Speaking of plumbing...

[wes0778]

Not how I wanted to spend this afternoon and tomorrow.

My son Wes, on the right in the picture, complained to his landlord (me) that the hot water knob on his tub was leaking when he turns it on. Ok, simple job, remove the knob and tighten the packing nut, right? NOT!!!!!!

First the Phillips head retaining screw is already stripped! Bad sign, to start with. Ok Get the handy dandy new H/F screw extractors. Didn't work, ended up drilling the head off so I can use Vise Grips. You guessed it the stub broke right off flush with the valve.

Ok, just remove the valve and go to Ace for a replacement. Again, OH H@LL NO!!! the packing nut has been tightened BEYOND tight and the faucet arrangement is NOT a solid bar. There are separate valves for hot and cold with hoses running to a TEE under the faucet. SOOO, you guessed it, instead of the packing nut coming out, the whole valve turned, loosening the supply line nut, causing a bigger leak. Does this tub have an access cover? Another H@LL NO!!!

SOOOO, take a look at the picture to see where I left it at 9:30 tonight.......

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

I am sorry but the service plumber in me has to come out at this point and are you saving money yet?

There is always a point at which a person has to call in a pro. We know it working on our bikes, cars, tv, refridgerators, and about any home repairs.

I have to say, I have never had to do that on a service call. I may have had to in your case but I have only been working on plumbing for a little over 30 years so I am still kinda new at it.

 

Good luck and enjoy your day tomorrow.

:mo money: :mo money:

[wes0778]

I am sorry but the service plumber in me has to come out at this point and are you saving money yet?

There is always a point at which a person has to call in a pro. We know it working on our bikes, cars, tv, refridgerators, and about any home repairs.

I have to say, I have never had to do that on a service call. I may have had to in your case but I have only been working on plumbing for a little over 30 years so I am still kinda new at it.

 

Good luck and enjoy your day tomorrow.

:mo money: :mo money:

 

Kevin, I wish!!! But the only way to re-tighten the supply line was to move the tub away from the wall. I forgot to mention mobile home. Both "wall" sides of the tub are on exterior walls.

Strap wrench (didn't wanna put pipe wrench on the threads) and an impact wrench would not loosen the packing nut.

[Dragonslayer]

Or you could just yank the trailer out and insert another. As a pro, don't let anybody tell you different. Everbody, i don't care how good you are has days when a steal cannon ball will fracture like an egg without provacation. Sometimes it's best to just walk away for a while and attack it again with fresh start later.

 

Good luck Walter

[RandyR]

did you try a small stick of TnT ?

[CaptainJoe]

might need to turn the packing nut to the left.(left hand threads)Doubtfull though...

 

you can always soldier the supply lines.

 

since thats a garden tub, it will require a garden tub faucet which delivers a lot more volume than an ordinary faucet...and yes ... you gessed it THEY COST MORE! atleast a couple hundred bucks, so be careful, as most are rebuildable

 

normally held on,from the bottom and have a quick disconnect plastic water line to main faucet.

 

Packing??? I haven't seen that since the bullet-proof Gerber faucets. faucet mfgrs. don't make em like that anymore. Think about it, why would they sell you a piece of packing or a rubber washer for 25 cents, when they can get $50 out of ya for a valve replacement...

 

We live in a throw away world...

 

oh go to lowes and buy an access door 6 x 12" and install shutoff

valves above floor on hot and cold(i perfer the shark bites)