Replace faucet in head tips

PaulK · Jul 26, 2022

What you will need is a faucet or basin wrench. Home Depot & other hardware stores have them. It has a swiveling spring-loaded jaw at one end, to hook onto the nut and a t-shaped handle that enables you to twist it. You usually have to get the jaw set on the nut by feel, and then hold the wrench in place while you turn it.

Don Crowther · Jul 26, 2022

How about using a dremel to cut the nut off?

Don S/V ILLusion · Jul 26, 2022

smokey73 said:
You got me thinking - I wonder if someone makes a special tool with a long shaft and enough clearance to go over the supply hoses and get on the nut directly. Just brainstorming and found this: Now I just have to find out the nut size to see if it fits.

Such a things exists - the one I have came with a Kohler kitchen faucet kit. Not sure but I assume it is a universal size.
Check in the big box stores

justsomeguy · Jul 26, 2022

smokey73 said:
It looks like there is a fiberglass shell below the countertop.

Any way to get the undermount sink out of the way?

PaulK · Jul 26, 2022

If you're tossing the faucet anyway, you might be able to use a Sawzall from the top. Be gentle - you don't want to ding the fiberglass.

justsomeguy · Jul 26, 2022

smokey73 said:
It is attached to the countertop through a hole in the fiberglass shell.

Right. There's a thin nut that tightens against the underside of your vanity top.
It's a puzzlement!
I had to replace my vanity top during a recent chainplate job and learned that it was glued down with some pretty good adhesive. It took a couple of chisels and wedges to pry it up.
Somebody around here should pipe up with knowledge of this tear-down. Patience.
Is that a Grohe faucet?

sailcapt340 · Jul 26, 2022

From what I have read so far, it looks like you haven’t removed the existing faucet just yet. The work involved, from mine own head faucet replacement, was terrible. Your lucky though! You only have 1 nut to remove, I had 2. And back then silicone caulking must have been very very cheap, because they used tons of it under there. And had excellent adhesive properties.
You will not save your faucet by spending hours trying. Unless you really want it for another use.
Paul and justsomeguy are right. Cut it from the top and push the stem through. It comes out to minutes of work versus hours. And if you damage the molded sink-countertop. You’ll be replacing a lot more than a faucet.
A sawzall may be overkill in this situation, as their blades are probably to large and aggressive for the space. A Dremel tool will cut a notch for you in the covering and expose the center core stem.
Once out, if the new washers and nut don’t fit under the top you can get smaller ones that will.
Plumbers putty is what I used to seat the new faucet in rather than silicone sealants. It stays flexible, seals and is removable.
I hope this helps you in some way. Patience, cut slow.

PaulK · Jul 26, 2022

smokey73 said:
@sailcapt340 Thanks for the tip. Not sure what you mean by Cut it from the top?

Dan

Cut the faucet apart from the top and the hard-to-get-at bottom section will fall down. As sailcapt suggests, a Sawzall is likely overkill.

Rick D · Jul 26, 2022

smokey73 said:
Sorry if I seem dense, but Cut apart from the top? Still not sure what that means. Looking at the picture I posted does that mean cut horizontally just above the handles? Cut horizontally just below the handles, Pull out the spray and cut vertically from the top on both sides.

Before you attempt that, know that I have replaced the valves in mine and I can tell you that it is a thick-walled brass casting. I don't see, considering the shape, how cutting it would help you gain access. FWIW.

sailcapt340 · Jul 26, 2022

Looking at the photo, I would pull out (up) the spray nozzle and cut the hose. That will fall out under the sink and out of your way. Disconnect the water lines under the faucet. Now it’s a free stand alone unit.
It looks like there is a nut under the spray nozzle. Take a wrench and ”try” to unscrew it from the faucet. It may be easy, may not. If it’s not easy that may be to your benefit. Just the action of trying to remove it may loosen the entire faucet from the seal underneath. But don’t force it, you don’t want to risk cracking the countertop.
It also looks as the hot and cold handles have nuts under them as well. The handles should come off by removing the screw in the center of each one, under a cap pressed on to each.
If you can remove all three you’ll have a hollow faucet core.
From this point you can cut off hot and cold sides, if need be.
I really think that if you can remove all the parts and use a large plier to grab the core you should be able to twist it free with left and right movements. If not twisting to the left and hopefully the sealant holds under the countertop if should unscrew from the nut.
Even if it unscrews just a 1/4 of an inch, that will let you get a blade under it and cut the faucet off from the top of the countertop.
Try it slowly. If it’s anything like mine was (most are) the the faucet feed line is much smaller than the hole and it is filled with sealant to hold it in.
Clean it all out and install your new one.
And I must say, you are NOT dense. So don’t say that. Writing directions on these types of forums is hard to put into words and even harder to get the point across to others. I for one, see it in my mind, but I’m no Shakespeare.
But I really believe if you follow the above you will get it free and hopefully without more work than necessary. You just need to apply some force to free it.

Ed Caldwell · Jul 27, 2022

I eventually (and carefully) pried up the countertop after disconnecting all the hoses. Lifting it up a foot made access to the bottom of the faucet pretty easy. Then glued back down although I don't remember what I used. An adhesive sealant, maybe 4200 or similar.