threads? Are some threads better at cutting into brass than other?
You may be able to remove the seat by using a tapered stright-flute screw extractor. Use an extractor that just the lead edge just fits in the seat. Hit the extractor with a hammer(not a tap)to set it in place. YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO PUT THE EXTRACTOR THROUGH THE BACK OF THE SHOWER VALVE. You may have to alter the extractor to make it fit just right. Good Luck